red velvet cheeseball!

This past weekend, I attended a baby shower for a good friend. She's expecting her first baby, a boy, in April. Her mother is over the moon about becoming a grandmother for the first time, and is doubly excited, because not only is my friend having a baby in April, her younger sister recently announced that she's expecting a baby too, in August! So exciting.

As always when going to an event, I asked if I could bring anything and when told yes, I found this recipe (pinterest...natch!) for a red velvet cheeseball and it seemed to be just perfect. Who doesn't like red velvet? Not this girl!

This is an easy thing to whip up and trust me, your friends will be beyond impressed. I loosely followed this recipe.

Red velvet cheeseball

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups red velvet cake mix, dry
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add in the red velvet cake mix, the brown sugar and the powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and combined.

Turn the mixture out onto a piece of plastic wrap.

Wrap up into a ball and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Put the chocolate chips on a plate or in a shallow dish. Remove the cheese ball from the refrigerator and unwrap. Roll in the chocolate chips. (This might get messy!)

Place on a serving plate and serve with cookies or graham crackers.

My notes-

Believe it or not, but I don't own a stand mixer, so I used a hand mixer. Also, I didn't read the directions well apparently, because I added the entire package of red velvet cake mix before realizing I was only supposed to use about half of it! It was VERY dry, and I managed to break my hand mixer. Yes, you read that correctly. Something in the moter snapped. Whooops.

I added a bit of vanilla in order to make it easier to blend! I do love vanilla anyway, and was rather generous there, adding several tablespoons! Also, I left in in the fridge overnight, and it was rock solid when I took it out the next morning, but an hour or so on the counter softened it up for the rolling in the chocolate chips.

I served it with vanilla wafers and graham crackers and it was well loved by everyone there! This is definitely something that I will make again and again!

I've also posted this to Scarlet Threads blog!

What is your go-to dish to bring to a shower?