I love a good cake mix. I like it more when it comes out correctly. Bonus points for citrus flavored ones. In fact, Trader Joe's Meyer Lemon Cake Mix has been one of my most commented reviews to date.
And let's be honest, baking isn't the same as cooking. You go with the flow with cooking. Baking requires a bit of precision. But with a mix, the amount of precision is greatly reduced.
The packaging
So what comes in this box is both a cake mix and an icing mix. Both are in separate bags that are labeled in small type.
Making the cake
The cake mix only requires a few ingredients: butter, water, and eggs. Once the liquid got added to the smell of the blood orange came right through.
No major kitchen equipment is really needed other than a mixing bowl, a beater, and a loaf pan. Yes, you'll need a cake tester so even a toothpick would work here.
Directions were pretty much accurate but you'll want to test the cake before removing it from the oven.
I checked at 45 minutes and it still needed additional time. Mine ended up needing closer to 55 minutes.
The taste
What came out of the oven was similar to a pound cake with a heavy dose of blood orange. The texture of the cake is much like a pound cake with a pleasant citrus flavor.
So if you are looking for a lighter cake then this just isn't it. This comes out as a dense loaf that isn't cloyingly sweet but does have a pleasant blood-orange flavor. Not bitter but it did have that hint of grapefruit to it.
But what steps up this cakes game is the icing. Once the butter and smidge of water are added it adds a nice punch of blood orange flavor.
Yes, it is the same texture but it does come in different formats with different textures and does work.
And yes, if you add too much water the icing will separate and become a mess. So add the water in slowly. Once you add it in, you can't take it away.
The icing did come out thick at first and I may have thinned mine too much.
But overall, this wasn't a bad cake at all. It was pleasant. We all had a slice, but we weren't wowed enough to want to buy it again.
A nice addition if you are tired of the regular offerings. This mix is priced at $3.69.
Overall
Would I buy this again? While I liked Trader Joe's Blood Orange Cake Mix with Icing I wasn't in love with it. It wasn't the best loaf I've tried, but it wasn't bad. It just wasn't worthy of another purchase.
Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!
A visual rundown of this product
The box of Trader Joe's Blood Orange Cake Mix with Icing:
The nutritional information and the ingredients:
How to prepare:
After being baked you get:
And sliced open so you can see the inside:
Want to see more items I've reviewed from Trader Joe's? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe’s for a searchable list.
The Bottom Line
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Trader Joe's Blood Orange Cake Mix with Icing
Product Name: Trader Joe's Blood Orange Cake Mix with Icing
Product Description: Trader Joe's Blood Orange Cake Mix with Icing is an easy mix that has solid citrus flavor.
Price: $3.69
Summary
Trader Joe's Blood Orange Cake Mix with Icing is new and a nice addition to the other baking mixes already on shelves.
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Taste
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Value
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Worthy of Repurchasing
Pros
- Full of citrus flavor
- Tasty
- Easy to put together
- Directions are accurate.
Cons
- This is probably a seasonal item
- If you are looking for a lighter cake, then this probably isn't for you as this is a denser pound cake.
That sounds so YUMMY! Maybe crisp it up and then use for French Toast?
I have been reading that others are using orange juice instead of water. Do you think your review would have differed a little if you used OJ instead of the water?
Completely possible. The end result would be more orange flavored but sweeter. I review it as it to make sure directions work and how it tastes out of the box. I hope that helps Robin.
Hi! I made this cake yesterday. It was good, but nothing that I'll crave to make again.
Thanks for sharing Krista!
I found it off putting. the test for me is how does the batter taste.. And Tang seemed omnipresent .. I did use orange juice and zest and vanilla extract. the texture was great petty to look at.. BUT....
WHOOPS pretty to look at
I wish there were directions in how to make them into cupcakes: I feel I would enjoy it better as a cupcake/muffin type of deal: