The $5 Trader Joe’s Cake Mix That’s Just as Good as Homemade

A few weeks ago, my friends and I, by some touch of fate, were all free to hang out on a Friday night. As soon as we discovered this, we rallied the troops (our partners and kids) and decided on a 6 p.m. arrival time. I immediately fired up my outdoor pizza oven since it’s a quick and easy way to prepare a fun dinner for small and large groups of all ages.

However, I hit a bit of a roadblock when trying to brainstorm an equally quick and easy dessert. I walked straight to my pantry to see what shortcuts I’d stocked up on lately from Trader Joe’s. That's when I spotted a back-up box of Trader Joe’s new Celebration Cake & Baking Mix. Dessert was going to be served!

What's in Trader Joe's Celebration Cake & Baking Mix?

It’s definitely worth picking up a few boxes of this convenient and easy-to-prepare Celebration Cake & Baking Mix kit to have on hand in your pantry. This kit, unlike many others out there, even comes with a dry frosting mix and a package of rainbow sprinkles for topping, which makes it that much easier to create with. All you need is a couple of eggs, oil, and milk for the cake, and butter for the frosting, and you’re in business. We all know Trader Joe’s loves a theme, and this bright, delicious, and versatile boxed cake mix is totally worth celebrating!

Oh, and in case you’re wondering, my friends were genuinely torn when I asked if they thought I made the cake from scratch. They said it tasted nostalgic, and like I made it from scratch, but the rainbow confetti sprinkles throughout the cake looked too much like a Funfetti cake for them to be totally convinced. Fair enough! I was just happy that everyone enjoyed it, and that I nailed the flavor and texture of both the cake and the frosting with the addition of a few tips and tricks.

Why I Love This Cake Mix

In addition to the ease of preparing this baking mix, the moist texture of the cake, the fun bright sprinkles throughout, and warm vanilla flavors, I love the versatility of this cake. Trader Joe’s has instructions on the back and sides of this box that make it easy to transform this cake mix into one 13 x 9-inch cake, two 8-inch cakes, cupcakes, or cake pops. I found the cake pops option to be a bonus. In the past, I’ve had to Google how to turn boxed cake mix into cake pops, and the results have been mixed. This creates a bit of ease throughout the baking process. And that’s what baking should be: enjoyable and relaxing.

Tips for Using Trader Joe's Celebration Cake & Baking Mix

Homemade, from-scratch cakes have that special something. I don’t know if it’s love, science, the ingredients, or a little bit of it all. But there’s just something magical and timeless about them. Luckily, I’ve got a few tips and tricks to help you get close to those from-scratch flavors, textures, and nostalgic feelings with this mix from Trader Joe’s.

Amp up the batter with vanilla extract.

Whether it’s cake, cookies, or brownies, I always, always add additional vanilla extract to boxed baking mixes. These mixes often contain natural vanilla flavor, which tastes good, but is not as powerful as an extract. Adding 1 to 2 teaspoons of vanilla to this batter will enhance the flavor, give it warm tones, and really help you get one huge step closer to that homemade cake moment.

Add a pinch of kosher salt.

A pinch of salt truly goes a long way when it comes to baking. If you’ve ever wondered why many baked good recipes call for salt, the main purpose is to enhance the flavors of the other ingredients. It can also provide balance to the sweetness, which is a very useful addition when baking with boxed mixes, which tend to really pack in the sugar A pinch of salt will add some volume, richness, and a stronger depth of flavor to this cake.

Mix cream cheese and vanilla bean paste into the frosting.

The first time I prepared the frosting, I did as precisely instructed on the package, and found it to be entirely too sweet, especially once it was added to the already sweet vanilla cake. The second time, I prepared it as the package instructed, but also added 8 ounces of softened cream cheese, as well as 1 tablespoon of Trader Joe’s Bourbon Vanilla Bean Paste. What a difference! The slight tang of the cream cheese, warm vanilla flavor, and bits of vanilla beans throughout transformed the finished cake as a whole. I omitted sprinkles to keep it super classic, and it was a hit. It felt and looked like a cake your grandma may have waiting on the table when you come over for a visit.

Lemon zest is a game-changer.

Adding the zest of one lemon to the frosting mix will add the perfect bit of acidity and sweet tang to your finished cake. Sprinkle some on top of a plain frosted cake for serving for a pop of bright color and flavor.

Opt for different sprinkles on top—or leave them out completely.

The sprinkles that come in this package work just fine so it's perfectly okay to use them However, I find that the color is too faded. I’m not sure if this look is intentional, but I didn’t find them incredibly appealing for the eyes or the appetite. Consider good old-fashioned rainbow jimmies sprinkles, with their traditional vibrant colors, or whatever favorite sprinkle you have on hand. Another wonderful option is to keep it classic and even a bit more elegant by omitting sprinkles altogether. A simple vanilla frosted cake is always gorgeous on the table and equally delicious to bite into.