6 Popular Cakes At Costco, Ranked Worst To Best

Who among us doesn't find some small joy in taking a bite out of a moist, freshly made cake? Even better if the cake is made from scratch, with love and attention. Sometimes, though, busy schedules leave little time for baking. And, though it's easy enough to elevate a boxed cake mix, a time crunch can occasionally make store-bought cakes a necessity. My mother, ever the baker, has even ordered a custom Costco cake for the occasional childhood birthday. That fact alone is a testament to the store's cakes being at least satisfactory. That said, it's been ages since I've had a cake from the warehouse's bakery section. 

This tasting pits all the cakes available at my local Costco against each other in a cutthroat showdown to see which is truly the best. I'll say off the bat, none of these cakes are bad (this coming from a baker). Did any cake floor me? No. But each would be a perfectly acceptable addition to a child's birthday party or a potluck where you're in charge of dessert. Obviously, my own taste preferences played a role in this ranking, but some cakes were truly more impressive than the rest. I'll also say that, were I giving each of these cakes a ranking out of 10, all would probably fall somewhere in the 6-7 range. They all were relatively similar quality-wise, so which you choose will probably just depend on what flavor you have a hankering for. 

Again, just because Costco's Chocolate Cake Filled with Chocolate Mousse takes the bottom spot on my ranking, I wouldn't call it bad. If you're a fan of chocolate cake you'd probably be satisfied by it. Personally, I prefer anything chocolate to be very dark and rich, which is why this cake didn't quite fit the bill for me. Its flavor was mild (but still definitely present), and it didn't have that rich decadence I look for in my ideal chocolate cake.

The center layer was definitely a velvety smooth chocolate mousse that checked off all the boxes in terms of texture. It was light and fluffy but retained enough structure to keep the cake layers evenly separated. The mousse also adds some density to what's otherwise a pretty light, delicate sponge. This cake isn't heavy and it doesn't think too highly of itself — rather, it does what it's set out to do, which is to be a perfectly palatable cake that can be enjoyed by a crowd. Don't expect any jaw-dropping flavors from this one, but if you're expecting a mid-tier chocolate cake (that receives some slight elevation from its mousse layer), you won't be disappointed.

The bottom two spots will be interchangeable depending on your palate. Personally, I think I'll always prefer vanilla to chocolate (I know, I know). There's something about the warm depth of vanilla that's always palatable, and I'll take a vanilla cake over chocolate any day — unless it's dark chocolate. In terms of how they compare to one another quality-wise, I'd say there's virtually no difference between Costco's Vanilla White Cake and the previous choice aside from their flavors. Because I'm a vanilla-loving girlie, I preferred this one. 

It's a pretty classic white cake, but the amount of vanilla gives it just enough richness to keep it interesting. The texture of the cake is light and fluffy, and it has a warm, indulgent flavor enhanced by the cream layer in the middle. I also appreciated this cake because it's neutral enough to be dressed up with any variety of toppings. Spoon some cherry pie mix on top or garnish with fresh strawberries, lavender, caramel, honey, chocolate sauce, or even edible flowers. 

I was very, very torn over Costco's Caramel Tres Leches Bar Cake. It was visually impressive, to be sure — all its layers were remarkably neat, the caramel sat on top without spilling over the sides, and the chocolate pieces on top made for a nice finishing touch. I also thought it boasted good flavors. It had the sweet creamy flavor one would expect from a tres leches cake and the sponge was gorgeous to look at.

Costco certainly succeeded in making a moist tres leches cake, and I was impressed by the crumb of the cake itself, which was light and airy. However, it soaked up so much liquid that it was on the verge of being soggy. This lended to a mouthfeel that I wasn't a particular fan of. Another reason I couldn't give this cake a higher spot was due to the caramel on top — it turned out to be a gelatin-like caramel layer, which wasn't expected or appreciated. All in all, this cake had some really good flavors, but due to textural shortcomings, it's only getting fourth place on my list. 

Any carrot cake fans in the house? I adore anything cinnamon-flavored, and I love the rich depth a cream cheese frosting brings to any baking situation. Carrot cakes are often textural delights, with bites of tender carrot pieces facing a slight interruption from larger walnut or pecan chunks. Costco's Carrot Bar Cake got almost all the way there, but it still didn't hit all the marks of what a carrot cake should be. 

Now, while Costco's isn't the most delicious carrot cake I've ever had, it's a pretty solid store-bought carrot cake, and I liked it enough to give it third place in this ranking. The cinnamon was incredibly prominent and, if I was ranking these cakes purely on depth of flavor, this may have come out on top. Costco's bakery certainly doesn't skimp on spices in this cake. However, it faced a couple of shortcomings. First, the frosting was entirely too cloying to do the body of this cake justice. Thankfully, the icing layers are relatively thin, but still, the little bit I got was so sweet that it overpowered the rest of the cake. Second, the carrots were too stringy, which made taking a bite a chore; and finally, I got very little textural variation from the nuts in the cake. However, it was by no means bad, which its third-place ranking should be a testament to.

If there's one dessert I love, it's cheesecake. You won't catch me asking for a fancy layer cake on my birthday — I'd rather have a decadent, creamy cheesecake to celebrate. My palate isn't very discerning in this respect, and I'm pretty equally fond of every type of cheesecake under the sun. That said, I've had (and made) many of these delectable desserts over the years, and my standard is rigidly high. Costco's Cheesecake earned the number two spot because it's a solid cheesecake, but it failed to claim the top spot because I've definitely had better. 

If you need someone to do the legwork of making a cheesecake for you so you can adorn it with whatever you'd like, grab Costco's without a second thought. It's big enough to be decorated with whatever your heart desires (I drizzled caramel over my pieces) and its texture is velvety smooth. It also boasts the tang I appreciate in a good cheesecake. The crust could always use a little more crunch (I've had this cheesecake enough times to know) and, in terms of flavor, it doesn't pack a punch. In fact, its flavor is pretty mild — were it stronger, I'd give this cheesecake the top spot without a problem. If you, like me, are obsessed with cheesecake, you might not be overly impressed by this one, but it's a reliable choice if you're in a pinch. 

For all the times I've said I don't prefer chocolate desserts, I sure have given chocolate-flavored things the top spot in more than one ranking. Perhaps it's time I change my tune — though I never thought I'd say this, maybe chocolate really is better than vanilla. Either way, Costco's Tuxedo Mousse Cake takes home the gold when it comes to the bakery section offerings. It helps that it's visually stunning, with crafted chocolate spirals on top and distinct layers throughout. Fortunately, the cake tastes good, too. 

Remember what I said earlier about adoring dark, rich chocolate? This cake certainly checked off all my preferred chocolate boxes. The actual cake layers were dense and almost brownie-like and, if I'm being honest, slightly dry — but the indulgent filling (which also appeared to have brownie chunks in it) more than made up for that. The cake was complex, with three different textures that held my interest, and it was flavorful without being overwhelming. It's so rich that you won't be able to eat more than a small slice, but hey, that just means more cake to go around. 

For this ranking, I picked up one of each cake I saw at my local Costco — yours may have more, fewer, or just different offerings than mine. I tried all six and looked for both textural and flavor components. My bottom choices were good but not impressive, while my top choice was quite good and is one I'd buy again. Of the grocery store cakes I've had (which are admittedly few), I'd have to call Costco a solid choice when you're unable to make a cake at home. Its offerings all lasted several days in the fridge, and each was good enough to please a crowd.