1 lb. milk or dark chocolate discs (I like Merken brand)
1/2 lb. colored chocolate discs (optional)
2 large eggs (for cake mix)
Water as per cake mix directions
RECIPE INSTRUCTIONS:
Prepare cake mix with NO oil, appropriate water, and 2 eggs (not what the cake mix calls for). Bake in a 9×13” pan and cool overnight.
Melt butter and sugar in a small saucepan. Over LOW heat, stir in preserves and cocoa until smooth (don’t boil). Remove from the heat, add vanilla (or your preferred extract), and cool for 10-15 minutes. Do NOT cool to thicken.
Crumble cake and pour cooled chocolate and preserve mixture over the cake. Mix and roll into 1-inch balls. For uniform results, use a cookie scooper.
Melt the one-pound chocolate discs (preferably Merkens or Ghirardelli) in a double boiler. Dip balls in chocolate with 2 spoons, let excess drip back into the pan, and place on parchment or wax paper. Chill and refrigerate when not serving.
For custom decorations, melt white or colored chocolate discs, let cool slightly, and place in a plastic bag with a snipped corner. Drizzle thinly. Use green and red for Christmas; red, white, and blue for the 4th of July, or match the bride’s colors for showers.
Feel free to switch out the cake flavor. I like to use red velvet, but any flavor is okay. Just be sure it is not one of the pudding-in-the-mix cake mixes.
