Super Easy Christmas Rum Balls

With all of the baking going on for friend's baby showers, and their little one's birthdays, it has been busy days around the house. I wanted to post a holiday treat that i've quickly put together for this 2013 holidays. 

Funnily enough this recipe is actually adapted from The Gasparilla Cookbook, one that has been passed down to me and was printed in 1961. I'm guessing it doesn't matter what year it is, or what time of year it is, having an easy to do recipe is always good to have around.

Originally called Christmas Bourbon balls, they called for 2.5 cups of vanilla wafers. I have come across a few rum ball recipes using old brownies or cake and thought I could use my the extra cake I had baked for one of the birthdays. (when making a layer cake, it's always good to have a few extra layers on hand...just ..in...case).

Any-who, I chose to make the adjustment and below is the recipe for these super easy Christmas rum balls. 

Christmas Rum Balls (adapted from Gasparilla Cookbook, recipe by Mrs. A.L. Brady)

Ingredients: 
2 1/2 cups of crumbled vanilla cake (a box of good ol' Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines will do the trick)
1 package of dark chocolate chips
2 tbsp of white corn syrup
1/2 cup of rum (i used a spiced rum)
1 cup of chopped nuts (i used half walnuts, half almonds)
1/2 cup of powdered sugar
1/4 cup of chocolate vermicelli*, sprinkles, non perils**, or jimmies

1) Make the cake as directed on the box. Or, if using your own recipe, crumble up 2.5 cups worth, which was roughly two 9 inch rounds.
2) Melt chocolate over warm water in a bowl, or in a microwave on low heat. 
3) Add corn syrup to melted chocolate and mix. 
4) Add rum, mix thoroughly. Depending on how warm your chocolate is, it may seize with the addition of the rum. If so, don't worry, pour the mixture into the cake crumbs and mix it all together. 
5) Let the chocolate rum mixture cool. You now have the choice of making these rum balls immediately or waiting for them to soak up that goodness. If making ahead, store these in the refrigerator or in a cold dark place for a week before moving on to step 6.
6) When ready, scoop the mixture into small balls. I prefer mine roughly an inch round or slightly smaller and roll in vermicelli in a small bowl. 
7) Chill and serve, or enjoy immediately.

*Vermicelli sprinkles are thinner in size then jimmies and tend to stick to the rum balls a little better than the jimmies. Both will work and you will find if your hands are slightly warm, it will melt the chocolate a bit and the sprinkles will stick a bit better.
** A little trick i learned with the non perils. As they have a habit of bouncing out of the bowl faster than you can fill, use the cap of the sprinkle jar against the sprinkle jar to pour several in and then slowly pour them out of the cap into the bowl. You will hold onto a lot more non perils that way!

Rum balls are the perfect chocolatey festive treat for the few weeks around Christmas to help us wind down and enjoy the fun. Hope this treat ends up on your baking list this holiday season!