For some reason, Trader Joe's Mochi cake mix is a seasonal find. In fact, the last time I saw it on shelves it was gone before I got to the store.
Now right before the start of the fall season, we are hit with a chocolate mochi with a peanut butter frosting mix.
For $4.49 this might be something worth buying if you are into mochi or need a solid gluten-free cake option.
The taste
For those of you who might never have had mochi then this might be a good product to introduce you to the unique texture of mochi. If you hate mochi stay away from this and if you embrace mochi then this is a good item.
So quickly, mochi's texture is quite chewy. If you are biting into this cake expecting the tender and traditional texture of a boxed cake mix you are going to be thrown off. It bounces back with each bite.
Now, let's talk about each bite. This cake came out sufficiently chocolatey. It even had extra chunks of chocolate in each bite that were still there after the baking process.
The peanut butter frosting is sweet but has some nice-sized salt flakes that didn't disintegrate leading to a subtle crunch. So the frosting manages to walk the line between sweet and salty.
There isn't a ton of frosting to speak of here. You'll get a thin enough layer but not quite as thick as the picture on the box would have you believe.
But together they balance each other nicely. Both layers aren't too sweet, there are added textural elements from the chocolate chips and salt crystals in the icing in addition to the mochi texture worked here.
And yes the pairing of peanut butter and chocolate is a solid one.
But if you despise mochi, then this should be a hard pass. There is no hiding the texture here.
Preparing this
So for those of you who prefer visual directions, I've got you covered. Here is how mine came together:
First, you'll need two bowls: one for the wet ingredients and one for the mix.
Next in the smaller bowl add all of your wet ingredients so combine butter:
Add in eggs
Add water and mix the wet ingredients together
Pour the wet ingredients into the cake mix and stir.
This is what the batter should look like:
Add to a baking pan
Bake for 40 minutes (and start checking at about 35 minutes) and allow to cool
Do not frost until this cake is at room temperature. Otherwise, you'll have a mess on your hands.
Slice and serve:
The packaging
The packaging here is straightforward. This mix comes in a box. Inside the box are two bags: one for the cake mix and the other has the frosting mix. Both plastic bags are labeled as to which is which but let's be real, you can tell which one is chocolate.
Overall
Peanut butter and chocolate are a classic combination. The mochi will be the curveball as to whether or not you like this item. But it was a tasty bite. Yes, you'll get 12 servings out of each mix. I found each slice to be sufficiently satisfying. There was just enough frosting to go with the cake.
The mess was minimal as was the ingredient list. But as always, please check your cake a few minutes early. Mine was completely done at the 40-minute mark.
Overall, a nice seasonal addition to the Trader Joe's baking mix lineup.
Would I buy this again? For me, Trader Joe's Chocolate Mochi Cake Mix is a one-time purchase. But it is a solid one if mochi is your thing. The flavor pairings here are spot on.
Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!
A visual rundown of this product
The box:
The nutritional information and ingredients:
How to prepare:
Out of the package you get:
After being baked you get:
Fully iced:
And how this looks from the top and the side:
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 Chocolate Mochi Cake Mix
Product Name: Trader Joe's Chocolate Mochi Cake Mix
Product Description: Trader Joe's Chocolate Mochi Cake Mix is a new seasonal mochi mix.
Price: $4.49
Summary
Trader Joe's Chocolate Mochi Cake Mix is new but a limited-run item.
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Taste
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Value
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Worthy of Repurchasing
Pros
- A really well-done gluten-free cake mix.
- It is a nice blend of textural elements and did not manage to taste too sweet.
- Chocolate and peanut butter are complemented by chunks of chocolate in the cake and salt crystals in the frosting keeping the taste and texture classic yet interesting.
Cons
- Mochi can be a bit of an acquired texture.
- If you hate mochi this should be skipped.
Alek says
Maybe adding mini peanut butter cups would elevate it even better.
Catherine of VegCharlotte says
Durn, the mix contains milk. I was wondering if I could make it vegan with an egg substitute. Thanks as always for your very detailed review. Will definitely save me some time in TJ's.
becomebetty says
No problem! Thanks for stopping by!
Bella says
I really miss the original flavor. This chocolate mochi cake with peanut butter frosting is not as good. Too much stuff in it does not make it taste better, at all.
becomebetty says
Thanks for sharing Bella!
Elaine says
I tried the Trader Joe’s Chocolate Mochi Cake last weekend, it was okay. I don’t think I would pay $4.49 for it again or buy it again. To me, it was not a true Mochi cake and my daughter and I are true Mochi fans. It was more like a thick dense chewy dry cake even with the frosting. If you want gluten free, this might be a choice. The freshness of the cake only lasted two days before it started to hardened. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this product.
becomebetty says
Thank you for sharing your thoughts too!
Krista Lewis says
I didn't care for the texture of the cake, but the frosting was really yummy! I ended up eating the frosting off the top of the cake!! 🙂
becomebetty says
Yes! I loved the frosting too! Thanks for sharing.
Karen says
Love the cake. I underbaked it a bit and it was so yummy. I made the frosting on the side instead of frosting the cake because my husband doesn't like peanut butter. It was so easy. It's best made to share and best eaten fresh. Mochi doesn't do well pass Day 2. Should have stocked up since TJ only offers it for a very short time and the shelf is always empty even when they are in season. I say 5 stars. Don't really understand the mixed reviews.
becomebetty says
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on this Karen!
Manami says
For the ease of preparation, this tasted better than most quick bake cakes. I like that it’s not disgustingly sweet. I like mochi and agree with an earlier comment that this really did not remind me of mochi but a dense brownie texture. It did get pretty chewy after a couple of days.
becomebetty says
Thanks for sharing Manami!
Jen says
I LOVE this cake. It’s so easy to make and delicious. I love the texture. It has large chocolate disks in the batter adding extra yumminess. The frosting is just right and so easy to make. I’m stockpiling these in my pantry and hoping TJ’s doesn’t discontinue them. It’s my favorite box cake mix!!
becomebetty says
Hey Jen! This item is seasonal so stock up when you can.