The Trader Joe's Mini Sheet Cake Hack For An Instantly Elevated Dessert

Whether it's for a birthday or graduation, we usually want to serve a pretty, tasty cake when it's time to celebrate. The kicker? We're not all professional bakers, and even whipping up a basic cake from scratch can seem like a chore if you've never done it before. Luckily, Trader Joe's is here to help. Just as the chain allows us to easily make a seafood boil or enjoy pre-made kimbap without being an expert chef, it also offers a solution to all your cake-baking woes — which doesn't even involve turning on your oven.

All you need are three Trader Joe's Chantilly Cream Vanilla Bean Mini Sheet Cakes and one package of its Sweetened Dried Orange Slices. Courtesy of Joslyn Davis on TikTok, here's what you'll do: Scrape most of the frosting off of the top of each cake, then stack them on top of each other so that there's a thin layer of icing in between. Spread all of that leftover frosting over the top and sides of your new treat, then arrange a few of the orange slices around the top and edges. As a final touch, stick a few sprigs of small flowers next to your dessert on its platter. The whole thing only takes about 10 minutes to assemble, and it looks (and tastes) as though you spent hours making an aesthetically pleasing dish. 

While this simple formula will instantly produce an elevated dessert, it's not the only way you can hack it. If you luck out and happen to find these Trader Joe's mini sheet cakes in multiple flavors — such as Dark Chocolate Ganache and Lemon, which have made appearances over the years — feel free to mix and match. But if you don't find these versions and want to switch up the flavors a little, add in some new ingredients. Stir some lemon zest or juice into your top layer of frosting, for example, or spread some lemon curd or berry jam in between each cake layer. Or, create a chocolate-covered orange-inspired cake by using orange zest and juice for the reserved icing, but smoothing dark chocolate ganache throughout the middle.

@josdavis

IS THIS A JOKE???? Like WHAT? This is the most mind-blowing Trader's Joe's hack I've ever seen, done or heard about, and that's saying a LOT, haha. Buy three cakes, take off the frosting, stack the cakes, REFROST THE WHOLE CAKE (genius), then decorate with orange slices and florals, which let's be real, just makes this whole thing look effing profesh. So if you want to trick your entire family into thinking you're some sort of trad royalty (LOL), this is *IT* PS: my comfy cute lewk is from @poplinen #traderjoes #traderjoesrecipes #traderjoeshack #cakedecorating #cakedesign #cake #mdw #summerrecipes #semihomemade

♬ original sound – Joslyndavis

Although orange slices make for a pretty decoration, Trader Joe's offers plenty of other options in this department too. Try using fresh berries, the chain's Dark Chocolate Covered Pistachios, Cinnamon Sugar Almonds, or Strawberry Yogurt Flavored Coated Almonds — or crush up Key Lime Tea Cookies or Triple Ginger Snaps. Feel free to incorporate a fruity candy as well, whether it's broken Dark Chocolate Pineapple Sticks, Dark Chocolate Covered Cherries, or Passion Fruit Rounds. You're free to take this vanilla cake in whatever flavor direction you want, while still putting in a minimal amount of effort.