Junior’s Gooey Butter Cake

The scoop

Spotted something sweet on clearance: Junior’s Gooey Butter Cake is marked down at Costco. If you’ve never tried this St. Louis-style dessert, it’s basically a butter cake with an ooey-gooey cream cheese topping that’s as rich as it sounds.

This is the 36-ounce version of Junior’s take on the classic recipe. The cake features that signature dense, flat bottom layer topped with a custard-like cream cheese mixture that stays deliberately under-baked for maximum gooeyness. It’s the kind of dessert that requires a glass of milk nearby and probably a nap afterward.

Value-wise, Junior’s products typically command premium pricing, so any markdown on their desserts is worth noting. At 36 ounces, you’re getting a decent-sized cake that should serve 8-10 people depending on how generous (or guilty) you’re feeling about portion sizes. Given that Junior’s is known for quality ingredients and their Brooklyn bakery reputation, clearance pricing could make this a solid pickup for dessert lovers.

Why the markdown? January clearance often means making room for spring inventory, and rich, indulgent desserts like this might be getting rotated out. It could also be a seasonal item that Costco isn’t planning to restock regularly. Either way, if your warehouse still has these in stock, inventory is probably limited—gooey butter cake has a devoted following, and word spreads fast.

If you’re a Junior’s fan or curious about trying gooey butter cake for the first time, clearance pricing makes this easier to justify. Have you tried Junior’s version of this Midwest classic, or do you prefer the traditional St. Louis bakery style?