The Clever Recipe That Has Us Rushing Out to Buy Trader Joe’s Mini Sheet Cake

When it comes to desserts, I will always choose pie over cake, but I admit to loving cake balls. These mini desserts are the perfect little treat when you want something sweet, but don’t want to eat a whole slice of cake. They’re moist and sweet, and often have a smooth, chocolatey shell around the soft center. Plus, cake pops are fun to make, easy to customize and are perfect for parties.

One challenge with cake balls is that making them can be somewhat of a project. You have to bake a cake, crumble it up, mix in frosting until it holds together and then shape it into small balls. Once they’re formed, you have to chill the cake balls to firm them up before dipping them in melted chocolate. Phew! 

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Luckily, there’s a speedier way. Content creator @amandamaehome just shared a genius hack that uses a Trader Joe’s sheet cake to make quick cake balls (or cake pops).  Amanda has shared several mini sheet cake hacks in the past, so I knew I could trust her on this concept! 

Get the recipe: Trader Joe’s Cake Ball Hack

“Next time you are at Trader Joe’s you have to grab one of their mini sheet cakes, a bar of their pound plus chocolate and some pecans to make these easy cake balls!” Amanda said in the caption of her video. To keep it seasonal, Amanda used the seasonal pumpkin spice cake that Trader Joe’s currently has but you can use any flavor your heart desires. 

Related: Best Valentine’s Day Cake Pops Recipe

Ingredients You Need for Trader Joe’s Cake Balls

For this recipe, you’ll need one mini sheet cake, one bar of dark chocolate, pecan pieces and sprinkles. 

Related: 31 Best Cake Recipes Everyone Should Try Once

How to Make Trader Joe’s Cake Balls

Bring the cake to room temperature, then scrape off and reserve the frosting in a small bowl. Cut the cake in half, microwave for 30 seconds, and crumble with a spoon. Add a spoonful or two of the frosting to the crumbled cake and stir until the mixture is slightly sticky and pliable. Roll the mixture into balls, place on a lined baking sheet, and freeze for 20 minutes. Melt half a chocolate bar, dip each ball, shake off excess, and add sprinkles if desired. Freeze for another 20 minutes.

Amanda says that one mini sheet cake makes 13 cake balls, so keep that in mind if you want to make a last-minute dessert before a dinner party.  

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