Carrot cake is one of those desserts that people feel very strongly about. The spice, the moistness, the cream cheese frosting — when it is done right it is one of the greatest things on the dessert table.
Now imagine all of that in a single perfect bite, coated in smooth white chocolate, finished with a scatter of orange and green sprinkles that make it look like the most festive Easter treat you have ever seen. That is exactly what these Carrot Cake Truffles are.
The process is simpler than it looks. Carrot cake — whether you bake it from scratch, use a box mix, or even buy a small loaf from the bakery section — gets crumbled and mixed with cream cheese frosting until it forms a thick, fudgy truffle filling that is rich and deeply spiced and completely irresistible.
That filling gets rolled into balls, chilled until firm, and then dipped in melted white chocolate that sets into a smooth, matte shell. The orange and green sprinkles go on immediately after dipping and they look absolutely perfect against the white coating — like tiny little carrot cake Easter eggs.
The first time I brought these to an Easter gathering they were gone before the actual carrot cake. Which tells you everything you need to know. They are that good.
And the best part — this is one of those recipes where using a box mix or even a store-bought cake is not just acceptable, it is a genuinely smart approach. Nobody can tell and the truffles taste phenomenal either way. Let me show you exactly how they come together.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- All the flavor of carrot cake in one perfect bite. The spiced carrot cake filling mixed with cream cheese frosting captures everything that makes carrot cake so beloved — the warmth of the cinnamon and nutmeg, the richness of the cream cheese, the moistness of the cake — in a completely portable, pop-in-your-mouth format.
- They look completely professional. Smooth white chocolate coating, perfectly round shape, orange and green sprinkles dotted across the top — these look like something from a specialty candy shop. Nobody believes they are homemade until they see the recipe.
- A box mix is perfectly fine. This is not the place for dessert snobbery. A box of carrot cake mix baked according to package directions produces a truffle filling that is just as good as one made with a scratch cake. Use whatever approach works best for you and your schedule.
- No special equipment required. A bowl, a fork or hand mixer, a cookie scoop, a baking sheet, and a microwave. That is the entire equipment list.
- They freeze beautifully. Make a big batch, freeze them, and pull them out as needed throughout the Easter season. They thaw quickly and taste just as good as fresh.
- Kids love making and eating them. The rolling step and the sprinkle step are perfect for little hands and the finished product makes kids feel incredibly proud of what they made.
Ingredients
For the Carrot Cake Truffle Filling
- 1 box carrot cake mix, baked and cooled — bake the cake according to package directions in a 9×13 pan, let it cool completely, then crumble it. A box mix produces a perfectly moist, well-spiced cake that makes an excellent truffle filling. If you prefer to bake from scratch, any good carrot cake recipe works — you need approximately 4 cups of crumbled cake. The cake must be completely cooled before crumbling or the filling will be too soft and warm to work with.
- 1 can cream cheese frosting or 1 cup homemade cream cheese frosting — the frosting is the binder that turns crumbled cake into a rollable truffle filling. Store-bought cream cheese frosting from a can works perfectly and saves significant time. Start with 3/4 cup and add more as needed — the amount of frosting required varies depending on the moisture level of your specific cake. You want a filling that holds its shape when rolled but is not dry or crumbly.
- 1 tsp cinnamon — extra cinnamon added to the filling amplifies the warm spiced flavor and makes the truffle taste more intensely like carrot cake. This is in addition to whatever spices are already in the cake.
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg — adds warmth and depth alongside the cinnamon. Freshly grated nutmeg is noticeably more aromatic than pre-ground but either works.
- Pinch of salt — balances the sweetness of the frosting and makes the spice flavors more pronounced.
For the White Chocolate Coating
- 16 oz white chocolate melting wafers or good quality white chocolate chips — melting wafers are the easiest option and produce the smoothest, most professional looking coating. Ghirardelli white chocolate chips melt very smoothly and taste excellent. Avoid generic white chocolate chips — they often contain palm oil rather than cocoa butter and produce a waxy, unpleasant coating. Wilton Candy Melts in white are another widely available option.
- 1 tsp coconut oil or vegetable shortening — stirred into the melted white chocolate to thin it slightly and give you a more fluid, even coating that drips cleanly off the truffles and sets smoothly.
For Decoration
- Orange nonpareil sprinkles — the orange represents the carrot in carrot cake and looks absolutely perfect against the white chocolate coating.
- Green nonpareil sprinkles — the green represents the carrot tops and together with the orange creates that iconic carrot color combination that makes these immediately recognizable as a carrot cake Easter treat.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Bake and Cool the Carrot Cake
- Bake the carrot cake according to box mix or scratch recipe directions in a 9×13 baking pan. Let it cool completely in the pan — at least 1 hour at room temperature or 30 minutes in the refrigerator. The cake must be completely cool before you crumble it. Warm cake creates a filling that is too soft and sticky to roll into clean balls.
- Once completely cool, crumble the entire cake into a large mixing bowl using your hands or a fork, breaking it into fine crumbs with no large chunks remaining. The finer the crumble the smoother your truffle filling will be and the easier it will be to roll into neat balls.
Step 2: Make the Truffle Filling
- Add the extra cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to the crumbled cake and toss to distribute the spices evenly throughout the crumbs.
- Add 3/4 cup of the cream cheese frosting to the spiced cake crumbs and mix with a rubber spatula or your hands until the mixture comes together into a uniform, slightly sticky dough that holds its shape when pressed.
- Test the consistency by rolling a small amount between your palms — it should form a smooth ball that holds its shape without cracking or crumbling. If the mixture is too dry and crumbly, add more frosting a tablespoon at a time. If it is too sticky and soft, refrigerate the mixture for 15 minutes and try again.
Step 3: Roll and Chill
- Scoop the filling using a tablespoon or small cookie scoop — about 1 tablespoon per truffle for a good bite-sized portion. Roll each portion between your palms into a smooth ball. Work quickly — the warmth of your hands softens the filling fast. If the filling starts sticking to your palms, lightly dust your hands with powdered sugar or refrigerate the filling for 10 minutes before continuing.
- Place each rolled truffle on a parchment paper lined baking sheet as you work. You should get approximately 28 truffles from one batch.
- Refrigerate the tray of rolled truffles for at least 1 hour or freeze for 30 minutes. The truffles must be very cold and firm before dipping — cold truffles hold their shape in the warm chocolate and give you a clean, even coating that sets quickly. Room temperature truffles soften in the warm chocolate and create a messy, uneven result.
Step 4: Dip in White Chocolate
- Melt the white chocolate wafers with the coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until completely smooth and fluid. Do not overheat white chocolate — it scorches easily and becomes grainy and lumpy. Stop microwaving as soon as it is mostly melted and stir until the residual heat melts the rest.
- Working one at a time, drop a cold truffle into the melted white chocolate. Use a fork to roll it until completely coated, then lift it out and tap the fork gently against the rim of the bowl to let excess chocolate drip back in. Slide the coated truffle off the fork onto the parchment lined baking sheet.
- Work quickly and efficiently — the cold truffle causes the chocolate to begin setting almost immediately. Keep the remaining truffles in the refrigerator between batches and work with only 4 to 5 at a time.
Step 5: Decorate
- Immediately after placing each coated truffle on the parchment — within about 15 to 20 seconds while the coating is still completely wet — scatter a small pinch of orange and green nonpareil sprinkles over the top. The sprinkles must go on while the coating is still liquid or they will not adhere properly. Work in small batches of 3 to 4 truffles at a time — dip, place, sprinkle, move on.
- Let all the coated truffles set completely at room temperature for about 20 to 30 minutes or in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. The white chocolate will go from glossy and wet to smooth and set.
- Once fully set, transfer the truffles to a serving plate, gift box, or storage container.
Serving Suggestions
These Carrot Cake Truffles are showstopping enough to stand completely alone but here are some ways to serve and present them:
- Arrange them on a tiered dessert stand for your Easter table. The white coating and orange and green sprinkles against a white or cream tiered stand look absolutely elegant and make an instant centerpiece that people gather around.
- Place them in a decorative Easter basket alongside other Easter treats. A nest of green Easter grass in a basket with these truffles scattered throughout looks like something from a specialty Easter gift shop.
- Include them on an Easter dessert board alongside the Peanut Butter Easter Eggs, Easter Oreo Balls, and Italian Easter Cookies for a dessert spread that looks completely curated and intentional.
- Pack them in individual mini cupcake liners in a gift box tied with a ribbon. Each truffle in its own little paper liner looks polished, professional, and makes them easy to pick up and eat without making a mess.
- Serve at room temperature for the best flavor. Straight from the refrigerator the filling can be quite firm. Let them sit out for 10 to 15 minutes before serving and the filling softens to that perfect fudgy, cake-like texture that makes every bite so satisfying.
- Set them out as a table decoration that guests can eat. A scatter of these white chocolate coated truffles along a table runner with spring flowers and greenery is both decorative and completely delicious.
Storage Tips
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Place them in a single layer or separate layers with parchment paper between to protect the coating and sprinkles. The filling actually improves in flavor over the first couple of days as the spices develop.
- Room Temperature: These can sit out at room temperature for up to 2 hours during serving. The white chocolate coating holds up well at room temperature but the cream cheese filling softens over time. In a warm room limit display time to 1 hour.
- Freezer: These freeze beautifully and are one of the best make-ahead Easter treats available. Place in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, freeze until the coating is completely solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe zip-lock bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for 30 minutes. The coating and sprinkles stay perfectly intact.
- Make-Ahead Option: These are ideal for making well ahead of Easter. The filled and rolled truffles — before dipping — can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month before coating. Dip and decorate the day before serving for the freshest looking coating and most vibrant sprinkle colors.
The Easter Treat That Makes Every Other Dessert Feel a Little Underdressed
There is something about a beautiful tray of white chocolate coated truffles with those little orange and green sprinkles that makes people stop what they are doing and come look.
They are the kind of treat that photographs beautifully, gifts perfectly, and tastes exactly as good as they look — which is saying something because they look extraordinary.
And the fact that they are essentially a repurposed carrot cake — that the most impressive treat on your Easter dessert table started with a box mix and a can of frosting — is one of those cooking secrets that you get to keep entirely to yourself. Or share generously. Either way these truffles earn their place at the Easter table every single year.
Make a batch this Easter and drop a comment below letting me know how they turned out. Tag me on Pinterest or Instagram if you make them — those white chocolate and orange sprinkle photos might be my favorite Easter treat photos of all. Happy no-baking.
— Kip
Carrot Cake Truffles (The Easter Treat That Disappears in Minutes)
Description
Crumbled spiced carrot cake mixed with cream cheese frosting until it forms a rich truffle filling, rolled into smooth balls, chilled until firm, dipped in white chocolate, and decorated with orange and green nonpareil sprinkles. A no-fuss Easter treat that looks completely professional, tastes like the best carrot cake you have ever had in bite-sized form, and comes together with almost zero baking skill required.
Ingredients
For the Truffle Filling:
For the White Chocolate Coating:
For Decoration:
Instructions
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Bake carrot cake according to package directions in a 9x13 pan. Cool completely. Crumble into fine crumbs in a large bowl.
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Add cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to the crumbled cake and toss to combine.
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Add 3/4 cup cream cheese frosting and mix until a uniform dough forms that holds its shape when rolled. Add more frosting a tablespoon at a time if needed.
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Scoop 1-tablespoon portions and roll into smooth balls. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
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Refrigerate for 1 hour or freeze for 30 minutes until very cold and firm.
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Melt white chocolate wafers with coconut oil in 30-second microwave intervals, stirring between each, until smooth.
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Dip each cold truffle using a fork until fully coated. Tap fork to remove excess. Place on parchment.
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Immediately scatter orange and green nonpareil sprinkles over each truffle before the coating sets. Work in small batches.
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Let set completely — 20 to 30 minutes at room temperature or 10 minutes in the refrigerator. Serve or store.
