This $8 Bakery Find Is the Best Thing You Can Buy at Costco This Month

As Kitchn’s Costco correspondent, I search the shelves to find the very best item you can buy each month. This month, in anticipation of lazy summer days ahead, I’ve been on the hunt for foods that I can serve multiple ways, at various times of the day. While there are a lot of Costco finds that fill this criteria (and my cart!), I will double back to the bakery to make sure that I do not forget to snag these butter pound cakes.

This trio of freshly baked loaves is your ticket to a summer of decadent breakfasts. I like to slip the thick-cut slices of buttery cake into the toaster oven, smear with salted butter, and serve with yogurt and fresh seasonal berries. And when I find myself with a few extra minutes in the morning, I dunk the dense pound cake slices into rich egg custard for a restaurant-worthy plate of French toast.

Where this cake truly shines, though, is as an after-dinner surprise. Slice the pound cake at least 1-inch thick and grill over medium heat until grill marks appear and the cake slices are warm. Top with a scoop of ice cream and fresh summer fruit. No grill, no problem! Serve with sweet strawberries and freshly freshly whipped cream in a poundcake take on the classic strawberry shortcake. It’s so easy, I’m thinking about making this 3-ingredient treat my house dessert this summer.

Summer is also the time for impromptu parties and, thanks to this multi-pack of pound cakes, I won’t ever be caught scrambling for a potluck contribution. I can just cut one (or more!) pound cakes into cubes and layer them with whipped cream, pudding, and fruit for an impressive — yet deceptively simple — striated trifle. Beyond the strawberries and cream combo, I could go with a colorful theme for the 4th of July or give my guests a taste of the tropics layering the cake with a coconut custard and tropical fruit.

What are you buying in bulk this month? Let us know in the comments.