These Cake Ball Brains oozing cherry blood are to die for. The white chocolate-covered chocolate cake balls filled with cherry sauce will be a huge hit at your Halloween party or zombie-themed event.
Transform an ordinary cake ball into something a bit gruesome for Halloween this year. These cake ball brains are filled with a blend of chocolate cake and vanilla frosting with some bloody-looking cherry sauce.
The white chocolate brains look so real and taste so good!
They would make a great dessert for a zombie-themed Halloween party.
I served them at our party alongside other zombie-themed desserts and chocolates.
Actually, these creepy Halloween desserts have been so popular with my party guests over the years that I've served them at several of our Halloween parties.
More recently I filled my white chocolate brains with peanut butter fudge and jelly. You can see the recipe and video tutorial to make PB&J Candy Brains, here.
My guests always comment on how real the brains look. To get the realistic brain shape you'll need to use some silicone brain molds.
Cake Ball Brains
(makes 28-36)
Ingredients
- 1 baked chocolate cake
- ¼ - ½ cup vanilla frosting
- 30-38 ounces melted white candy melts or melted and tempered pure white chocolate*
- black candy coloring (if you want your brains to be grey)
- cherry, raspberry, or strawberry preserves, dessert sauce, or ice cream topping (¾ teaspoon per brain)
- red food coloring (if you want to intensify the color or the fruit spread to make it look more like blood)
Update
- I made these and used about one once of candy melts per brain and about 2 tablespoons of the cake ball mixture, but I just had some friends over helping me get brains done for our party and after making 20 brains, had used all the white candy melts but had cake leftover.
- Their candy coating was thicker than what I made. So by the end, they made 36 brains and used much more of the white candy melts.
- So, your quantities will depend a lot on your skill level using candy coating. I added more candy melts to the quantities just to be sure you have enough to make all your brains.
*If you don't have experience working with or melting candy melts or you would like to use melted and tempered pure white chocolate, read my detailed Chocolate Making Tips page for instructions.
Supplies
- silicone brain molds
You can find silicone brain molds and some of the ingredients needed to make these cake ball brains on Amazon. I earn a small commission when you make a purchase using the affiliate links at no extra cost to you.
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LaetaFood Wafers Super Whit...Shop on Amazon Instructions
Make the cake ball filling.
- Remove any hard edges from the cake. This will give you a softer cake ball filling.
- Break up the center of the cake into a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer (my preferred method**) or a food processor.
- Add ¼ cup white frosting.
- Mix to combine.
- If the mixture holds together well and you can easily form balls, then stop, if it crumbles, add up to another ¼ cup of frosting.
- Set aside.
**By using a stand mixer your cake balls will have a smooth truffle-like consistency. If you do this by hand, you will probably want to mix it with your actual hands to get it smooth.
Create white chocolate shells in the brain molds.
- If you'd like your brains to be gray, stir drops of black candy coloring into your melted white confectionery coating until you get the desired shade.
- I made mine a pale gray, but you could go much darker if you prefer.
- You can also make your candy brains pink or green. Just be sure to use oil-based candy colors to color your candy melts or white chocolate.
- Spoon some melted white candy coating into one of the brain mold cavities. Use a spoon or a pastry brush to paint the coating in a thin layer all around the inside of the mold. Be sure you can't see any pink (the color of the mold) through the white. Paint all four brain cavities in your mold.
- Wipe off any candy coating around the edges of the mold.
- Freeze for 5 minutes if you are using candy melts or refrigerate for 15 minutes if using pure white chocolate.
- Don't leave them in any longer or you may get cracks and condensation on your brains, and you wouldn't want that now, would you?
Fill candy brains with cake ball filling and "blood."
- Remove the molds from the freezer.
- If you want your cherry filling to be brighter red, add a few drops of red food coloring.
- Spoon ¾ teaspoon of the cherry filling into each brain cavity.
- Scoop out about 2 tablespoons of the cake ball mixture and press it into a brain cavity leaving enough room to add a layer of candy coating on top.
How to make the fruity "blood"?
- You can use cherry, raspberry, or strawberry preserves or dessert sauce (ice cream topping) to make your fruit-flavored blood.
- You'll want it to be thin enough to ooze but thick enough that it won't get absorbed into the cake ball filling.
- When I made these back in 2012, I used Trader Joe's Cherry Preserves. I added red food coloring to make them really vibrantly red. By adding the liquid food coloring and stirring the preserves it became and thin enough that it oozed nicely when the cake ball brains were cracked open.
- Raspberry sauce would work beautifully here too. Just be sure to use seedless sauce or strain out the seeds.
Add more white chocolate.
- Spoon some more white candy coating on top of each cake ball and smooth it out.
- Be sure to wipe off any excess coating around the edge of the mold.
- Freeze for 5 minutes if you used candy melts or refrigerate for about 10 minutes if you used pure white chocolate.
- Remove the cake ball brains from the fridge, turn the mold upside down, then press and pull on the mold until your brains pop out.
- These molds curve inward toward the opening so the candy brains will not just fall out. You need to pull on the molds around the edges to get them out.
Storage
- Store the candy-coated brains in an airtight container for up to a week.
- Just know that the longer they sit, the more likely it is that the cherry jam or sauce will soak into the cake.
- Thin sauces will soak in faster.
- If that happens, just serve them with a bit of extra sauce.
Can I freeze the chocolate brains?
- I don't recommend freezing or storing these in the refrigerator as the moisture in the fridge will cause beads of condensation on your cake ball brains.
- But if you absolutely do need to make them ahead, wrap each brain in plastic wrap, then place them in a large zip-top bag or airtight container.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
- To thaw, remove the bag and set it on the counter overnight.
- Then in the morning you can open the bag and unwrap the brains.
- This should help to eliminate some of the moisture on the outside of the chocolate.
- Just know that the chilled brains might crack if frozen.
Related Recipes
If you plan to host a zombie-themed party or movie night you might also like to make these other brain-shaped snacks.
Be sure to check out all the Halloween recipes here on Hungry Happenings.
Recipe
This recipe was originally published on October 11, 2012.
White chocolate brains filled with a blend of chocolate cake, vanilla frosting, and oozing fruit-flavored blood (cherry or raspberry preserves or dessert sauce.)
- 1 baked chocolate cake (use either a 9 x 13-inch sheet cake or 2 8-inch round cakes)
- ¼ - ½ cup vanilla frosting
- 30-38 ounces melted white candy melts or melted and tempered pure white chocolate
- optional: black pink, or green oil-based candy coloring
- ⅔ cup cherry, raspberry, or strawberry preserves or dessert sauce (about ¾ teaspoon per brain)
- red liquid food coloring
-
Cut the edges off the chocolate cake and discard.
-
Break up the center of the cake into a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer.
-
Add ¼ cup white frosting.
-
Mix until it holds together in a soft ball.
-
Add more frosting if needed.
-
Set aside.
-
If desired, stir in drops of oil-based candy coloring to add color to your white chocolate brains.
-
Spoon some melted white chocolate into one of the brain mold cavities.
-
Spread the chocolate around to create a nice, evenly coated, thin shell.
-
Repeat.
-
Wipe off any candy coating around the edges of the mold.
-
Freeze for 5 minutes, if you are using candy melts, or refrigerate for 15 minutes, if using pure white chocolate.
-
Remove the molds from the freezer.
-
Stir a few drops of liquid food coloring into the fruit preserves.
-
Strain out any pieces of fruit or seeds.
-
Spoon ¾ teaspoons of the fruit filling into each brain cavity.
-
Scoop out about 2 tablespoons of the cake ball mixture and press it into a brain cavity leaving enough room to add a layer of candy coating on top.
-
Spoon some more white candy coating on top of each cake ball and smooth it out.
-
Be sure to wipe off any excess coating around the edge of the mold.
-
Freeze for 5 minutes if you used candy melts or refrigerate for about 10 minutes, if you used pure white chocolate.
-
Unmold the candies.
Store the candy-coated brains in an airtight container for up to a week.
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Ashley Williams says
Hey! How long do you think these will stay gooey? If I make them on a Mon and serve them on Wed night, will they still be "bloody" when you bite into them?... THANKS! Can't wait to make these next week. (Sorry if this is a double comment)
beth says
Hi Ashley, if you want to make them a few days ahead, I think you could mix the fruit puree with some Red Gel Icing (the small tubes you can buy at the grocery store.) That would probably help the fruit from soaking in completely.
Ashley Williams says
Hey! How long do you think these will last, with the "blood" remaining gooey? Example: If I make them on a Mon and serve them Wed evening will they still be bloody? THANKS!! Can't wait to make these next week.
Anonymous says
Do I have to grease the molds before adding the white chocolate?
beth says
No, do not grease the molds. As white chocolate hardens it shrinks and it will pull away from the sides of the molds. These molds are curved in at the opening which does mean you need to pull at the edges before pushing on the backside and popping the brains out.
thefictionsoflife says
Thanks, will give a try.
Anonymous says
thanks, will give a try...
Andrea Partsafas says
I made these for my sons' Halloween party. I am now "Mom of the Year", according to my 9-year-old. (Took me nearly 2 days to make 35 of them...) Thanks!
beth says
So happy to hear you have been crowned mom of the year by your 9 near old. That is a very cool honor! They are time consuming, unless you have lots of molds. One of my readers made over 100 of them last Halloween to give to firefighters and police officers in her town!
Angela Conley says
Good afternoon! I loved your Bloody Brains so much I featured it in a Halloween recipe round-up on my blog. Feel free to paste my button on your post and stop by to check out the other awesome recipes. Thanks so much for sharing your creativity!Gross, Grody & Gory Halloween Recipe Round-Up
beth says
Angela, Thanks so much for featuring my Cake Ball Brains in your round-up. I really appreciate you including my recipe!
John's Kitteh Forever says
My fiance can't have any berry-type food, but I figured out how to make edible chocolate-flavored blood, and I think I'm going to be making them using that (as soon as I get the tray that I just ordered). The pictures make them look a LOT bigger than they are, but small or not, they look AWESOME!!!
beth says
Thanks! You could also use Red Gel (tubes from the grocery store) as well. The brains are about twice the size of a golf ball, so no, they aren't huge. Each cake ball makes one nice individual dessert.
Have fun making your brains and be sure to snap some pictures and share them with all of us here.
Alexis Middleton says
These are SO amazing! I am really going to have to make these. Thanks for linking up at our Halloween Link party!
Ritchil Shafer says
I love these cake balls! These are sure to be a hit at any Halloween party! Pinning!
Lauren @ Sweat The Sweet Stuff says
These are freakin' AMAZING! Just pinned em and had to share with my friends on facebook! 🙂
beth says
Thanks so much Lauren! I really appreciate you sharing my Brains with your friends:)
cherished bliss says
These are so cute! I shared on my facebook page! : ) Thanks for linking up!
beth says
Thanks so much for sharing on facebook!
dimpleprints says
Where did you find the mold?
Beth Jackson Klosterboer says
I purchased the mold from Amazon.com. There is a link just below the recipe above.
dimpleprints says
Nevermind, Amazon box just popped up, it wasn't working for me, now it is! Thanks
dimpleprints says
Where did you find the mold?
dimpleprints says
Where did you find the mold?
Suja Md says
Wow!! I like it!!!
Just Jaime says
Oh I'm so excited to find these! We have a gross food competition at work and I didn't win last year (there were TWO kitty litter cakes!) so I really want something original! I'm pinning this for October, since I can never be too early! Thank you so much!
Anonymous says
are you aware an Etsy seller has stolen your idea and your images for their shop?
http://www.etsy.com/listing/118674609/chocolate-brain-rice-krispies-with
Beth Jackson Klosterboer says
I was not aware. Thank you so much for alerting me!
Anonymous says
Do you believe there would be a problem if I used an Oreo truffle mixture (Oreo+cream cheese) instead of the cake/icing mixture?
Beth Jackson Klosterboer says
I think that would work out fine. The only issue I've had with the oreo truffles is sometimes they are oily. Just be sure to make a nice thick layer of candy coating in your brain molds so there are no cracks for any oil to seep out of.
Anonymous says
I appreciate the quick response!
Grabandgorecipes says
Very cool.
Anonymous says
Made these today and absolutely adore them. Since I live in Germany I used a kind of coconut creme instead of frosting and together with the pomegranate jam i used they turned out great. I did find them a bit on the sweet side (possibly because I didn't get the chocolate that thin, maybe also it's just a matter of taste), so I added lemon juice to the jam, which worked well for me. I just wanted to thank you for sharing this recipe, we had a blast making them and they look awesome.