Meyer lemons. If you've never had one then you are missing out. These are a fruit that is a hybrid between two citruses: lemons and mandarin oranges. So they aren't quite as acidic as most lemons and are best saved for sweet applications. If you are looking for the fruit then you'll see them appear mostly from November to January. However, this product likes to make its debut when they aren't in season. And that is ok in my books.
Memorial Day has come and gone. What did I bring to my Mom's BBQ? Trader Joe's Meyer Lemon Cake. If someone is taking care of dinner, it is only fair to bring dessert right? If you are heading to a BBQ this summer, then you might want to keep a box of this on the shelf. Let me explain.
Meyer lemons are a really fun and interesting fruit. They aren't available year-round sadly. They seem to be available from November to about March. They make for some amazing baked goods or even in iced desserts. They don't seem to be ideal for squeezing over say seafood because as they taste like a mix of lemon and a mandarin orange.
When I saw this I got a bit excited. Best of all, there are minimal ingredients required to make this. Butter, water, and an egg are all that is required in making this.
Most of the time is truly inactive. You'll spend about 5-10 minutes in actually getting this ready, but most of the time will be spent either baking or cooling this.
The end result is a moist, tender, and citrusy cake. It has a soft texture with sprinklings of orange and lemon peel to reflect the natural flavor of a Meyer lemon.
The icing is just as simple. Mine only needed a tablespoon of water. If you want a thinner frosting, then yes, add extra. What is pictured on the box looks more like a glaze than the icing that I got from the package.
How do you know if something you brought is a success at a party? When you don't have leftovers. And everyone around the table has cleaned their dessert plates.
For $3.29 this is reasonably priced and a worthy item to keep on your shelves. Just keep in mind this is a seasonal item on Trader Joe's shelves.
Here is the visual rundown of what you get if you buy this product:
The box of Trader Joe's Meyer Lemon Cake Mix with Lemon Icing:
The nutritional information:
The ingredients:
How to prepare:
Out of the package you get two packages: one icing, one mix:
Before going into the oven (and yes, parchment paper will prevent you from scrubbing those corners of a loaf pan):
After being cooked you get:
Would I buy this again? Yes, I would buy Trader Joe's Meyer Lemon Cake Mix with Lemon Icing again. It seemed to be a hit with the crowd that I brought it to.
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
Don’t forget to share your thoughts by going to the “user review” at the bottom of the box (click on the number of stars you believe this product deserves) and leave a comment below.
You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest to see what I’m up to.
Trader Joe's Meyer Lemon Cake Mix with Lemon Icing
Product Name: Trader Joe's Meyer Lemon Cake Mix with Lemon Icing
Product Description: Trader Joe's Meyer Lemon Cake Mix with Lemon Icing is a returning seasonal favorite cake.
Price: $3.29
Summary
Trader Joe's Meyer Lemon Cake Mix is a seasonal favorite on store shelves.
Pros
- Trader Joe's Meyer Lemon Cake Mix with Lemon Icing is a very well done seasonal cake mix variety.
Cons
- This is seasonal.
Fauzia says
I made this cake today and it came out gummy and thick. It looked like it was raw and I had baked it for almost 2hours? Can anyone explain?
becomebetty says
Hey Fauzia! Let me try to troubleshoot it for you. Did you pre-heat your oven first? Do you have an oven thermometer to make sure it is reading correctly? And what size pan did you use? Let me know so I can help.
susan miras says
I thought it was disgusting and thankfully I haven't seen it in the store since. Heavy and raw in middle. Made it three times in three different pans.
becomebetty says
Hey Susan! Sounds like yours might have been undercooked despite the fact you followed the directions. Next time (if there is a next time) use a toothpick to test the cake before removing it from the oven. If it comes out clean with no batter on it, then it is done. Sorry to hear yours didn't come out so good.
Lita M Poppenberg says
OIL instead of Butter it really does the trick AND it makes great cupcakes.....
becomebetty says
Hey Lita! Thanks for sharing about this product!
Joyce Levin says
I love this cake mix, Meyer lemon was a 5* for me. I was looking forward to buying This season and instead we have the covid-19..if ant trader Joe's still have some, I'm in Baltimore county.
becomebetty says
Hey Joyce! Thanks for sharing. Here is NY I saw it on shelves. Hopefully when you stop by a store they will still have it.
susan miras says
I tasted it in the store as a sample and their's was heavy too.
becomebetty says
Hey Susan! Thanks for sharing.
Sara M says
Thanks for this. I recycled the box while it was cooking and needed to know how to make the icing. Oops. Lol.
becomebetty says
Hey Sara! That's why I post everything on the box. I can't say that I haven't done the exact same thing. Glad I could help and thanks for stopping by!
Jill Nogle says
My son loves this cake, and I would like to make it for his birthday in two 8″ rounds (traditional round birthday cake). Any ideas how to adjust the recipe?
ABaker says
Did you notice any black or brown spots or specks in the batter? (I checked to make sure these weren’t bugs and they didn’t look like it at all – no legs/wings etc.) I saw the mix contains dried lemon peel and may have traces of almonds or walnuts. Just wanted to see what your experience was. Thanks!
becomebetty says
I did not notice that. If this were the vanilla cake mix my answer would be yes. There really aren't ingredients that I remember looking like that. So when in doubt throw it out. And TJs is very good about refunds. Just ask at the main desk. I hope that helps.
susan m. says
I was done with this mx long ago. Too heavy. Even their sample in the store was not good.
becomebetty says
Hey Susan. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this.
Jada says
I bought this for the first time a few weeks ago. I am pleased with the flavor but felt it was very dense. My oven is accurate and used the loaf pan suggested with exact dimensions. To me it was as though it didn't bake thoroughly but I knew better, it's just dense. Now, much by chance I found comments and suggestions. I usually bake from scratch but time was short so I gave it a shot. Not sure I'd make it again.
becomebetty says
Hey Jada! Thanks for sharing your experience here. By chance, did you mix it a lot? Usually, the more you mix a cake the denser or tougher it can be. Thanks again for stopping by!