{"id":4170,"date":"2024-10-26T20:15:40","date_gmt":"2024-10-26T20:15:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/snarklesauce.com\/blog\/?p=4170"},"modified":"2025-03-23T18:35:22","modified_gmt":"2025-03-23T22:35:22","slug":"costco-maple-butter-crunch-bar-cake-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/snarklesauce.com\/blog\/2024\/10\/26\/costco-maple-butter-crunch-bar-cake-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Costco Maple Butter Crunch Bar Cake Review"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Author\u2019s note: Not a paid review. These are my own absurd opinions. I don’t work for Costco<\/a>. I wasn\u2019t compensated in any way to write this review. Natch.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It tastes like hopes and dreams and Canada.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There has not been enough enthusiastic raving over this new Costco dessert. In fact, I have not heard a single person from my local Costco utter a peep about it. Usually, when Costco releases a stellar bakery item, there’s a lot of feverish chatter swirling around social media. I saw random store pictures of this Maple Butter Crunch Cake floating around the internet, but that was it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’m here to fix that. This is an outstanding dessert. Minus a few caveats, of course<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Side<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What does it taste like?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What makes it so good? It’s the flavors, and the layers, and the sly little crunch at the end. This dessert is made with three layers of sponge cake, with three different<\/em> layers of maple-themed creme filling. Yes, I said three<\/em> different layers. Each layer is a new surprise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The layers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The first layer tastes like dense, flavored whipped cream. It’s a strong maple-syrup taste. This is real<\/em> cream, with a buttery aroma and a luscious, smooth mouth-feel. It tastes like hopes and dreams and Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second layer has more of a tangy cream-cheese taste, with warm brown-sugar notes. It’s deeper and darker than the first layer, with more richness and complexity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And the last layer is the most surprising \u2014 it has crunchy, delicate cereal flakes and finely chopped pecans embedded in the filling. The syrupy maple-honey flavor \u2014 with the distinct crunch \u2014 almost reminded me of baklava or honey comb. It’s a delightful punctuation at the end of the creamy-dreamy cake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Admittedly, I do love<\/em> maple flavor. And, if you’ve been reading my reviews, you already know I absolutely adore<\/em> anything with real cream in it. Cream is the first ingredient in this cake. Swoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Looking for another Costco cake made with real cream? Check out my review of the Costco Strawberries & Cream Bar Cake<\/a>.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The actual sponge cake is nice<\/em>, but not something I would rave about on its own. It has a vanilla-ish flavor (there is no actual “vanilla” listed in the cake ingredients \u2014 more about that later), and a durable, but soft texture. I appreciate that the cake isn’t overwhelmingly sugary. It has a pleasant, moderate sweetness that lets the flavors do the talking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Small problem:<\/strong> the bottom layer of my cake was dry. Not “slightly dry,” but more like “Sahara-desert” level dry. Almost crunchy-dry. So dry<\/em>, it was stiff. Unacceptably dry. I’m giving Costco the benefit of the doubt here, and assuming this was some strange fluke. The other two cake layers were fine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Detail<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Aesthetics matter<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Costco has garnished this cake with a flourish of sweet white icing (not<\/em> whipped cream!) and a sprinkle of pecans. The tan-colored top cream layer is swirled in gentle waves. Like sea turtle tracks in the sand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Overhead<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Visually, the layers of cream filling make an ombre effect as they progressively darken towards the bottom of each slice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s an understated, but elegant presentation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ingredients in Costco Maple Butter Pecan Bar Cake<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Ingredients<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Here are the (slightly confusing and jumbled) ingredients, from the label:<\/p>\n\n\n\n