Two Gluten-Free Dessert Recipes to Put an Extra-Sweet Spin on Your Average Cake Mix

November 2024 marks Thrive Market’s 10th birthday, and yes — there will be cake. We decided that a decade of thriving called for not one, but two dessert recipes. These take a simple cake mix and turn it into two perfect treats: Matcha Strawberry Cake and Chocolate-Covered Cake Pops. Birthday or not, they’re sweets worth celebrating. 

Matcha Strawberry Cake

Thanks to matcha, the green frosting on this cake is a nod to Thrive Market’s iconic green boxes. It’s just as delicious after dinner as it is for a breakfast cake treat. 

Yield: 8 servings 
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 ½ hours

Ingredients: 
1 bag Thrive Market, Gluten-Free Yellow Cake & Cupcake Mix
Cooking spray
3 eggs
½ cup + 5 teaspoons coconut oil, melted
⅔ cup room-temperature water
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup strawberries, sliced
4 tablespoons strawberry fruit spread
6 tablespoons cream cheese, cold 
3-4 tablespoons powdered sugar (use more if you like sweeter frosting)
1-1 ½ teaspoons culinary grade matcha, plus more for garnish
1 ¼ cup heavy whipping cream or coconut cream, chilled in the fridge overnight 

Instructions:

Heat oven to 325° F. Line two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper and coat lightly with cooking spray. For guaranteed success with your frosting, place beaters from electric mixer and bowl in the freezer to chill. 

Make the cakes: Mix batter according to package instructions. Divide evenly between two cake pans (roughly 1 ½ cups batter per pan) and bake for 16-18 minutes, or until just cooked through. (The cooking time will be less than the package because you’re using two pans.) 

While the cakes are baking, make the strawberry filling: Add sliced strawberries to a small pot with a tablespoon of water, cover, and turn the heat to medium-low. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the strawberries have softened and released some of their juices but aren’t falling apart. Add the strawberry jam, stir gently, and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat, add to a small bowl, and let cool fully — you can speed this up in the fridge. 

Once cake is done, let it cool in the pans for five minutes before removing and allowing to cool fully. 

Make the frosting: Add the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and sifted matcha (important to sift so it doesn’t clump) to the bowl of a standing mixer. With the whisk attachment, beat on medium-high for 1-2 minutes, pausing to scrape down the sides, until smooth. Adjust the speed to low and slowly add the cold heavy cream in a steady stream. Once it’s added, turn the speed to high and whip until it starts to firm up, pausing to scrape down the sides and taste it, sifting in more matcha and adding more powdered sugar if you like. Continue whisking until you get a thick, airy consistency with stiff peaks. 

Assemble the cake: Place the bottom layer on a plate or cake stand. Add a layer of whipped cream and smooth out evenly. Next, add the strawberry filling to the center and spread evenly over the top, leaving a ½-inch bar around the border (it will spread out once you add the top layer). Add the second layer of cake. Top with the whipped cream, spreading it over the cake evenly and the sides if you like. 

If you’re not serving right away, place cake in the fridge — 30 minutes in the fridge, uncovered, will actually help to set the frosting. When you’re ready to serve, sift extra matcha over the cake for an added dusting of Thrive Market green. 

Chocolate-Covered Cake Pops

Ever met a kid who didn’t love a cake pop? Us either. Let their little hands help in the kitchen by breaking the cake into pieces, dipping the pops in chocolate, and covering them with their favorite toppings. 

Yield: 20-24 cake pops
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 ½ hours

Ingredients:
1 bag Thrive Market Gluten-Free Yellow Cake & Cupcake Mix
3 eggs
½ cup + 8-10 teaspoons coconut oil, melted and divided 
⅔ cup room-temperature water
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup toppings: crushed and chopped nuts (avoid large chunks), hemp seeds, shredded coconut, crushed freeze-dried fruit, and flaky sea salt all work 
5 tablespoons strawberry fruit spread
1 9-oz bag dark chocolate chips, divided 
24 cake pop sticks
Parchment-lined baking sheet, flower foam brick, or cardboard box with cut slits, for letting pops cool 

Instructions:

Mix and bake cake according to package instructions.

While the cake is baking, place the toppings in a small bowl and set aside. 

Once cake is done, take out of the cake tin and let cool completely. Breaking it into 6-8 large pieces can help to cool it down faster, or you can place the pieces on a plate and refrigerate them to speed it up.

Crumble the cooled cake by hand into a large bowl, or use a standing mixer with the paddle attachment. If using a standing mixer, turn to medium speed and beat until you have coarse crumbs. Add the strawberry jam and mix thoroughly. You want it to be wet enough that you can easily form a ball, but not too wet where it can’t hold its shape.

Prepare the cake pop sticks and two large plates. Roll a heaping tablespoon of the cake mix into a tight ball, insert a stick almost all the way through, then place on the plate. Repeat for all pops, dividing between the two plates. Place in the freezer and let them firm up for 20-30 minutes. 

While the pops are chilling, prepare the first batch of chocolate. In a small pot, add 1 cup chocolate chips and 4 teaspoons melted coconut oil, then turn the heat to low and slowly melt the chocolate, stirring constantly, removing from the heat just before the last of the chips have melted. You’re looking for a consistency where the chocolate pours from a spoon in a smooth, steady stream. If it falls in clumps, add ½ teaspoon more melted oil; if it’s too watery, add a few more chocolate chips and warm through. Let cool to room temperature.  

Remove half the pops from the freezer and coat with chocolate by holding a pop over the pot as you spoon chocolate over, turning to coat fully. Lightly tap each stick on the edge of the pot to let excess chocolate drip off. Sprinkle with your toppings of choice. The chocolate shouldn’t harden while you do this, but in case it does, warm it slightly over low heat. 

Place the first half of dipped pops in your cooling spot of choice. If using the parchment-lined baking sheet option, place them upside down (like a candy apple). Let them dry fully. 

Remove the second half of pops from the freezer and prepare following the directions above for heating the second batch of chocolate, coating, topping, and cooling. 

Store in an airtight container or bag in the fridge (for fudgy pops) or freezer (for a nice firm chocolate shell) until you’re ready to serve. 

Recipe credits: Aubrey Devin