Dawn Foods, a global leader in bakery ingredients, is introducing an innovative turnkey seasonal cake program featuring three new cake mixes and two new buttercreme-style icings in the United States.
Designed to help bakeries capitalize on consumer demand for seasonal flavors, this new program makes it easier than ever to create limited-time offerings (LTOs) that drive traffic and sales. Each new mix and icing is tailored to seasonal flavor preferences, allowing bakeries to offer on-trend cakes and cupcakes without the need for additional in-house formulation.
“Consumers crave seasonal flavors, and bakeries that tap into this demand see a real impact on incremental sales,” said Sarah Hickey, vice president of marketing, North America for Dawn Foods. “Our new seasonal cake program simplifies the process by providing high-quality, ready-to-use flavors that align with customer preferences each season like lemon, strawberry and pumpkin spice. This means more excitement in the bakery case and more impulse purchases from customers looking for seasonal treats.”
Data shows that seasonal offerings drive bakery sales:
- 65% of consumers visit a business specifically for a seasonal item.¹
- 63% of seasonal product purchases are made on impulse.²
Dawn’s seasonal cake program ensures bakeries can easily introduce high-demand flavors at the right time, without the hassle of sourcing flavors and creating colors in-bakery. Dawn’s latest additions include three Dawn Exceptional® Bakers Request™ Cake Mixes and two Dawn Exceptional® Buttercreme Style Icings:
- Dawn Exceptional® Baker’s Request™ Lemon Flavored Cake Mix, a bright, citrus-forward option perfect for spring.
- Dawn Exceptional® Baker’s Request™ Strawberry Flavored Cake Mix, sweet and fruity summer favorite.
- Dawn Exceptional® Baker’s Request™ Pumpkin Spice Cake Mix, the #1 seasonal cake flavor, ideal for fall.³
- Lemon Cream Cheese Buttercreme Style Icing, made with real cream cheese and lemon juice, offering a rich texture and a zesty citrus kick.
- Strawberry Flavored Buttercreme Style, a light and fluffy icing with a vibrant pink color and delicious strawberry taste, perfect for warm-weather treats.
Dawn Exceptional Bakers Request Cake Mixes are extremely tolerant and consistent, delivering cakes with superior flavor, moist texture and a tight crumb structure that supports longer shelf life. Dawn Exceptional Baker’s Request cake mixes bake flat for less wasted product and easier decorating. Dawn’s ready-to-use buttercreme-style icings are formulated for easy piping and decorating while maintaining the firmness needed to hold intricate designs.
Menu Recommendations by Season
Dawn’s seasonal cake program makes it simple for bakeries to launch limited-time seasonal desserts with these recommended flavor pairings:
- Spring - Lemon Cake + Lemon Cream Cheese Icing
- Summer - Strawberry Cake + Strawberry Buttercreme Icing
- Fall - Pumpkin Spice Cake + Cream Cheese Buttercreme Icing
- Winter - Red Velvet Cake + Cream Cheese Icing (available in Dawn’s existing portfolio)
Pumpkin Spice Cake Mix is available for pre-booking now, with shipments starting in August 2025. Lemon & Strawberry Cake Mixes and icings will be available for pre-booking in Fall 2025, shipping in time for Spring 2026 menus.
