Chocolate desserts tend to promise a lot, but only a few actually deliver. Trader Joe’s chocolate mousse cake has been getting quite a buzz online, so we put it to the test to see if it’s worth the indulgence or just another dessert that looks better than it tastes.
Where to purchase
Head to your local Trader Joe's to get this limited-time sweet treat. There's a high probability that, since it's a special Valentine's Day item, it will be located on an end cap or in the middle of an aisle, making it easy to grab and go.
At $5.49, it's affordable and plenty for two to share as a delicious dessert. There isn't an end date per se for this cake's sale at Trader Joe's, but it's safe to assume that once Valentine's Day passes, it will no longer be available.
It's just starting to trend online, so the sooner that you can go and grab one, the better. Trader Joe's typically does a good job of stocking items, but as soon as something goes viral, it flies off the shelves and becomes hard to get.
Ingredient list
The label says it contains 3 servings, each with 350 calories. There are also 17 grams of fat, 44 grams of carbs, and 29 grams of sugar in each serving. Let's not overlook the 4 grams of protein.
Ingredients: powdered sugar (sugar, cornstarch), sugar, dark confectioners coating (sugar, fractionated palm kernel oil, cocoa powder, soy letchitin [an emulsifier], natural vanilla flavor), unbleached enriched flour (wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), water, expeller pressed soybean oil, palm oil, coca powder (processed with alkali), eggs, egg whites, white confectioners coating (sugar, fractionated palm oil, skimmed milk powder, lactose, soy lecithin [an emulsifier], natural vanilla flavor), contains 2% or less of chocolate liquor, vanilla extract (water, ethyl alcohol, extractives of vanilla beans), baking soda, salt, baking powder (sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodia bicarbonate, cornstarch, monocalcium phosphate), vegetable juice (for color), sunflower oil, maltodextrin.
There is print on the container that says, "Contains soy, wheat, egg, milk. May contain traces of peanut, almond, coconut, hazelnut, macadamia nut, pecan, pistachio, walnut."
On Trader Joe's website, there is also a note that says, "*Product ingredients, nutrition, and allergen values will vary by region, please review packaging in-store for current details." We collected the ingredients from the back of the container we bought, but they could vary depending on where it was sold.
Appearance
It's such a cute cake. At first glance, it looked really small, and we wondered whether it could be shared. In the US, we're used to larger portions for just about everything, but bigger doesn't always mean better. In the case of desserts, it is usually quite the opposite.
The heart shape is perfect, and the red dusting on top gave it a nice pop of color. It's 9.2 ounces in size, and is just about the size of an adult hand, give or take.
The lid is clear, so you can see the cake right away, and the bottom part that the cake rests on is gold-colored, giving it a premium look.
Cutting and slicing
It's important to point out that the entire cake is surrounded by a "shell" of chocolate. Not only does it keep it nice and smooth, but it also means that cutting into it without it cracking will be pretty much impossible.
You get a nice little "crack" of chocolate when you cut into it, and then you're right into the silky-smooth, creamy center. Be sure to use a serrated knife to cut the cake, as this will help reduce breakage.
Since the middle of the cake is made of sponge and mousse layers, you'll notice it gets a bit messy as you cut more pieces. And speaking of pieces, the heart shape makes it really hard to cut into traditional cake slices. We just chopped here and there and cut out as we pleased. It all worked out just fine, as there are no rules when it comes to enjoying this mousse cake.
Taste
It's no stretch of the imagination to say that chocolate lovers are going to be obsessed with this cake after the first bite. There is a lot of texture going on, but they all work together really well.
The top and bottom layers, and the side if you have a side piece, offer a crisp chocolate coating with a slight crunch. The middle is moist, and the mousse only adds to it.
Every bite is loaded with chocolate flavor, so it's really, really rich. Even though the cake serves three, it could likely serve more because it's so sweet and rich, and a little bit goes a long way.
The good news is that it tasted homemade. There was no weird aftertaste or lingering chemical taste, and the chocolate coating made it easy to pick up and eat by hand.
It might not be typical to eat a cake by hand, but they almost felt like cake bites or cake pops, coated and not messy, and too irresistible not to pick up by hand and bite.
Pro tip: have a glass of milk handy, as it coats your mouth, and the sweetness will make you thirsty. Nothing a cold glass of milk can't cure.
Texture
The cake had all the textures. Crunch, soft, creamy, you name it. You get every texture in every bite, and that is actually part of the appeal. The crunch of the chocolate coating kept the middle from becoming too mushy, and it held its shape nicely when cut.
Would you buy it again
100%, yes. The small size is adorable, the festivity is fun, and the flavor is really, really good. The price point is also extremely affordable because, honestly, you could hardly even buy all the ingredients needed to make it for that price.
The takeaway
Trader Joe’s chocolate mousse cake lives up to the hype. It’s delicious and feels far more indulgent than its small size suggests. This is the kind of dessert that’s perfect for sharing, special enough for Valentine’s Day, and satisfying enough that you won’t wish you’d bought something bigger. If you see it in stores, grab it.
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