Here’s my go-to recipe for red velvet cake truffles, made with moist cake crumbs, cream cheese frosting, and a smooth chocolate coating. They’re basically like little bites of red velvet cake that you can pop right in your mouth!
These truffles have become my kids’ favorite treat for school parties and bake sales. I always make a double batch because they disappear so quickly – and let’s be honest, sneaking a few while you’re making them is part of the fun!
Why You’ll Love These Red Velvet Truffles
- No-bake preparation – Once you’ve got your baked cake, these truffles come together without any additional baking – just mix, roll, and dip!
- Make-ahead friendly – These little treats can be made days in advance and stored in the fridge, perfect for parties or holiday gatherings.
- Budget-friendly ingredients – Starting with a basic cake mix keeps costs down while still delivering that classic red velvet flavor everyone loves.
- Customizable coating – You can use any type of chocolate for coating – dark, milk, or white – making it easy to suit different tastes or create variety in your batch.
- Perfect portion control – Each truffle is a bite-sized treat, giving you just the right amount of sweetness without overdoing it.
What Kind of Chocolate Chips Should I Use?
The type of chocolate chips you choose for these truffles can really change up the final taste and look of your treats. Milk chocolate chips will give you a sweeter, more traditional coating that kids especially love, while dark chocolate offers a slightly bitter contrast that really makes the cream cheese filling pop. White chocolate is also a great option – it creates a pretty contrast against the red velvet interior and brings a super sweet, creamy element to the mix. Just remember that when you’re melting your chocolate, adding a tiny bit of vegetable oil helps create a smoother coating that sets up nicely. If your chocolate seems too thick when melting, try adding the oil just a little at a time until you get the right dipping consistency.
Options for Substitutions
Let’s talk about what you can swap in this recipe if needed:
- Red velvet cake mix: While red velvet gives these truffles their signature taste and color, you can use any cake mix flavor you like – chocolate, vanilla, or even spice cake work great. Just know the final color and taste will be different.
- Cream cheese: For the binding, you can use mascarpone cheese or even vanilla frosting instead of cream cheese. If using frosting, start with about 3/4 of a 16 oz container since it’s sweeter than cream cheese.
- Chocolate chips: Any melting chocolate works here – candy melts, almond bark, or even chocolate bars chopped up. Just avoid chocolate chips marketed as ‘chunk’ style as they don’t melt as smoothly.
- Vegetable oil: This is used to thin the chocolate coating. You can use coconut oil instead, or skip it entirely if your chocolate melts smoothly enough. If using candy melts, you won’t need any oil at all.
Watch Out for These Mistakes While Making
The biggest challenge when making cake truffles is getting the right consistency in your cake-cream cheese mixture – crumbling your cake too finely will make the mixture too dense and paste-like, while leaving chunks too large will make your truffles fall apart, so aim for medium-sized crumbs and mix gradually with the cream cheese.
Temperature control is crucial when working with chocolate coating – overheating will make it thick and grainy, so melt your chocolate in 30-second intervals in the microwave, stirring between each interval, or use a double boiler method for more control (adding 1-2 teaspoons of vegetable oil can help achieve the perfect dipping consistency).
A common mistake is trying to coat warm cake balls – make sure to chill your shaped truffles in the freezer for at least 15 minutes before dipping them in chocolate, otherwise they’ll crumble and make a mess in your melted chocolate.
For the smoothest finish, let your coated truffles set at room temperature rather than rushing them into the refrigerator, as this prevents unwanted condensation from forming on the chocolate surface.
What to Serve With Red Velvet Cake Truffles?
These little red velvet bites are perfect for serving at parties or holiday gatherings alongside other sweet treats and drinks. A hot cup of coffee or creamy hot chocolate makes an excellent pairing, helping to balance out the richness of the truffles. If you’re setting up a dessert table, try placing these truffles next to some fresh berries or chocolate-covered strawberries for a nice color contrast and complementary flavors. For a fun party setup, I like to serve these with both cold milk and champagne – the milk is perfect for kids, while the bubbly gives grown-ups a festive option that pairs wonderfully with the chocolate coating.
Storage Instructions
Keep Fresh: These red velvet truffles stay perfect in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. I like to place them in a single layer, or if I need to stack them, I put wax paper between layers to prevent them from sticking together.
Freeze: Want to make these ahead? These truffles freeze really well for up to 3 months! Just place them in a freezer-safe container with wax paper between layers. They’re great to have on hand for unexpected guests or chocolate cravings.
Thaw: When you’re ready to enjoy your frozen truffles, just move them to the fridge and let them thaw overnight. They taste just as good as fresh ones! If you’re in a hurry, you can let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, but the chocolate coating might get a bit soft.
| Preparation Time | 30-60 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 10-15 minutes |
| Total Time | 40-75 minutes |
| Level of Difficulty | Medium |
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 2200-2400
- Protein: 20-25 g
- Fat: 90-100 g
- Carbohydrates: 330-350 g
Ingredients
- 1 box red velvet cake mix (include ingredients mentioned on the box for cake preparation)
- 1 package cream cheese, softened (8 oz, reduced fat)
- 1 package chocolate chips, your choice of milk, dark, or white (12 oz)
- 2 teaspoons optional vegetable oil
Step 1: Prepare and Cool the Cake
Start by preparing the cake according to the package instructions.
Once baked, allow it to cool completely.
This will make it easier to handle when forming the cake balls.
Step 2: Form Cake Crumbs and Mix with Cream Cheese
Using a fork or your hands, break the cooled cake into fine crumbs, placing them into a large bowl.
Add softened cream cheese to the crumbs and gently knead the mixture with your hands until the cream cheese is fully incorporated, ensuring a uniform and sticky dough.
Step 3: Shape Cake Balls
Roll the mixture into 42 cake balls, using about 1 heaping tablespoon of dough per ball.
Arrange the cake balls on a wax paper-lined baking sheet.
Place the baking sheet in the fridge to chill the balls while you prepare the chocolate coating.
Step 4: Melt Chocolate and Coat Cake Balls
In a heatproof bowl, melt the chocolate until smooth.
If desired, add a small amount of oil to thin the chocolate slightly, stirring to combine.
Remove the chilled cake balls from the fridge.
One at a time, dip each ball into the melted chocolate, using a fork to ensure an even coating.
Lift the truffle from the chocolate and gently tap the fork against the side of the bowl to remove any excess chocolate.
Place each coated truffle back on the baking sheet and repeat with the remaining cake balls.
Step 5: Decorate and Set
Pour any leftover melted chocolate into a small ziptop bag.
Snip off one corner of the bag and pipe the melted chocolate in your desired design over the truffles.
Return the truffles to the fridge for about 15 minutes, or until they have set completely.
Step 6: Enjoy Your Cake Truffles
Once the chocolate has set, your cake truffles are ready to be devoured!
Enjoy these delightful treats with friends or family, or keep them all to yourself.