These Flavorless Costco Cupcakes Make Your Boxed Mix Seem Bakery-Worthy

Costco's bakery section has some of our favorite grocery chain croissants and tasty pita bread, but not every item needs to be placed in your shopping cart. After one of our writers reviewed Costco bakery items, the white cupcakes with white frosting ended up on the "can be missed" list. According to the review, these skippable cupcakes don't offer much in terms of flavor. The cake may be soft, but any noteworthy taste is noticeably absent. The white frosting perched on top of the cupcakes simply adds a cloying layer of sugar that renders this treat less satisfying than even a standard boxed cupcake mix made at home. 

"I just got these in my NC location and they were legit the worst cupcakes I have ever had! The frosting was in no way, shape or form buttercream. Whole thing tasted like horrific chemicals," wrote a disappointed shopper on Reddit. Another pointed out a lengthy list of ingredients as a cautionary factor, describing it on Instagram as an "essay of ingredients." For shoppers expecting bakery-quality cupcakes, the overly sweet frosting and artificial taste can come as an unpleasant surprise.

Not everyone agrees, however, and some Costco shoppers have struggled to show restraint once these cupcakes are carted home. "I could polish off an entire box and still have room for a churro," wrote one shopper on Reddit. "They are pretty tasty, though the amount of butter cream is aggressive," added another. Some shoppers have noted that the chocolate option is better than the vanilla. "Both delicious, but the chocolate was exceptional IMO. If you're familiar, it tastes like Portillo's Chocolate Cake!" wrote a Costco member on Instagram.

Other shoppers have noted that the cupcakes are easy to pick up to feed a crowd. If convenient entertaining is the guiding factor for your purchase, these trays of cupcakes could make sense. When enjoyed as a standalone treat, however, the purchase becomes more difficult to justify. Making cupcakes from scratch can happen in less than an hour with a traceable amount of ingredients. A classic vanilla cupcake with buttercream frosting can offer depth of flavor from real vanilla extract and butter, while even a dressed-up boxed mix can offer a fresher, more balanced profile than Costco's version. For those with dietary preferences, a vegan vanilla cupcakes recipe ensures everyone can partake in the fun. Sure, pick up a cheesecake or a Tuxedo mousse cake from Costco, but keep walking past the white cupcakes and consider alternatives for a sweet finish that is enjoyable.