Everyone’s Talking About This $6 Trader Joe’s Cake, So I Tried It As A Pro Baker (And Have MANY Thoughts)
Is this the cake of the summer? I'm here to find out.
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There’s nothing like a new Trader Joe’s item to get people mobilized. Earlier this year, lines were wrapping around stores with people waiting for their chance at a coveted $3 mini tote bag.
TJ’s shoppers are famously big fans of their various mini sheet cakes, too, whether it’s the carrot flavor, pumpkin, or the most recent summer debut: strawberry! The 18-ounce mini sheet cakes come in at $5.99 (sounds like a deal to me), and as a big fan of strawberry cake, I was stoked to get my hands on one for a taste test.
For the record, I was previously a professional baker and pastry chef, so I'm giving you a review of the cake from my POV. Maybe a little snobby, but I do still eat McDonald's and other junk food, y'all. I'm hoping this cake delivers, considering the hype!
People have been sharing the new strawberry cake all over social media with generally decent reviews. From excitement at finding them in the store to conducting personal taste tests, there's no shortage of feedback. I found mostly positive reviews, with a few people commenting on the cake being "too sweet" and not deeply strawberry-flavored. You can't please everyone!
TikTok user Brooke Taryn loves the cake and says she could eat the entire thing on her own, even though she's "not really a cake person." She initially had some trouble finding the cake in stock, and after finally finding it on her third trip to Trader Joe's, she conducted a taste test immediately after in the parking lot. Highly recommended, according to Brooke!
On the flip side, one of the most "negative" (while not really being too harsh) reviews I found was from TikTok user @biancasmartini, where she shared her honest and down-to-earth opinion. The cake? Not very potent in the strawberry department. The frosting? Very sweet with a cream cheese flavor at the end. Bianca rated the cake a 6.5/10 and suggested chilling it in the fridge for a better experience. Thank you for keeping it real, Bianca.
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I walked into my West Hollywood Trader Joe's and was immediately greeted with a special display of the Strawberry Mini Sheet Cakes. There was even a cute little sign with a happy strawberry with the classic TJ's handwritten style: "A flavorful cake with strawberry cream frosting!"
If I'm being honest, the cake looks a little underwhelming to the eye. I know, I know – they have to keep things simple to make it cost-effective/be able to mass produce items. But I would've loved to see some little strawberry sprinkles on top, or at least pink frosting. Who doesn't love a really pink cake?
I dug my fork into the corner of the sheet cake, and it felt super soft! The first taste that hit my palate was SUGAR. Not much strawberry going on, in my opinion.
I give this mini sheet cake 3 out of 5 stars, or a 5/10. I think if you're going to call something strawberry cake, it needs to be really strawberry. This left me longing for more.
Have you tried the Trader Joe's Strawberry Mini Sheet Cake? Let us know what you think!
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