Homemade Sno Balls recipe

Makes 2 dozen

Ingredients: 

For the cake: 

• 1 stick butter, unsalted
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 cups 1 percent milk

For frosting: 

• 6 egg whites, warm
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1/3 cup water, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 cups coconut flakes
• 2 - 3 drops red food coloring

Directions: 

1. For the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a muffin pan with cooking spray. Cream the butter and sugar together with a handheld mixer until combined; add eggs, one at a time. Mix in vanilla. In another bowl, mix together dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until there are no streaks of flour. Fill muffin pan cavities 3/4 full and bake for 15 minutes. Cool on a wire cooling rack. Once cakes are cooking, cut out a small cone from the bottom, discarding the triangle portion but keeping the small cake circle. (This is where the filling will be piped.)
2. To prepare the filling/frosting: Beat egg whites until peaks form, about four minutes. In a saucepan, heat sugar, water and cream of tartar until boiling, and remove from heat and let sit until it reaches 242 degrees F. Slowly pour syrup into the egg whites and stir. Add vanilla. Beat until frosting thickens. In a blender, pulse coconut flakes and red food coloring until crumbly. Place the coconut mixture in a bowl for rolling.
3. Fill a piping bag with 1/2 frosting. Carefully pipe frosting into the cakes and cover with the cake circle. Frost the rest of the cake with the frosting and then roll in the coconut flakes. Let cool for a few minutes and then enjoy!