Description
Easy Snowballs are a delightful and colorful treat perfect for family gatherings. These soft, fluffy cake squares are soaked in a sweet syrup, rolled in desiccated coconut, and optionally sandwiched with an icing sugar paste, creating a deliciously moist and flavorful dessert that’s sure to be a hit with kids and adults alike.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Batter
- 4 large eggs
- 1½ cups sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla essence
- 1 cup oil
- 2½ cups cake flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
Syrup and Coating
- 1½ cups sugar
- 1½ cups water
- 2 teaspoons red food colour
- 2-3 cups desiccated coconut
Icing Paste (Optional)
- 1 cup icing sugar (sifted)
- 1-2 tablespoons hot water
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) to prepare for baking your cake batter evenly.
- Beat Eggs and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the 4 large eggs and 1½ cups of sugar together until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, ensuring good air incorporation for a soft cake.
- Add Vanilla and Oil: Mix in 1 tablespoon of vanilla essence and 1 cup of oil thoroughly into the egg and sugar mixture.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Sift together 2½ cups cake flour, 3 teaspoons baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt to avoid lumps and evenly distribute the leavening agents.
- Mix Batter: Gradually add the sifted dry ingredients alternately with 1 cup of milk into the wet mixture, mixing well to create a smooth batter.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into a greased baking tray and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, indicating the cake is cooked through.
- Prepare Syrup: In a saucepan, combine 1½ cups sugar, 1½ cups water, and 2 teaspoons red food colour. Heat and boil the mixture until the sugar fully dissolves to create a colored syrup.
- Cut and Soak Cake: Once baked, cut the cake into small squares. Dip each piece into the prepared syrup thoroughly to absorb the sweetness.
- Coat with Coconut: Roll each syrup-soaked cake piece in 2-3 cups of desiccated coconut, covering all sides for flavor and texture.
- Prepare Icing Paste: Mix 1 cup sifted icing sugar with 1-2 tablespoons hot water until thick to form a paste.
- Assemble Snowballs: Optionally, use the icing paste to join two coconut-coated cake squares together, creating snowball sandwiches.
- Set and Serve: Let the snowballs set at room temperature briefly before serving to allow the icing to firm up and flavors to meld.
Notes
- Ensure the eggs and sugar are beaten well to create a light texture in the cake.
- The syrup should be warm but not too hot when dipping cake pieces to prevent them from breaking down.
- Desiccated coconut can be toasted lightly for extra flavor if desired.
- The icing paste is optional but adds a nice adhesive and additional sweetness for sandwich-style snowballs.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container to maintain freshness and moisture.
