The Monster Costco Dessert That Weighs Almost 10 Pounds

Costco's entire business model hinges on extra-large portions. By buying its inventory in bulk, the wholesale retailer pays less for higher-quality items, which means customers also pay less for boatloads of goods. If you've ever wondered how the chain can sell a 60-pound bucket of honey, a 3-pound jar of pretzels, an 850-count pack of gumballs, or a nearly 7-pound tub of Nutella at relatively affordable prices, now you know. 

The gargantuan sizes aren't limited to pantry items. Costco's bakery section boasts a half-sheet cake that clocks in at a whopping 9.5 pounds – enough to feed up to 48 people. Two of those pounds are made of vanilla or chocolate cheesecake mousse, while the rest comes from the (white or chocolate) sponge and a generous layer of buttercream frosting. "Just had a vanilla one this weekend," wrote one Reddit user. "Never had it before. I ate three pieces at the kids' party. The other dads did too. It's great cake!" 

The half-sheet cake took a brief hiatus during the pandemic, but it's back and as robust as ever for a cool $24.99. 

In addition to being among the biggest desserts in Costco history, the half-sheet cake gets high marks for top-tier ingredients and affordability. By many accounts, it's among the crème de la crème of store-bought sheet cakes. 

The bakery sells both chocolate and vanilla (white) half-sheet cakes (RIP to its discontinued carrot cake with apricot mousse filling). Although vanilla is often regarded as the plainer of the two flavors, the white cake is the clear favorite of Costco bakers and sheet cake fans on a recent Reddit thread. One user likened the vanilla cake to a wedding cake, noting that the buttercream frosting is "very sweet but delicious and smooth, not cheap at all." Many posters also praised the rich, fluffy cheesecake mousse, which has inspired copycat recipes.

Beyond taste, the $25 price of Costo's monstrous cake is substantially less than Walmart's $42.96 sheet cake, which has the same number of servings. 

Ready to halt your birthday baking project in favor of a Costco half-sheet cake? The process of ordering one is decidedly old-school, but that's part of the fun. Start by scoping out your local outpost, as Costco's unexpectedly archaic order form must be filled out in person. 

In the bakery section, you should see a "special order cakes" fridge with decorated cakes awaiting eager customers. Fill out an order form on-site at least 24 hours in advance to ensure your cake is ready on time. 

Once you choose your base of chocolate or vanilla (U.S. Costco locations only offer the two flavors, unlike Costco Australia, where customers can pair a raspberry filling with a choice of chocolate or vanilla sponge), you can choose from around 30 designs from balloons to dinosaurs to rosebuds to seasonal specials. Design options (along with availability and price) will vary from store to store, so it's worth planning ahead.