Costco Tiramisu (An Honest Review) – Pasta.com (2024)

Dessert is always the best part of any meal, right? It’s our chance to indulge in a little something sweet and rich, and a great way to end a meal. There are lots of popular desserts to serve after a meal, and tiramisu is a great choice as it pairs well with any after dinner drink such as coffee, tea, wine, or even stout beer.

Does the Costco Tiramisu Score Well in Our Books?

While making this cake from scratch can be quite labor-intensive, thanks to Costco you don’t have to put all the time in, wait hours for it to chill, just so all the flavors can meld together. Costco really has put together an amazing dessert which is perfect for when you need a big dessert in a pinch, and you can even pick it up while doing your next grocery shopping trip because it keeps so well in the freezer.

The Price

The price point is hands-down the best reason to consider this dessert. The regular price for the Costco tiramisu cake is $16, but we’ve actually seen them marked down to $13 on some occasions. Your best bet is to check frequently as both availability and pricing can fluctuate.

The Number of Servings

At more than 2½ pounds of goodness, it can serve about 20 people when serving in 2 ounce portions (approximately 170 calories). For a $13-16 cake that serves 20 people, it certainly qualifies as a value-packed group dessert, as that means it will cost between $0.65-0.80 per person.

There isn’t any Alcohol in it

A tiramisu is historically made with lady fingers soaked in espresso and Marsala wine or rum. While some people swear they taste liquor in this one, the Costco version seems to have just the espresso – and no alcohol in it!

And while some people may miss the alcohol in this, having a cake with no alcohol means that more people can have it!

It Sticks with the Traditional Tiramisu Flavors

While a tiramisu is normally made with soaked lady fingers, this cake mostly uses coffee-soaked sponge cake with creamy mascarpone filling. It is then topped off with a sprinkle of chocolate powder, chocolate shavings or espresso beans.

Swapping out the lady fingers and removing the alcohol, is most likely how they are able to mass-produce this heavenly dessert.

It Tastes Great

What does it taste like? A good tiramisu strikes a nice balance of being a bit sweet with a touch of bitterness as well. The sweetness comes from mildly sweetened mascarpone and the bitter flavor is from the espresso-soaked lady fingers. People often wonder whether a big box store can make a great tasting and beautiful looking dessert like tiramisu. One of the most surprising things about this dessert is how pretty the layers look when it’s cut. In my opinion, this layered dessert couldn’t be any prettier or tastier.

A purely decadent dessert, this is a splurge for the diet since it does not scrimp on calories. Thankfully, we usually consider celebrations a perfect time to cheat on our diets, so we can all give this a try. The utter creaminess of the mascarpone and cream cheese mouse if you will, is absolutely divine. It’s really the essence of what I think makes this cake so popular. Then, every once in a while you get a bite that has that strong espresso flavor, which balances it all out. But the espresso is why this dessert may not be for kids as the taste is fairly noticeable. It’s one of the main ingredients in this tiramisu and coffee certainly has a strong flavor.

It’s Really Moist

I know people worry about serving cake for dessert since some cakes are a bit dry. Not to fear, this is not the case with this lovely, sweet treat! The mascarpone, which is an Italian style cream cheese with a bit of a bite, is paired here with American cream cheese to make a divinely rich, flavorful mousse that prevents this cake from being too dry.

It Holds Up Well when Traveling or Placed in the Freezer

This version definitely travels well without losing its shape, staying intact due to a generous amount of mascarpone and cream filling. When sliced into, you can distinctly see all of the layers of espresso-dipped cake and the mascarpone and cream cheese filling.

This cake actually also holds up pretty well in the freezer. I had mine in the freezer for about 3 weeks and it was still delicious, but I probably wouldn’t recommend keeping it in the freezer for more than a month. Just make sure you let it fully defrost before serving it (I normally let it sit out overnight the night before.)

Overall – 8/10

All in all, this seems to be the perfect adult dessert as it has all the elements you’d be looking for to serve a larger group a sweet end to a dinner. This tiramisu is filled with creamy sweetness, a bit of a biting bitterness and a cool cocoa finish, all for an amazing price. Where can you find a better combination? And it gets even better when you know there won’t be any clean up! Let us know if you give this layered yummy goodness a try!

If you like this post, then we definitely recommend checking out our Gelato Cake Recipe post.

7 Best Gelato Cake Recipes
Costco Tiramisu (An Honest Review) – Pasta.com (2024)

FAQs

Does Costco tiramisu go bad? ›

They do need to be refrigerated, and can last about a month with refrigeration.

How many people does the Costco tiramisu feed? ›

The Number of Servings

At more than 2½ pounds of goodness, it can serve about 20 people when serving in 2 ounce portions (approximately 170 calories).

Why does tiramisu taste so good? ›

The delicate flavor of layers of mascarpone and Italian custard are contrasted with the darkly robust presence of espresso and sharpness of cocoa powder. The name itself, tiramisu, means “pick me up” in Italian most likely referring to the two caffeinated ingredients that are present in the dish, espresso and cocoa.

Why is tiramisu cake so expensive? ›

The inventor begs to differ. Roberto Linguanotto, a Venetian pastry chef who is often credited with the invention of tiramisu back in the 1960s, says that his creation is expensive because of the espresso used in another essential component to the dessert: espresso-soaked ladyfingers (via The Straits Times).

Can I eat 5 day old tiramisu? ›

How to Store Tiramisu. Leftovers should be refrigerated immediately and will last 4 days. You can either transfer it to an airtight container or wrap the dish well with plastic.

How to tell if tiramisu has gone bad? ›

Changes in texture: While a decadent and ready-to-eat Tiramisu has a creamy, smooth texture. If it becomes grainy, curdled or separated, it's a sign that it has gone bad. Visible mould: Mould growth is a definite sign of spoilage. If you see any mould on the surface or inside, discard the dessert.

Is it OK to eat expired tiramisu? ›

The risks associated with eating expired tiramisu include food poisoning and bacterial growth. Adhering to shelf life and proper storage practices ensures the dessert remains safe for consumption.

How much is Costco's tiramisu cake? ›

Perfect for serving at parties (or for a party of one), Costco's Kirkland Signature Tiramisu Bar Cake reportedly retails for around $15.99 and weighs a hefty 38 ounces, or about two-and-a-half pounds.

How much caffeine is in tiramisu? ›

However, if you consume half of the tiramisu yourself, the caffeine content would be around 100 mg. Hiline Coffee [2] states that if coffee is an ingredient in a dish like tiramisu, there is likely caffeine in it.

Who eats tiramisu? ›

Tiramisù, the so-called spoon dessert, is the quintessential Italian pastry delight. It is loved from North to South both by children and adults. So do I. Tiramisù, the so-called spoon dessert, is the quintessential Italian pastry delight.

Is Costco tiramisu good? ›

Okay, here's the most important answer you're looking for: It actually tastes good. Reviewers of the Costco tiramisu cake aren't just gaga for the balance, the flavor profiles, the consistency, the size, and the price — they actually love eating it.

Why is tiramisu so high in calories? ›

The high-fat culprits in this dish? Lots of whipping cream, boatloads of mascarpone cheese and the cake-like ladyfingers cookies.

Can diabetics eat tiramisu cake? ›

How many carbs per tiramisu cup? Each tiramisu cup contains 6g of total carbs and 2g of fiber making them 4g net carbs. Making this a low carb and diabetic friendly dessert recipe.

How do you know if tiramisu is good? ›

Changes in texture: While a decadent and ready-to-eat Tiramisu has a creamy, smooth texture. If it becomes grainy, curdled or separated, it's a sign that it has gone bad. Visible mould: Mould growth is a definite sign of spoilage. If you see any mould on the surface or inside, discard the dessert.

Is frozen tiramisu good? ›

Freezing your tiramisu will extend the shelf life by months, but too much time under ice can lead to freezer burn and a reduction in quality. Generally speaking, tiramisu can last around three months in the freezer without any issue.

What is the difference between tiramisu and tiramisu cake? ›

Tiramisu offers a more robust coffee flavor, as the ladyfingers retain a concentrated espresso hit. Tiramisu cake, however, tends to have a milder coffee taste, with the sponge distributing the flavor more evenly.

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