Patriotic 4th of July Cake Balls
on May 03, 2023, Updated Feb 09, 2024
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It’s almost summer holiday time and these adorable 4th of July cake balls are definitely dressed for the occasion. This easy recipe is fun for a patriotic treat whether you are celebrating Independence Day, Memorial Day, or your favorite Veteran.
I love a 2-bite dessert that’s festive and perfect for snacking or sharing.
In just a few simple steps, you can have a plate full of red, white and blue cake balls to enjoy at home or while watching the fireworks.
Try even more easy patriotic desserts like this American flag snack board or red, white, and blue cherries.
What I love About Patriotic Cake Balls
- Simple ingredients
- Bite size treat
- No bake recipe
- Patriotic dessert
Ingredients Needed
These no bake cake balls are one of the cutest dessert ideas for your fourth of July parties.
Here’s what you need:
- White cake mix – The cake mix is used as the base of the cake balls. We will heat treat it quickly before using.
- Eggs, vegetable oil, and water – Used to bake the cake according to the box instructions.
- Red and blue food coloring – A small amount of food coloring will be added to the cake mixture to create the vivid colors of the American flag inside each truffle.
- Cream cheese – Softened cream cheese is used to bind the dry ingredients together with a creamy, slightly tangy kick.
- Ghirardelli vanilla melting wafers – Used for coating the cake balls and drizzling if desired. You can also use white almond bark if you prefer.
- July 4th Sprinkles – Used as a decoration on top. I love these red, white and blue stars for their vibrant color and crunch.
How to Make Them
Quick and easy cake balls are a great way to enjoy a festive dessert without making a whole cake. The combination of flavors with melted chocolate and sprinkles makes a delightful melt in your mouth truffle.
Start by preheating the oven to 350°F or at the temperature according to package instructions. Lightly grease 3 small baking pans (8×8) and set them aside.
Combine the cake mix along with the ingredients needed on the box in a large bowl and mix until it forms a batter.
Separate the batter equally into three smaller bowls.
Leave one bowl plain and set it aside. Then, mix red food coloring in the second bowl and blue food coloring in the third bowl.
I recommend adding 5 drops at a time and mixing until you get the desired shade. It’s important to use separate spoons for mixing for each color of cake batter.
Pour each of the batters into their own greased baking pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the tops of the cake look set.
Remove the pans from the oven and set on a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
When the cakes have cooled, crumble each color into smaller pieces and transfer to separate bowls.
In a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer on medium high speed, beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
Divide the cream cheese evenly into three and add one into each of the crumbled cake bowls. Mix each bowl together until fully incorporated.
Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
Break off small one inch chunks from each of the 3 colors and roll them together with your hands to make a ball. Place each ball onto the prepared baking trays.
Once all of the cake balls have been made, place the trays in the refrigerator and allow to chill for 1-2 hours. This will ensure they hold their shape and stay firm while dipping.
Using a double boiler on low heat or you can microwave in a bowl on a low/defrost setting, melt the white melting wafers until smooth, Make sure to stir every 30 seconds.
Place one cake ball at a time on a fork and dip it into the melts. Tap the fork to remove the excess and thin out the coating.
Place the ball back onto the baking tray and immediately top with drizzled chocolate or sprinkles. Repeat with the rest of the cake balls.
Return the cake balls to the refrigerator to chill for another 15 minutes to allow the coating to finish setting.
Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Enjoy!
Variations
Here are some variations you can try:
- Add some white chocolate chips to the cake mix for a pop of sweetness.
- Add lollipop sticks to the cake balls to create 4th of July cake pops.
- Try using blue and red candy melts for dipping to add even more color.
- Make these with other colors to celebrate another holiday like Christmas or Halloween.
Tips and Tricks
Here are some tips and tricks to help you make the perfect cake mix balls:
- If the mixture seems too dry, you can add a tablespoon or two of milk to help it come together.
- To make the balls more uniform in size, use a small cookie scoop.
- Refrigerate the cake balls before dipping in chocolate to make the process easier.
Storage Tips
Place leftover cake balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Enjoy for up to 5 days.
Print the 4th of July Cake Balls Recipe
4th of July Cake Balls
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Hand mixer
- Baking trays
- Parchment Paper
- Double boiler (or microwave)
Ingredients
- 15.25 ounce white cake mix, plus ingredients on box needed to make it
- Red and blue food coloring
- 8 ounce block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 10 oz bag Ghirardelli vanilla melting wafers
- ½ cup red candy melts
- ½ cup blue candy melts
- Red, white, and blue sprinkles
Instructions
- Start by preheating the oven to 350°F or at the temperature according to package instructions. Lightly grease 3 small baking pans (I used 8×8) and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix along with the ingredients needed on the box and whisk it together until it forms a batter.
- Separate the batter into three smaller bowls. Leave one bowl plain and set it aside. Mix red food coloring in the second bowl and blue food coloring in the third bowl, adding 5 drops at a time and mixing until the desired shade is reached. Make sure to use separate spoons for mixing for each bowl.
- Pour the batters into their own greased baking pans and bake for 14-16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the tops of the cake look set.
- Remove the pans from the oven and set on a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
- Once cooled, crumble the cake into smaller pieces and transfer to bowls then set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer on medium high speed, beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
- Divide the cream cheese evenly into three and add one into each of the crumbled cake bowls. Mix each bowl together until fully incorporated. You can use the hand mixer on low to medium speed or mix by hand with a rubber spatula until well combined. Make sure to clean the mixer or spatula before moving on to the next color.
- Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
- Break off small one inch chunks from each of the 3 cakes and then roll the colors together with your hands to make a ball. Place each ball onto the prepared baking trays.
- Once all of the cake balls have been made, place the trays in the refrigerator and allow to chill for 1-2 hours. This will ensure they hold their shape and stay firm while dipping.
- Using a double boiler on low heat or you can microwave in a bowl on a low/defrost setting, melt the white melting wafers until smooth, Make sure to stir every 30 seconds.
- Place one cake ball at a time on a fork and dip it into the melts. Tap the fork to remove the excess and thin out the coating. Place the ball back onto the baking tray and immediately top with sprinkles. Repeat with the rest of the cake balls.
- Return the cake balls to the refrigerator to chill for another 15 minutes to allow the coating to finish setting.
- Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
