I already know what some of you are thinking. “Cake balls,” you scoff. “That’s so 2009.” Well, it’s 2011, and Holy Cacao’s cake balls are here to stay, for a good reason. These beauties are moist, fluffy, and served in perfect little portions. If you’re a peanut butter nut like me, there’s no way to resist the Brass Ball, a trufflelike cookie-and-pb center dipped in rich chocolate and crowned with crushed nuts. Or try the Rabbit Cake, a chunky carrot cake globe mixed with cream cheese icing and coated with white chocolate and walnuts. There’s really no way to go wrong with chocolate. Holly’s Favorite, a chocolate cake encased in chocolate and topped with sprinkles, proved a bit bland but still deliciously classic. But the real kicker was the Diablo, the same chocolate cake infused with ancho chile and cayenne cream cheese, dipped in dark chocolate, and topped with more cayenne and crushed walnuts. What better way to say “Texan”? Funny you should ask. The liquid version of the Diablo is the scrumptious Mexican drinking chocolate, with melted dark chocolate and cream infused with ancho chile and cinnamon. Holy Cacao’s excellent hot chocolate series recently got a shout-out from Travel & Leisure magazine: Their Mexican frozen version (the same melted dark chocolate and spices whipped with Blue Bell ice cream) was featured on T&L’s list of America’s best hot chocolates. But cake balls and company are not just for the winter. Next time you’re feeling scorched (from either the Diablo or the summer sun), try the best dessert I’ve had in years, the cake shake. On Holy Cacao’s recommendation, I tried mine with a huge scoop of vanilla Blue Bell and two large slabs of red velvet cake. Dear. God. Imagine the most perfect birthday party of your childhood, with an inflatable bouncy house, face painting, camel rides, and enormous slices of decadent cake soaking with just-melted ice cream so that they’re rich and dense enough to carry you away (no camel needed). This is the joy you will experience with the cake shake, whether you’re five years old or fifty. After all, dessert never goes out of style. 1311 South First Avenue (512-851-2253). Open 7 days, 12–8. Posted by Megan Giller