Just in time for Valentine’s day we have Trader Joe’s Raspberry Mousse Cakes! These dainty circles might fool you into thinking you’ve stumbled upon a secret French pâtisserie, but don’t be duped! Cloaked in a vivid pink fondant that could double as a Barbie dream house accessory, these petite fours hide a layer of raspberry mousse, which, I must confess, bears a suspicious resemblance to the color of a 1980s neon leg warmer. Resting atop a white cake base that’s as unassuming as a vanilla candle from a dollar store, these little confections promise a boutique dessert experience – but do they deliver, or are they just a masquerade for the masses? Let’s slice into the hype and find out.
If you remember the chocolate petit fours that Trader Joe’s’ released a few months ago for the Xmas holiday season, it seems they went right back to the same vendor and ordered up some pink, raspberry ones for Valentine’s Day! Don’t be fooled by the word “mousse” because these are almost certainly just like the petite fours. Fondant on the outside, a layer of raspberry buttercream and a vanilla cake on the bottom.
You get six of these per box and they are about 100 calories each. Trader Joe’s says there are 3 cakes per serving but in reality, I could only eat one. They are pretty rich and filling. A whole container has 700 estimated calories. The clock in at $3.99 for the six cakes.
They are quite attractive in their bright pink icing and if I didn’t know any better, I would say that Trader Joe’s is trying to cash in the pink Barbie trend, but alas these have been released in prior years so it’s just a pink Valentine’s Day thing.
When you open the clear plastic clamshell you get a whiff of raspberry from the container.
Each cake is cradled in its one little paper cupcake holder.
There is a little green icing leaf on top that gives that extra special refinement.
When I bit into it, you can immediately taste the raspberry flavors. Since raspberries are listed as an ingredient, I’ll just take it on their word that it isn’t fake raspberry flavors.
You bite through the pink icing into the “mousse” and eventually the cake that is under it all.
Taken as a whole you get a super sweet pop of raspberry flavors and cream. It’s a bit too sweet for me, but I don’t eat a lot of sweets so might be just right for you.
All in all I really liked this even if they were a little sweet. They make a great after dinner dessert snack for a special occasion like Valentine’s Day. If you like them get them soon because they will be gone before you know it!
I am going to give them 8 out of 10 Bells just because of the sweetness.
Ingredients
CAKE MIX (UNBLEACHED ENRICHED FLOUR [WHEAT FLOUR, MALTED BARLEY FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID], SUGAR, LIQUID WHOLE EGGS, WATER, PALM OIL, SKIM MILK POWDER, BAKING POWDER [SODIUM ACID PYROPHOSPHATE, SODIUM BICARBONATE, CORNSTARCH, MONOCALCIUM PHOSPHATE], SALT, VANILLA EXTRACT [VANILLA BEAN EXTRACTIVES, WATER, ETHYL ALCOHOL]), RASPBERRY BUTTERCREAM (POWDERED SUGAR [SUGAR, CORNSTARCH], PALM OIL, UNSALTED BUTTER [PASTEURIZED CREAM], RASPBERRIES, NATURAL FLAVOR), PINK CONFECTIONARY COATING (PINK CONFECTION [SUGAR, PALM OIL BLEND {PALM KERNEL OIL, PALM OIL}, WHEY POWDER, SKIM MILK POWDER, FRUIT AND VEGETABLE JUICE FOR COLOR, SUNFLOWER LECITHIN, NATURAL FLAVORS], PALM OIL), GREEN DECORATION (WHITE CONFECTION [SUGAR, PALM KERNEL OIL, SKIM MILK POWDER, SUNFLOWER LECITHIN, NATURAL FLAVOR], VEGETABLE JUICE FOR COLOR).
- CONTAINS MILK, EGG, SOY, WHEAT.
