Pineapple Upside Down Cake Balls

Happy national pineapple upside down cake day everyone! I love a good reason to make something fun and celebrate. I decided I wanted to make cake balls instead of a whole cake or mini cakes / cupcakes like I see most making online because I love bite sized desserts. Less guilt, easier to share! I did get some inspiration from LifeIsFantasmic on these so I'll give credit where it's due, but I made my own tweaks and love the way these came out! 

You will need:

• 1 package yellow cake mix (make sure you have the oil & eggs called for on the mix as well). 
• 1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple
• 1/4 cup vanilla frosting - I used whipped frosting. 
• 1/4 butter, melted
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 5 oz. chopped up maraschino cherries, 1/2 of a 10 oz. can. 
• 2 packs white candy melts - found at a craft store like Michaels. 
• Canola oil to mix with candy melts. 
• Wax paper for sitting cake balls on during dipping process. 
• Optional - yellow sparkling sugar to drizzle on top, also found at a craft store.  

Directions:

• Preheat oven to cake mix directions. Grease whatever pan(s) you are using per the box instructions. 

• Get out a medium-large mixing bowl (this will be used to mix cake batter in). 
• Pour whole 20 oz. can of crushed pineapple into a strainer of some kind to get all the liquid out. Really stir and mash to get as much liquid out as possible. You don't want the pineapple chunks to be too moist. 
• Set pineapple aside. 

• now for the cake...
• USE PINEAPPLE JUICE IN PLACE OF WATER IN CAKE MIX INSTRUCTIONS.
• Add in your oil, eggs, and cake mix and whisk until even, use a mixer if you have one. 
• Add in the pineapple chunks and stir until mixture is even. 
• Bake cake per instructions on box, make sure you can get a clean toothpick from center. 
• Remove from oven and let cool around 30 minutes. 

• Crush up the cake with your hands and add to a mixing bowl. 
• Stir melted butter & brown sugar together, add to cake mix. 
• Chop up your cherries and frosting. 
• Stir together, use hands if necessary to mix properly. 
• Form desired sized cake balls and lay out on wax paper. 
• Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to get them firm enough to dip in melting chocolate. 
• Melt chocolate in a bowl per instructions on the bag. Once fully melted and stirred add in canola oil (drizzle at a time) until you get a consistency liquid enough to dip in. 
• Take a few cake balls at a time from the fridge (the cooler the better when dipping). Use a fork or a skewer of some kind to gently dip in the chocolate and coat - place onto wax paper once coated. 
• You may want to use a spoon to drizzle a little chocolate over where your fork or skewer was in the cake ball to coat that spot. 
• Optional, sprinkle a little of the sparkling sugar on top for decoration. 
• Let sit until chocolate hardens and enjoy! 
• Store in an air tight container on the counter, or fridge if you would prefer.