Costco Butter Cinnamon Sugar Loaf Review
Author’s Note: As always, this is not a paid review. I have no affiliation with Costco. Natch.
Cinnamon haters need not apply.
When I popped the first bite of this cake into my mouth, my immediate thought was: it’s absurdly tender. And now, after eating half the loaf, I still can’t get over how melt-in-my-mouth the texture is. It’s legitimately mind-blowing.
Ok, but let’s back up. As Costco’s newest “loaf cake,” this dude is essentially a butter pound cake with cinnamon mixed into the batter, and a coating of more concentrated cinnamon-butter-stuff around the outside. If you don’t love cinnamon, this cake is not for you! There’s a strong cinnamon flavor all the way through. Every crumb. Like a cinnamon Alcatraz. You shall not escape the cinnamon!
There is so much cinnamon, it’s turned the loaf a deep, speckled brown color inside, and an almost chocolatey-dark shade on the outside. The cake has a desperately addictive flavor that compelled me to eat 1/4 the loaf within the first 24 hours of bringing it home.
I was mega-bummed when I realized some of this flavor is from “Artificial Flavor,” rather than the natural cinnamon goodness. Boo. More about the ingredients later.
I do like the buttery cinnamon coating. It’s made with coarse granulated sugar, which gives it a sparkling texture change from the rest of the cake. The coating starts out crisp, but softens as the cake ages, and becomes like a textured icing. Curiously, this coating is wrapped evenly around all four sides of the cake, not just spread on top.
I would describe this as a type of coffee cake. Or maybe “breakfast cake.” It has a pound-cake-like density. It’s not as sweet as a typical iced cake, and it lacks the sophistication of a formal dessert. If you choose to serve this as a dessert, it will likely need some enhancements, such as ice cream, fruit, or a flavored sauce. Or, all of the above! We listen, and we don’t judge.
(Looking for another cinnamon-flavored Costco product with breakfast potential? Check out my review of the Gooey Cinnamon Rolls, which are also made with butter.)
Ingredients in Costco Butter Cinnamon Sugar Loaf Cake
Here is my best attempt at typing out the ingredients, from the label. Obviously, I was stoked to see “butter” as the third ingredient. Yaaas. I was deeply disappointed by the “Artificial Flavors,” however. Bah! No points awarded for the bleached flour, modified corn starch, or propylene glycol esters of fatty acids (and friends).
- Sugar
- Bleached Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid)
- Butter (Cream and/or Milk)
- Eggs
- Water
- Brown Sugar
- Contains 2% or less of the following: Cinnamon, Modified Corn Starch, Soybean Oil, Palm Oil, Whey, Emulsifiers (Propylene Glycol Esters of Fatty Acids, Distilled Monoglycerides, Mono- and Diglycerides, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Soy Lecithin, Citric Acid), Salt, Wheat Gluten, Leavening (Sodium Bicarbonate, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Nonfat Milk, Sodium Caseinate, Natural & Artificial Flavors, Xanthan Gum, Locust Bean Gum, Guar Gum, Egg Whites, Soy Flour.
Price and Servings
The 38 ounce cake cost $10 at my local Costco. I would hazard there are about 10 servings here, depending on how greedy hungry you are. I was especially greedy hungry (!), so I got about 8.
If you managed 10 servings, each slice would cost about $1.
Oddly, this is one of Costco’s more expensive loaf cakes. Currently, the Blueberry Lemon Loaf (which I reviewed here) costs just $8.99, and the classic Butter Pound Cake is a much more budget-friendly $6.99.
Another interesting piece of information: the product photo of this cake in the Costco Warehouse App shows it with a marbled, cinnamon-swirled interior. Not the solid, homogeneous loaf I received. Weird!
Shelf Life
The “sell by” date on my package was dated for about 3 days after purchase.
Serving the Cake
I preferred the taste at room temperature (instead of chilled), so I let each slice sit on a plate for 15 minutes or so to warm up.
If you cut the slices into thirds, you will get some lovely tea-party-sized servings. Or, you can do quarters, if you want cube-like chunks.
If you’re making a dessert out of this, I’d add something extra. I think this cake would pair well with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream — something to contrast the spice flavors. A homemade toffee syrup would also be nice. I ate mine with softened butter. Because, what goes better with butter cake than more butter?! Don’t answer that.
Dramatic Conclusion
If you love cinnamon, this loaf should be on your shopping list. It has a fabulous tender texture and addictive flavor. I am delighted by the prominent use of butter in the ingredients. I would be so much happier if the artificial flavor was omitted — just let the cinnamon work its spicy magic!
The End.
More Reviews You Might Like (or Hate)
Check out these other reviews I’ve written. Or don’t. Free will!
