Junior's Gooey Butter Cake From Costco Has Gotten Some Pretty Mixed Reviews
For every legendary Costco dessert, there are quite a few that raise controversy. That certainly appears to be the case with Junior's gooey butter cake, which was shared on an Instagram page that showcases hot buys from the warehouse retail giant. The gooey, decadent cake retails for $14.99 for 36 ounces. The caption describes it as a sweet, buttery cake featuring cream cheese icing and a dusting of powdered sugar.
While one commenter simply heralded the dessert as "So so good!!" (echoing comments on Reddit, like one telling people to "put it in your cart and don't look back") others were not quite as kind. As one person explained, "This is awful. We took our [sic] back! Dry." Another stated, "We were under the impression that it was a real cake, omg it was all cheese, all!" Perhaps the issue is not with the cake, but with people's unfamiliarity with the recipe. Butter cakes are actually considered a regional dessert delicacy, so not all Costco shoppers might be familiar with them.
Where did gooey butter cakes originate?
Among the many negative comments regarding Costco's gooey butter cake, one calls out the manufacturer of the baked good specifically. Per the commenter, "All of the Junior's cakes that I've brought [sic] are all nasty." Based on the about page of the website, Junior's first emerged in Brooklyn in 1950. The establishment is best known for its expansive offering of cheesecake, including white chocolate raspberry, cookies and cream, and lemon coconut versions.
As for the gooey butter cake itself, it's said to be an invention of St. Louis, Missouri. While there are rival origin stories, it's generally accepted that the cake originated in the city at some point in the 1930s. It's also believed that the now iconic cake resulted from a mistake involving the correct portions of flour and butter. The dessert's St. Louis origins were also referenced on social media, specifically in a TikTok post featuring the Costco cake. Per a commenter, "As someone from STL, dunno if I should be excited, or offended by a Brooklyn cheesecake company making this."
Based on Junior's longstanding place in New York City history, it's clear that the brand is doing something right when it comes to desserts. Similarly, Costco has plenty of tasty selections for shoppers not impressed with the butter cake.
Which Costco desserts are tops?
Dessert preferences vary greatly from person to person. However, Costco has quite a few sweet offerings that are bona fide hits among members. For a simple, tasty, and filling dessert, you might try the chain's lattice apple pie. On an Instagram post about the baked good, one commenter enthusiastically wrote, "The BEST Apple pie and it's sooo big" with pie and apple emojis.
If you're a fan of chocolate, Costco offers a fancy dessert that people on Reddit say tastes as good as it looks. The store's tuxedo chocolate mousse cake is topped with chocolate ganache icing and features small brownie bites amidst the mix of mousse and cake. It's "the best cake in the building" according to one Redditor who always enjoys it for their birthday. Costco's four berry pie is another big winner thanks to the sweet, tart combination of cranberries, raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries.
Costco is constantly adding items to its bakery, which means there's always something new to sample. This is great news for shoppers who found the butter cake disappointing, as well as those who love trying new desserts on a regular basis.