Emerging baked good trends are illuminating consumers’ desires for unique sensory experiences, including vibrant colors and unexpected textures. Perhaps the most buzzworthy baked good item of the year so far has been the dot cake, a single-serve portion of cake layered with frosting and topped with crunchy rainbow sprinkles. What is otherwise a simple treat with classic decorations is now a cultural phenomenon, showcasing just how influential color and texture can be in this category.
These days, consumers have high expectations for their bakery products. Not only do these products need to taste amazing, but they also need to offer a sensory experience that infuses their everyday eating experiences with excitement. In this blog, our experts share their insights into the drivers behind this trend and demonstrate how brands can use texture and color to create buzzworthy baked goods.
Let’s Talk About Texture
When it comes to baked goods, basic just doesn’t cut it anymore. Consumers want each eating experience, and thus each product, to feel like an experience. Unique textures deliver just that by defying consumers’ expectations in a good way. For example, crunchy textures offer a contrast to the soft textures typically associated with baked goods. Playing with texture can also enhance the flavor experience of a bakery product. An ooey, gooey filling, for example, makes a cake, pie, or cookie feel even more indulgent.
One option for getting in on this trend is by incorporating ingredients that change up the texture of an existing product. Adding nuts, sprinkles, toasted coconut, fillings, or streusel is a simple way to elevate a traditional baked good with an impactful sensory experience.
Another option? Look to lesser-known baked goods from around the world for inspiration. Japanese cheesecake, for example, has been trending on social media lately, thanks to its unusually
fluffy texture. Similarly, Chinese mooncakes have been generating buzz due to their thick, red bean filling. Brands can get ahead of this trend by drawing inspiration from global baked goods with unique textures. Adventurous consumers will appreciate the opportunity to expand their horizons through a new sensory experience with exotic roots.
Get Creative with Color
Visual appeal is becoming a driving force behind consumers’ purchase decisions, as they continue to seek out sensory experiences that step outside of category norms and conventions. This trend is all about adding brief moments of whimsy to daily life, appealing to consumers’ sense of imagination. Eye-catching colors, therefore, can help baked good products stand out in a crowded market and encourage adventurous consumers to try something new.
Many traditional baked goods have long been limited to neutral colors, with cozy shades of brown dominating the category. The rise in popularity of colorful French macarons, however, has inspired consumers to embrace bright, vibrant baked goods. From drawing inspiration from vibrant ingredients to getting playful with whimsical frostings and decorations, baked good brands have plenty of options for innovating around this trend.
Trending ingredients like ube, matcha, and turmeric are known – and sought after – for their signature colors and can be seamlessly incorporated into modern bakery applications. Think ube swirl bread, brown butter matcha brownies, and turmeric & black pepper sourdough bread. Not only do these ingredients deliver eye-catching colors, but they also offer craveable, trend-forward flavors that consumers won’t be able to resist.
The dot cake trend has put rainbow sprinkles in the spotlight, showcasing how a classic dessert decoration can generate buzz and bring excitement to
everyday bakery products. Brands can get in on this trend by experimenting with colorful sprinkles, brightly colored frosting, edible glitter, and florals.
Ready to bring unique textures and colors to your baked good products? Contact us to get started!