If you haven’t read about my love for Trader Joes then let me profess it again.  Sadly I did not come to really love Trader Joes until about a year before I moved to Texas.  I become very attached to certain items and the overall price point of Trader Joes. I have yet to find anything here really compares.  Sprouts tries, but it’s just not the same shopping experience.  Now I can only make a shopping trip happen once every couple of years when I return to a normal state (aka California).  Sorry to the other 49 states but my heart belongs in California.

One of my many favorite items from Trader Joes is their cake mixes.  They are extremely flavorful and don’t have any high-fructose corn syrup, or partially-hydrogenated vegetable oil.  So you can only imagine my excitement when I laid my eyes on the pumpkin flavored cake mix.  I bought two, packed them in my suitcase, and set them on the counter to remind everyday to make them.  Well my will power gave out on Sunday, despite a cold, and I decided to spice it up with one my favorite teas: Tazo Organic Red Apple.  It’s not easy to find in the store and last time I bought 6 boxes online.  It’s a great holiday tea.  Caramel apple flavor with other spices.  Mmm!  Okay, back to the cake.  I brewed two extra strong cups (4 to 1 ratio) and set to baking.  One to sub for the water in the cake mix and the other to make a glaze for the cake.  Let the holidays begin!

 

 

Spiced Pumpkin Cake with Spiced Tea Glaze
  • 1 box pumpkin cake mix (Trader Joes works best)
  • 8 oz spiced tea, brewed with 4 bags
  • 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp coconut oil (or other oil), melted
  • 2 large eggs
  • 4-6 oz spiced tea, brewed (at a 4:1 ratio)
  • 2-3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tbsp oil
Cooking Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9" round cake pan with 1 tbsp coconut oil. In a large bowl whisk together coconut oil, eggs, and 8 oz of brewed tea until combined. Slowly fold in cake mix with a spatula until just combined and batter is smooth. Pour batter into cake pan and bake for 45-40 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Meanwhile combine 4 oz of brewed tea with 2 cups of sugar and whisk until combined. Add in remaining brewed tea and powdered sugar until reaching desired consistency. More powdered sugar can be added if necessary. Set aside.

Once cake is finished remove from oven and allow to cool on rack in pan for 15 minutes. Turn cake out onto rack to finish cooling completely. Once cooled completely set on plate and pour glaze over top. Depending on thickness of glaze a lot while accumulate under the cake. If you desire to have entire cake glazed allow it to sit in glaze for 5-10 minutes then flip over to allow top to sit in glaze for 10-15 minutes. When done soaking store cake in an airtight container. Save remaining glaze from plate to drizzle when serving. Enjoy!