The Simply Beautiful Way To Transform Trader Joe's Mini Sheet Cakes
If you've ever had the pleasure of gracing Trader Joe's shelves and unique grocery offerings, you've likely seen the cutest mini sheet cakes near the bakery table. The two standard flavors are the vanilla bean chantilly and dark chocolate ganache. However, the offerings change with the seasons (like pumpkin spice, lemon, or carrot cake). These cakes are very simply frosted with a single layer of icing with no extra frills or decorations.
The key to taking them to the next level and creating a show-stopping masterpiece is to buy a few to make a stacked-layer cake that no one would assume is store-bought. If you're worried about it tasting store-bought, it's known as the cake TikTok users would request on death row, so while it'll look great and require minimal effort, you can trust it tastes great, too.
@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
To start things, purchase two or three, then scrape off the frosting from each into a separate bowl. Place one cake on a serving tray or stand as the base. In the meantime, add any fillings (try a salted caramel spread for a delicious sweet and salty treat or ruby red jam for a fruity flavor), then apply the next mini cake directly on top. Once you've successfully layered and stacked all of your cakes, take the reserved frostings and thoroughly coat the cake using a spatula to appear like one cohesive design with the perfect understated yet elegant look. It's the ideal blank canvas for decorations.
Ways to decorate and top your cake
After creating a clean base for your layer cake, it's the ideal canvas for all kinds of decorations. For example, make a grand-looking cake by applying rounds of dried fruit, like oranges or strawberries, to the top, placing each piece next to the other to make a trail down one side for added movement. Fill the gaps between the slices with cut fresh flowers – like white chamomile, pink roses, or purple pansies — for a natural-looking yet gorgeous scene.
Maybe you need extra frosting to pipe your desired "Happy Birthday" message or to pipe a stunning shell border. Whatever the design plan, consider store-bought frosting, but customize your store-bought frosting with one easy addition for a unique tasting experience. For a super festive touch, press rainbow sprinkles onto the open sides of the rectangular layer cake, so each bite is covered in sugary crunch.
If you want a decoration that looks and tastes yummy, carefully drip sauce along the border of the cake for an effortless edge. Place chocolate sauce or caramel into a squirt bottle or pastry bag, then run the tip around the cake's top, using varying pressure to allow the contents to drip at different levels down the cake.