homemade snow ball cakes

I was going to make the title "sno balls" but the grammar police might come to my house.
But wasn't that what is was called? sno balls?
The ones from Hostess right?


Anywho, cake boss man buddy valastros made sno balls via rachel ray and I of course saw how crazy/wild good they looked and had to make them at home.
They are quite easy---and I'm always honest with you on whether or not recipes are easy, but the spreading of the marshmallow frosting was tricky.
You have to coat the entire trimmed cupcake in this uber-sticky frosting and then coat it in the coconut flakes.
After that it's easy, and trust me when I say these were so good.

I was never a fan of the original snow ball, that marshmallow coating that doubled as a head warmer slash helmet was awful.
And full of chemicals!
These taste nothing like it.  These are far more moister with a creamy marshmallowy (sp) frosting.
If I had to make them all over again with changes?
I would make smaller cupcakes.
In Buddy's recipe he fills the middle cupcake with the frosting.
I did not do this because I just didn't think there would be enough frosting to go around for the coating
and the frosting.  Plus the frosting is sweet--having some in the middle would have been too much (my opinion).
But please make them how you wish.
The coconut flakes look more orange than it's original pink hue.
I think I used a red velvet dye instead of plain red.
If you do make these, first look for a pink dye rather than a red dye if you really want that true "original" sno ball look.
I just have a feeling there is a pink dye out there. Right?

homemade snoball cakes

recipe from Buddy Valastros via Rachel Ray

print recipe

12 cupcakes of your favorite chocolate cupcake recipe, cooled

for the frosting:

1 1-pound package powdered sugar

1 7-ounce jar marshmallow cream

1/4 cup softened butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 TB milk

2 cups shredded coconut

2 to 3 drops red food coloring

(I added in a pinch of salt to the frosting)

My cook notes:

I did not use a pastry bag, Just frosted the top, then the bottom.  I also did not put any frosting in the middle since it was so sweet.  But do what you want, not sure if there is enough frosting for the middle and the outside.

Trim the tops of the cupcakes to form a somewhat cylinder shape.

Cut a cone shape inside the cupcake.

For the frosting, beat sugar, marshmallow cream, butter and vanilla extract with an electric mixer. Add in milk as needed until it is a frosting consistency.

With a piping bag, fill the cone-shaped hole with the frosting, then spread frosting over tops and sides of cupcakes.

For the pink exterior, mix shredded coconut with 2 drops of red food coloring in a mixer until you get your desired color.