Red velvet cake balls - Christmas tree decoration

Starting today because is December  I'll present all kind of recipes and ideas that you can make in order to have fabulous and delicious deserts on the table on Christmas day. Or you can make them days  before just to get more into the spirit of Christmas.

My first post is a about cake balls arranged in a Christmas tree shape. Isn't that just great? It's sure gonna be on my table on Christmas ;)

I made one of my favorite cake recipes, red velvet, with mascarpone frosting. Delicious , right? I arranged the cake balls on a nice plate and then sieved icing sugar on top to imitate the snow. I have also put on every cake balls a small piece of pistachio. For another great version you could make your cake balls out of  vanilla cake and sprinkle cinnamon on top.  Or you could make green velvet cake. So many ideas! Just pick your  favorite :)

Here is the recipe for the cake.

INGREDIENTS:

For cake:

• 120 g plain or all-purpose flour
• 120 g caster sugar
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• a pinch of salt
• 40 g unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 120 ml milk
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp red food dye

For frosting:

• 150 g mascarpone cheese (room temperature)
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 40 g butter (room temperature)

For decoration:

• 3 tsp icing sugar
• a few unsalted pistachios seeds

DIRECTIONS:

For cake:

1. Preheat your oven to 170 C/ 325 F/ GM 3.

2. Sieve the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter into the bowl of a Kitchen Aid (or other freestanding mixer) and using the paddle attachment mix slowly until everything is combined and you have a sandy consistency.

3. While the mixer is running, slowly pour in half of the milk and mix until it's just incorporated. 

4. Add the egg to the remaining milk along with the vanilla and red dye and continue beating until it's mixed in.
5. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is properly mixed but be careful not to over beat the mixture.
6. Spoon the cake mixture into your cake tin and bake for 20-25 minutes until the sponge bounces back when touched and a skewer comes out clean with put into the center of the cake.
Leave to cool completely on a wire rack.

For frosting:
Whisk together butter, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl just until blended.
Gently fold in mascarpone cheese and make sure everything is well mixed.

In a large bowl crumble your cake and then add mascarpone frosting. 

Use your fingers to mix it.

 Roll dough into cake balls and place them on a cookie sheet. 

Place the cake balls onto a nice plate and arrange them in a Christmas tree shape.

Sieve icing sugar all over the plate and decorate with small pieces of pistachios.

Photos by Emi Trasnitu