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These red velvet cake balls are bite sized, sweet, infused with optional fresh raspberries, and perfect for Valentine’s Day! White chocolate coats a soft mixture of red velvet cake and cream cheese frosting. These red velvet cake balls are super easy to mix up and are great for gifting and celebrating Valentine’s or Galentine’s Day!

I usually save red velvet for special occasions due to the large dose of food coloring it takes to achieve that rich red color. The red velvet cake for these cake balls can be prepared using a cake mix or try my recipe below. When I make red velvet cake I always infuse the batter with some freshly puréed raspberries for added moisture, color, and a pop of fruity flavor.

Cake balls only take a few minutes to make, however, you’ll need some chilling time prior to coating them in white chocolate. Before serving, these red velvet cake balls need time for the white chocolate to set as well.

Red Velvet Cake Debate

There are people who absolutely love red velvet cake and then others who think it’s the blandest, most undesirable cake flavor of all time.

Since red velvet cake is essentially in limbo between a yellow cake and a chocolate cake, I haven’t always been a fan. I like my cakes more defined in flavor! But that luscious cream cheese frosting, I can definitely get lost in that!

To achieve that deep red color you have to use A LOT of food coloring! Furthermore, you use vinegar and baking soda to enrich the boldness of that color. With only a small bit of cocoa powder, this cake doesn’t really have a flavor you can decipher. But what usually makes it so tempting is that creamy and sweet cream cheese frosting.

History of Red Velvet Cake

The commercialization of Valentine’s Day was definitely an opportunity for some bright minds! Just like in my Chocolate Mousse, where packaged chocolate took off for Valentine’s Day, Red Velvet Cake was created to sell a product, Food coloring!

Before we get to that, let’s talk about what terms a cake “velvet”. Simply put, a velvet cake means that the cake has a velvety texture. These velvet cakes, dating back to the 1800s, were made up of almond flour, cocoa or cornstarch in order to soften and make a softer and finer crumb.

While now some people use beets to color red velvet cake, the typical and true red velvet cake was commercialized in the 1920s by Adams Extract. This Texas company used tear off recipe cards on their food dye packages to sell more of their product. Later, in the 1950s, the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in NYC made red velvet a posh and popular item.

Then, once red velvet cake appeared in Steel Magnolias, the bright cake took off!

Now this bold hued cake is the most popular cake during Valentine’s Day! Red Velvet Cake Balls are a fun way to feed a crowd or gift this symbolic treat.

To learn more about the history of Red Velvet Cake check out, Wikepedia: Red Velvet Cake.

Red Velvet Cake

If using my recipe for the raspberry infused red velvet cake, here are the instructions. Note that you can use a red velvet cake mix as well.

In addition, the raspberries are optional! You can leave them out for a classic red velvet cake!

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 inch cake pan.

Use a hand or stand mixer to cream your room temperature butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.

Meanwhile, sift together your flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together your buttermilk, vinegar, red food coloring, and vanilla extract. Reserve 2 tablespoons of buttermilk for the raspberry puree.

Use a blender or food processor to get the raspberries into a puree. Add in the reserved buttermilk so the chunks of fruit get smoother.

Then once your butter and sugar is well creamed, add your eggs and beat on medium speed until well incorporated. Scrape down the bowl and set mixer to lowest setting. Add half of flour mixture. Mix in slowly. Then add the wet ingredients. End with the rest of the dry ingredients. Lastly, fold in the pureed raspberries.

Pour your red velvet cake batter into a pan and bake for approximately 28-30 minutes. Then allow the cake to cool while you make your cream cheese frosting.

Alternatively, this recipe will also make 12 cupcakes.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Once your red velvet cake is cooled, make your cream cheese frosting using all room temperature ingredients.

Use the whisk attachment of your stand mixer.

Cream together your cream cheese and salted butter. Then turn to lowest setting and gradually add in powdered sugar. Add vanilla extract and once it comes together, turn up to medium high and allow to whip for a few minutes, until fluffy.

Dipping Chocolate

To prepare your dipping chocolate, use melting wafers for best results.

Melt your white chocolate either in the microwave or double boiler. If using a microwave, heat it for 30 seconds, then stir. Then heat another 15 seconds and stir. If it needs more time try another 15 seconds, but do not overheat! Allow it to cool a bit before your use it for dipping.

How To Make Red Velvet Cake Balls

Making red velvet cake balls is incredibly easy! You have some options. You can use leftover red velvet cake or prepare the cake and cream cheese frosting yourself using my recipe below.

As I mentioned earlier in the post, my red velvet cake infuses fresh raspberries for extra flavor, color, and moisture.

First, prepare and bake the red velvet cake. Allow it to cool! Then make your cream cheese frosting.

Then crumble up your cake into a large bowl. Add the frosting and use wooden spoon to mix it together until it is sticky and will hold shape. Start with only 1/2 cup of the frosting. If you need more then add it by the tablespoon until desired consistency. Save any leftover cream cheese frosting for making sandwich cookies out of Chocolate Chip Cookies or for Strawberry Cupcakes!

Next, make balls out of the red velvet cake mixture. Set them onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Set this in the freezer for 15 minutes to set.

Then take the cake balls from the freezer. Use a fork to hold them and dip them into the melted chocolate. Allow the chocolate to drip from the fork and set them back onto the baking sheet. Put sprinkles on them before the coating dries.

Lastly, allow the red velvet cake balls to set in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.

When you make these red velvet cake balls, make sure to tag me on Instagram @ritzymomblog for a chance to be featured on my story or feed!