15 Things To Know Before Buying Costco Sheet Cakes

Whether you’re celebrating a birthday, anniversary, graduation, or retirement, nothing tops off the party like a terrific cake. Costco sells famously large and cheap sheet cakes perfect for these types of occasions.

But before you order one of Costco’s sheet cakes, it’s important to understand what you’re getting. So, here are 15 things to know before buying Costco sheet cakes to ensure your next order is perfect!

15 Things To Know Before Buying Costco Sheet Cakes In [currentyear]


1. You’ll Pay Less For A Costco Sheet Cake Than Anywhere Else

For most people, the most crucial consideration when buying anything is how much it costs.

Luckily, everything is priced competitively at Costco, and the massive sheet cakes are no different.

For example, for a half-sheet cake, you’ll pay just $19.99 (plus tax) for either of the two flavors.

When you compare that to a few other grocery stores, like Wegmans, where it costs $42 for a half-sheet cake, the savings are undeniable.

In comparison, Giant Eagle, another chain in the Mid-Atlantic region, charges $36. Also, even Walmart is more expensive, with a half-sheet costing you $30.

2. Costco Sheet Cakes Are Huge

Have you ever seen a half-sheet in real life? It’s enormous.

For example, when we think of traditional rectangular birthday cakes from grocery stores, most of us think of quarter cakes.

The half-sheet is twice that amount, and at Costco, the cakes can serve up to 48 people.

So clearly, Costco’s half-sheet cakes are not for a small family gathering. Instead, these are best served in party situations.

3. Costco Sheet Cakes Are Really Heavy

Naturally, a bigger Costco sheet cake will also be a heavier product; they’re dense and moist and filled with icing, after all!

According to Delish, the sheet cakes at Costco weigh as much as nine-and-a-half pounds, the same as a newborn baby.

So, it’s best to bring help to carry it when you pick it up if you aren’t sure you can manage that beast all by yourself.

4. There Are Two Costco Sheet Cake Flavors

If you have a special flavor in mind for your cake, you might want to go elsewhere.

With that, Costco’s sheet cakes only come in two flavors. As one choice, you can get chocolate with a chocolate mousse filling and chocolate buttercream frosting.

Or, you can get a vanilla cake, a layer of vanilla filling, and vanilla buttercream frosting on top.

Moreover, limiting the selection makes it easier for Costco to accommodate the number of orders they receive.

But apparently, in the past, there were more flavors, like carrot cake or fruity fillings.

5. There Are Ready-Made Costco Sheet Cakes

If you want a unique design on your Costco sheet cake, you have to order ahead.

But if you’re not picky, you can pick up a ready-made one at the bakery.

If it’s near a holiday, you might luck out and find some that are already decorated to celebrate, so keep an eye out!

6. You Must Make Custom Costco Sheet Cake Orders Ahead Of Time

Like I mentioned, if you’re looking for customization on your Costco sheet cake, you’ll have to order ahead of time.

That could mean as little as one day, but to be safe, it’s best to order at least two or three days in advance.

For more on ordering a sheet cake from Costco, you can find instructions further below!

7. Customizations On Costco Sheet Cakes Are Free!

Customizations are included in the sheet cake price at Costco, and according to FrugalHotspot, you can request virtually any message or frosting design.

That’s right; you’re not limited to the designs listed on the ordering sheet.

So, if you’d like to include a special joke, an animal, or a shape not listed on the order form, just ask an employee.

8. Ordering A Costco Sheet Cake Means Visiting Your Local Store

8. Ordering A Costco Sheet Cake Means Visiting Your Local Store

Unlike many other grocery stores, Costco doesn’t take sheet cake orders online.

Instead, you can fill out the cake form at home, but you’ll have to bring it to the store to place the order.

At some stores, there’s a dropbox where you can leave it; others might prefer you hand it to a bakery associate (the latter is preferable if you have questions).

9. Head To The Back Of The Store To Order A Costco Sheet Cake

Costco stores are huge by design, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be wandering around for an hour before you find the bakery.

Instead, head straight to the back of the store where Costco usually keeps the bakery, near the meat department.

10. The Designs For A Costco Sheet Cake Are Plentiful

If you don’t know exactly what kind of design you want, you have options to choose from at Costco.

For example, some of the designs in Costco’s repertoire include:

  • Butterflies
  • Bouquets
  • Crosses
  • Graduation
  • Hockey
  • Roses
  • Soccer

Further, for a more complete list, check out this page.

But as I mentioned before, you can customize your cake to your heart’s content, so if you want a rose and a butterfly – just ask!

11. You Can DIY Your Costco Sheet Cake

Some people with a creative flair opt to purchase their Costco sheet cake plain or with some border adornments, but nothing else.

With that, this is because the sheet cakes are the perfect blank slate to take home and DIY the design yourself.

So, maybe your message is a bit more risqué (or vulgar) for Costco, or perhaps you have a decoration scheme that’s much too complex for a warehouse store.

Whatever the case, you can just buy a plain Costco sheet cake to take home and apply your own decorative touch.

12. You Can DIY A Costco Sheet Cake For Weddings

A birthday party is one thing, but a Costco sheet cake as the main wedding cake?

Yes! Look at the gorgeous wedding cake that someone DIYed out of a few Costco sheet cakes.

What’s more, the price to DIY a wedding cake out of Costco sheet cakes can save you a lot of money.

For example, many wedding cakes cost up to $500, but with Costco sheet cakes, it’s only about $50.

13. The Costco Sheet Cakes Disappeared For A While

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Costco stopped selling its half-sheet cakes for a little while.

However, the cakes have since come back, but it does mean that when there is a major world crisis, the cakes could disappear again.

Instead of the regular sheet cakes, Costco ended up pushing its round cakes during the height of the pandemic.

14. Costco Sheet Cakes Freeze Pretty Well

With a cake as big as the Costco sheet variety, you’ll be lucky if you don’t end up with a lot of leftovers.

Luckily, some have found that the cakes freeze pretty well (as most cakes do).

However, you want to keep in mind that the sooner you freeze it after taking it home, the better the freshness will preserve.

Further, you can wrap up the remaining pieces of sheet cake in tin foil and put them in a freezer zipper bag.

To thaw, just remove them from the freezer and let them sit on the counter for a few hours (it usually doesn’t take cake long to defrost).

15. Costco Sheet Cakes Are Really Tasty

What good is a product if it was cheap – but tastes horrible? Luckily, Costco sheet cakes have a reputation for being delicious as well as affordable.

For example, KnowMoreStuff goes so far as to say the Costco sheet cakes “taste great.”

Also, a Facebook commenter declared that the Costco sheet cake, not the fancy bakery cake, was the hit of her daughter’s wedding.

So, no worries because your $20 investment on a particularly enormous sheet cake from Costco is worth every penny and then some!

To know more, you might also be interested in reading up on things to know before buying Costco hotdogs, pizza, and rotisserie chickens.

Conclusion

Costco sheet cakes are cheap (just $20), giant (they feed 48 people), and incredibly delicious, making them the perfect addition to any celebration.

With that, it’s best to order ahead for your custom creation or take a pre-made cake home from the Costco bakery!

Photo of author

Marques Thomas

Marques Thomas graduated with a MBA in 2011. Since then, Marques has worked in the retail and consumer service industry as a manager, advisor, and marketer. Marques is also the head writer and founder of QuerySprout.com.

Leave a Comment