Chocolate Covered Cherry Rum Balls

Ingredients

• 1 (18 1/2 ounce) box French vanilla cake mix
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup oil
• 2/3 cup water
• 1/3 cup cherry juice
• 20 maraschino cherries
• 1 teaspoon imitation rum extract
• 1 (12 ounce) package hershey's milk chocolate chips
• 1 (1 3/4 ounce) container chocolate sprinkles
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lard
• 4 (1 1/2 ounce)  shots rum

Directions

1. 1

   1. Bake cake according to directions using the eggs, oil and water listed above in ingredients. EXCEPT: Add the rum extract and cherry juice as well. And then mix in the cherries cut into 1/4's and 1/8's. I bake it usually 28 minutes. I check it at 20 minutes but it always takes a little longer.

2. 2

   2. Finely crumble 1/2 of the cake in a large mixing bowl, drizzle with 2 of the shots of rum. Toss to thoroughly coat cake crumbs.

3. 3

   3. Crumble other 1/2 of cake into the bowl. Drizzle with remaining 2 shots of rum, again toss thoroughly.

4. 4

   4. Form balls with cake about 2" across, press moderately firm into nice round balls. Place on a plate and refrigerate till cold.

5. 5

   5. Spray cookie sheet or cake pan generously with spray pam.

6. 6

   6. In a double boiler melt the chocolate chips and lard. Roll each ball in chocolate and remove with small tongs and lightly shake off excess chocolate. Don't worry about tong marks. After you put the ball in the pan use the back of a small spoon and smooth over bare spots. Sprinkle generously with chocolate sprinkles. Refrigerate balls immediately for a couple of hours. ENJOY!