Every Publix Supreme Cake, Ranked Worst To Best

There is a lot of hype around Publix's Supreme Cakes. Users have taken to social media to share videos and posts about the cakes, with some touting that you haven't experienced cake until you've had a Publix Supreme Cake. These desserts feature everything from cannoli and cheesecake filling to ganache — which are pretty significant and complicated things for a grocery store bakery to execute. After all, Publix is far from a pâtisserie. 

So, I had to give the cakes a try and see if Publix could do these desserts justice, or if they still tasted like grocery store cakes. And, while they may look like great cakes worthy of a special occasion, I wanted to see if they were more than just pretty to look at. In order to decide if these cakes came close to the social media hype, or if this was just a case of "mine's better than yours," I ordered every Supreme Cake Publix offered and ranked them from worst to best based on their taste and construction.

All of the cakes were placed in my cart with a level of care and concern I hadn't before experienced at a grocery store. The staff member who delivered them was clearly very proud of this orange cannoli cake in particular, as she should have been. 

This towering four-layer cake was gorgeous. Little cannoli were placed precisely around the edges amid beautifully swirled whipped topping. The cannoli were even decorated; they were dipped in chocolate on one side and mini chocolate chips on the other, accompanied by a ganache drizzle down the cake's rim.

I was overjoyed by the freshness of the cannoli. The shell was perfectly crisp and the filling was sweet and creamy. The orange flavor only came through when I tasted the cake and its filling. It didn't shout "orange," but instead came through more like a citrus zest, which was nice. However, it overshadowed the flavor of the vanilla cake and the cannoli filling. The orange essence was slightly artificial — which I didn't particularly care for. The cake's texture was a bit on the dense side, and I feel that may have been due to whatever was used in the flavoring.

The ganache drizzle, on the other hand, was decadent. It was so good that I pulled pieces off the top of the cake and ate them solo. While the cake looked exceptional, I can't say I cared for the orange flavor.

The strawberry and cream cake was decorated in the same lovely fashion as the other cakes and stood the tallest of all of them. The bright, whole strawberries on top were specifically placed and an artistic swoop of the strawberry glaze decorated the bottom edge. It was a very beautiful cake to behold.

When I cut into it, I was disappointed to see that the strawberries were only in the middle layer and not between each one. This also made it very structurally unsound, and the slices fell apart at the fruity middle when I tried to place it on the plate.

The sponge of this cake was executed perfectly; it was both light in vanilla flavor and in terms of its weight on the palate. The whipped topping that covered the cake was densely fluffy and delicately rich. However, it also pushed in between the layers, leaving very little room for the cheesecake filling. While I could tell that the cheesecake center had a different texture than the whipped topping, the flavor was mostly hidden and didn't give off any cheesecake-like notes.

The strawberries themselves were plump and tasted fresh, although I didn't like the jelly they were immersed in. If the berries were macerated and incorporated into the other filling layers, it would definitely improve this cake's ranking. So, while this is a beautiful cake with a top-tier taste, I don't know that I would deem it "supreme."

It was clear that a lot of work went into making this cake look stunning. Not only was the cake itself lovely, with the ganache drizzle, piped flowers, cannoli, and chocolate chips along the bottom edge, but the cannoli were also expertly crafted. They were crispy, fresh, and had a lovely, creamy filling.

The vanilla sponge on this cake was perfect, slightly moist, and light. It's definitely not the typical sponge I'd expect from a grocery store cake. It was easy to see that this cake hadn't just been made — it had been created. Considering all of the other delicious elements, the cake itself didn't need to be this good, but it was!

There was a small amount of chocolate ganache between its layer, offering a wonderfully dense cocoa flavor. The cannoli cake filling inside the cake was thinner than what was in the cannolis on top, but the classic flavor was still there. I couldn't pinpoint which creamy cheese Publix chose for its filling, but whatever it was, it was perfectly sweetened and quite smooth. And, the whipped topping did a beautiful job balancing all the flavors and keeping everything in harmony. 

This cake is undeniably one worth trying because the flavors are well-executed and balanced. I can understand its devout following. And with all of that being said, it's hard to imagine ranking it in the middle. But the two higher-ranking cakes brought a whole new level of flavor and offered a more decadent bite. 

While the other cakes made a lovely first impression, the chocolate ganache cake demanded admiration. The ganache glaze covers the chocolate whipped topping, which is expertly piped and embellished with tiny white and milk chocolate curls. The middle of the cake featured an artistically decorated hardened chocolate crown. 

If this cake had been sold in a local bakery, it could have easily cost two to three times more than what I paid for it. This isn't a simple chocolate cake; it's something reserved for a very special occasion or event.

And then the taste! Chocolate lovers, I have found your paradise. The chocolate whipped topping is feathery, light, and has a creamy finish. The chocolate cake is dense and moist with a nice, dull cocoa flavor. Meanwhile, the ganache filling is dark and luscious with just the right amount of sweetness. I would say it even teeters on the edge of being too rich. Meanwhile, the whipped cream icing carries all the flavors and keeps them in check. All of the elements are beautiful on their own, but they're all the more outstanding when they're put together.

You definitely need to be a big fan of chocolate for this one — and that totality is what kept it from winning this race. While it brings all things chocolate, in every form imaginable, to the table, that is all it has to offer.

The chocolate and cream cake took the fantastic elements of the other cakes and put them in one big, fun package. First, let's discuss the exterior. Both chocolate and plain whipped topping cover the majority of the cake. Then, there's the rich, fudgy icing that also adorned the orange cannoli cake. On top of that, there are halved chocolate petit fours that add a tasty and decorative touch. And along the bottom edge is a fun cookie crumble garnish that not only tasted excellent but also added a playful texture. 

The chocolate cake would have been pleasing on its own. However, the cheesecake filling comes in and finally gets a chance to really shine. I wouldn't necessarily define it as a traditional cheesecake, in terms of its taste or texture. If it were richer, it would have been too much. Instead, the cheesecake filling boasts a light texture and flavor, along with a hint of tanginess and an appropriate level of sweetness. It's a great companion to the cake.

The little petit fours are indulgent and sugary sweet. The crispy pieces are flavorful; they offer a pleasant snap when they get mixed into a bite with the whipped topping. There is so much going on with this cake, but it works so well. 

There are many elements that have to be taken into consideration when ranking desserts, especially these cakes. In order to rank these cakes, I considered the flavor of the sponge, icing, and filling. Then, I looked at the texture of all of these elements, as well as their proportions and how well-balanced they were. And, of course, appearance also comes into play, as all food should be aesthetically pleasing. 

The bottom two cakes missed the mark in terms of their flavor and proportion, mostly when it came down to the strawberry and orange elements. The top three, however, did quite well in these areas. The cannoli shells, ganache, decoration, and the sponge itself were all expertly crafted and shockingly good. 

The higher-ranked cakes were more complex than the lower-ranked ones. For example, the ganache cake, with its multitude of chocolate deliveries, was much more involved than the plain cannoli cake. And the chocolate and cream took on all of the most delicious elements of its predecessors and managed to balance them all in one divine creation. And while one did have to be the winner, I don't think any of the top three would disappoint.