I Tried Every Trader Joe's Mini Sheet Cake & the Best Was Rich and Moist
Whether your goal is to entertain a few friends or just satisfy your sweet tooth, the bakery section of Trader Joe's has a small but mighty selection of rave-worthy desserts, including a collection of mini sheet cakes. Customers love how rich, moist, and decadent these frosted confections are, so I had to try them to find out which one stands above the rest.
The current lineup includes the new and highly anticipated Pumpkin Spice, alongside the longstanding Chantilly Cream Vanilla Bean and Dark Chocolate Ganache, both of which are available year-round. It's worth noting that the retailer has introduced other popular seasonal flavors in the past including a lemon and carrot cake, but these are no longer stocked and won't return until summer.
These cakes aren't particularly fancy, grand, or visually impressive, but that's not the point of them. They're meant to be casual yet utterly delectable. On its website, Trader Joe's has described them as "the yummy solution for people who crave quality cake—even when it's nobody's birthday."
Each cake weighs in at 18 ounces, which the label claims is large enough for an intimate group of six. Depending on the occasion, however, a cake of this size could be divided into squares like petit fours, serving closer to 12 at, say, an afternoon tea or mixer. On the other hand, people have been known to take this endeavor solo and finish off the entire dessert within a day or two.
I tried all three of Trader Joe's current mini sheet cakes and ranked them in order, from my least to my most favorite. Because these goodies are shelf stable, I tasted them at room temperature (although they would likely be enjoyable chilled, as well). I also didn't add any additional toppers to keep try the cakes just as they are, straight from the box.
However, these basic sheet cakes are easy to customize to suit your taste, so keep that in mind. Now, read on to see which of these cakes you should run to purchase from this neighborhood grocery store.
Dark Chocolate Ganache Mini Sheet Cake
Calories: 310
Fat: 16 g (Saturated Fat: 6 g)
Sodium: 270 mg
Carbs: 42 g (Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 32 g)
Protein: 3 g
The Dark Chocolate Ganache Mini Sheet Cake is described as a "moist, flavorful cake with a smooth ganache cream cheese frosting." This item is a regular on the bakery shelves and goes for $4.99. I saw a customer holding one of these on the way to the cash register, which suggests that it must be good.
The look: For the cake layer, this looks almost as moist as the inside of the brownie. The frosting on top is piled high and thick, with a finish that appears silky and dark.
The taste: The cake has a nice dense texture, like what you would expect in the body of a chocolate lava cake. The ganache frosting has a fudge flavor that balances well with the cake layer, and the cream cheese makes this taste really rich. The chocolate leans dark and adds a slightly bitterness that tones down the sweetness overall.
I picked this one for third place. While this was a perfectly good chocolate cake, I was slightly underwhelmed by the flavor profile and overwhelmed by the sheer amount of frosting. On my cake, the ganache cream cheese was almost as thick as the chocolate cake, which made it too rich to eat more than a few bites. However, cocoa lovers will still enjoy this cake. Replacing some of the frosting with whipped cream can lighten up the flavor and enhance the darkness of the chocolate.
Chantilly Cream Vanilla Bean Mini Sheet Cake
Calories: 340
Fat: 19 g (Saturated Fat: 8 g)
Sodium: 250 mg
Carbs: 43 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 34 g)
Protein: 2 g
The Chantilly Cream Vanilla Bean Mini Sheet Cake is described as a "moist, flavorful cake with a smooth vanilla bean buttercream frosting." This item is a regular on the bakery shelves and costs $4.99. I've seen this nearly every time I've passed by the cakes at my stores, so it seems to often be in stock.
The look: Dainty and light, with a moist light yellow base and creamy frosting, dotted with flecks of dark vanilla bean throughout.
The taste: The sponge of this vanilla cake is definitely sweet, but with a softer, more delicate taste. It's very similar to angel food cake and very moist. The thick layer on top is definitely more of a cupcake frosting than a buttercream in mouthfeel, though not quite as sugary. The flavor of vanilla is definitely there, but it's a bit cloying and lacks the complexity of real vanilla.
I picked this one for second place. The cake was moist and light, and the frosting complemented the bite well. Any pure vanilla didn't particularly shine through, which was a shame—I was hoping to find a natural vanilla bean taste. It tasted a bit more artificial than I liked. That said, it's still highly palatable. For those who want to add a bit more flavor dimension and freshness, consider topping this with fresh berries or a coulis made from raspberries, blackberries, or strawberries.
Pumpkin Spice Mini Sheet Cake
Calories: 310
Fat: 16 g (Saturated Fat: 4.5 g)
Sodium: 310 mg
Carbs: 39 g (Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 29 g)
Protein: 3 g
The Pumpkin Spice Mini Sheet Cake is described as a "moist, flavorful pumpkin spice cake with cream cheese frosting." This item is only available for a few weeks during the fall season and goes for $5.49. Because this new drop was so highly anticipated and extremely limited, the first time I went to the store, they were sold out. I saw other customers hovering around the cake table with me, looking for a glimpse of the autumnal treat. The crew member told me they only had two cakes come in that day, and that they'd receive more the next day. In order to get my hands on one, I had to go to Trader Joe's right as the store opened, and luckily, they had about 20 of these cakes in stock.
The look: The brown cake crumb looked striking against the plush layer of creamy frosting. The icing job on this cake was piped generously, though a bit lopsided.
The taste: This cake is extremely moist, with a texture that is reminiscent of a banana bread. The pumpkin puree and nutmeg, ginger, and cinnamon blend gives the sweetness some depth, evoking the quintessential flavor of fall. Because the bottom layer has such a distinct taste, the slightly sweet cream cheese frosting on top adds a satisfying contrast.
Ding, ding, ding! Pumpkin Spice was the clear winner, for having the best moist texture and flavorful profile out of all three. I thought this cake had the perfect balance, with a generous warmth from the spices paired with rich frosting that wasn't overly sweet. These flavors complement each other well and invite you in for another bite. You could choose to add a bit of decoration by dusting some extra cinnamon over the top, though truthfully, I had no notes for this one.
Run, don't walk, to your nearest Trader Joe's, because this seasonal treat won't last long—especially not when it tastes this delicious!
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