Cake Ball Christmas Tree Food

CAKE BALL CHRISTMAS TREE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Make cake as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Line large cookie sheet with waxed paper. Crumble cake into large bowl. Add frosting; mix well. Shape mixture into 49 (1 1/2-inch) balls; place on cookie sheet. Freeze about 1 hour or until firm. When firm, transfer to refrigerator.
• In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and oil uncovered on High 20 to 40 seconds or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Remove 4 balls from refrigerator. Using 2 forks, roll 1 ball at a time in melted chocolate to coat; gently shake off excess chocolate. Place on second large waxed paper-lined cookie sheet.
• In 2-quart microwavable bowl, microwave candy melts uncovered on Medium (50%) 1 minute 30 seconds; stir. Continue microwaving and stirring in 30-second increments until melted and smooth.
• Remove 1 ball from refrigerator. Using 2 forks, dip and roll ball in green coating; gently shake off excess. Place on cookie sheet; immediately sprinkle ball with yellow candy sprinkles.
• Remove a few balls from refrigerator at a time. Repeat dipping and rolling with remaining balls; rolling 1 ball at a time in green coating. Gently shake off excess each time. Place on cookie sheet; immediately sprinkle top with holiday candy sprinkles.
• Refrigerate all coated cake balls about 10 minutes or until set.
• On serving tray, arrange cake balls as follows: For star at top of tree, place yellow sprinkled ball. Place remaining green cake balls in triangle tree-shaped pattern (use photo as a guide). Place the 4 chocolate-coated balls at short side of triangle for tree trunk. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

CAKE BALL ORNAMENTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, beat cake mix, buttermilk, oil, eggs, cocoa and food color with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes. Pour into pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely. Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. Crumble cake into large bowl. Add frosting; mix well. Shape into 1 1/4-inch balls. Place on cookie sheet. Freeze 15 minutes. Transfer to refrigerator.
• Dip half of balls in melted green candy and other half in melted red candy; tap off excess. Return to cookie sheet; let stand until set.
• Spoon melted white candy into resealable food-storage plastic bag; cut off tiny corner of bag. Pipe designs on cake balls; let stand until set. Gently press 1 cereal piece on top of each cake ball, attaching with white candy. Pipe dot of candy on cereal piece; attach another cereal piece upright in center for ornament hook.