The One Frozen Trader Joe's Cake We Consider A Must-Buy

A frozen store-bought cake that tastes great is a lucky find, but one that can compete with a fancy restaurant dessert is a straight-up miracle. The frozen foods aisle at Trader Joe's is home to one such product, and it's a must-buy for cold nights when you want a warm, chocolatey indulgence. When we ranked Trader Joe's frozen desserts from worst to best, the Chocolate Lava Cakes flew miles above other cakes in the competition.

The Trader Joe's Chocolate Lava Cakes took third place in our taste test, beating 14 other tempting treats like ice cream bonbons and sandwiches. We found they fully delivered on intense, decadent chocolate flavor, from the fluffy exterior right into the rich, gooey ganache center. This product is a truly high-quality version of a classic dessert, without any fussy prep — the cakes take just 15 minutes to bake in the oven or less than a minute to heat in the microwave.

Two lava cakes come in each box, making this TJ's item a perfect ending to a casual yet romantic dinner at home — just beware you may be tempted to keep both to yourself. In our eyes, it's not only the best frozen cake at the chain, but one of the best Trader Joe's desserts ever. If you need further convincing, many other customers have sung the praises of the Chocolate Lava Cakes online.

Trader Joe's shoppers love to debate which products are truly great or which are overrated, and the Chocolate Lava Cakes are almost universally beloved. Reviews say that they taste like the highest-quality chocolate and the texture of the melty center is spot on. "I literally always have these in my freezer," one Reddit user said. "Such a delicious and quick dessert to make in the microwave with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream." On the other hand, some shoppers find the cakes so addictive that they don't keep them in the house too often.

Another common compliment is that this dessert tastes made from scratch or bought at a restaurant or bakery. "These were so close [to homemade], I would happily buy them again if I didn't feel like baking," another Reddit user said. 

Fans also enjoy customizing the Chocolate Lava Cakes almost as much as they love eating them. Vanilla ice cream is a perfect topping to lighten up these cakes, but why stop at one flavor? TJ's customers also recommend the store's horchata or Coffee Bean Blast ice creams as partners — the latter flavor took first place in our taste test of Trader Joe's ice cream. You could even dollop pastry cream on the just-baked cakes, sprinkle on some sugar, and hit it with a kitchen torch for a crispy crème brûlée-like finish.