Trader Joe’s Stroopwafel Cake Baking Mix, reviewed

Are you a stroopwafel fan? Stroopwafels are round, flat waffle-like cookies that are sandwiched together with a thin layer of caramel. They’re addictive – especially if you’re a caramel lover – and pair perfectly with a cup of hot coffee. I am a big fan and am always happy to have a container on my shelves. I was even happier to see Trader Joe’s Stroopwafel Cake Baking Mix on their shelves this holiday season. The mix is packaged in a glass jar and looks nice enough to be given as a gift to a stroopwafel fan, or simply to treat yourself with.

The mix is easy to make: simply dump the contents of the container into a mixing bowl along with 1 1/4 sticks (10 tbsp unsalted butter), 3 large eggs and 4 tbsp water, then mix until combined. I reserved 1/4 cup of the crushed stroopwafel pieces from the mix to add back as topping prior to baking, however if you happen to have some stroopwafels on hand, you can add your own as a topping and mix in all the the wafles that are included in the mix.

The finished loaf has a wonderfully crisp and buttery crust, with a moist and tender interior. The cake has a buttery caramel flavor, accented by caramel bits and tiny pieces of stroopwafel. It is absolutely delicious if you’re a caramel fan and definitely evokes the cookies that inspired it. I was pleasantly surprised by how delicious this mix was and it really couldn’t be any easier. I would not hesitate to buy it again. The stroopwafel pieces on top of the cake add a nice crunch, so don’t forget to reserve a few before popping the loaves into the oven.

Because of the packaging, it may look like this mix won’t make a regular sized loaf. But fear not, it mixes up to be a wet batter that both fills the pan and rises well. The instructions call for an 8×4-inch pan, which is slightly smaller than the 9×5-inch “standard” loaf pan that I typically use. It works in both pans, simply reduce the baking time by about 10 minutes for the large loaf pan size. You could also divide the mix into two mini loaf pans (or three for smaller cakes) and, again, reduce the baking time by about 15 minutes.