Colin the Caterpillar, a beloved fixture at children’s parties for the last 35 years, faced disappointing results in a recent taste test. Marks & Spencer hails their cake as a quintessential British symbol, gracing nearly a million festivities yearly and favored by celebrities like David Beckham, Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift, and Dame Judi Dench.
However, in a blind taste test conducted by consumer group Which?, Colin’s handcrafted creation fell short, scoring a mere 64% overall, landing at the bottom of the rankings. Criticism from testers included the sponge being labeled as “too dry” by 44% and complaints of the chocolate flavor being “too weak” from 40% of participants.
Adding to Colin’s woes, it emerged as the least healthy option in the evaluation, boasting the highest levels of sugar (46.3g) and fat (21.3g) per 100g. Priced at £9.50, Colin also stood out as one of the most expensive choices.
On the contrary, Waitrose’s Cecil Chocolate Sponge Cake priced at £9.50 earned the top spot with a remarkable 78% rating, securing a Which? Best Buy endorsement. Although Cecil came at a higher price point, its larger size at 744g made it a more cost-effective selection compared to Marks & Spencer and other budget competitors.
Tasters praised Cecil for its flavorful thick chocolate shell and a sponge-to-buttercream ratio deemed “perfect” by 69% of the panel. The Co-op Party Time Charlie Caterpillar Cake and Sainsbury’s Wiggles the Caterpillar Cake shared the second spot with a score of 73%. While the Co-op option was the priciest at £9.85, it impressed with its well-balanced chocolate taste and rich buttercream. Sainsbury’s offering, priced at £8.50, also secured the joint second place.
Iceland’s Lewis and Green Caterpillar Celebration Cake, priced at £4.50, received the “Great Value” seal from Which? for its moist texture, a standout quality in a category where dryness was a common complaint. Although Iceland’s cake was the smallest at 530g and featured a thinner chocolate shell, it offered good value for money.
Natalie Hitchins, Which? Head of Home Products and Services, cautioned consumers not to let brand recognition dictate their birthday cake choices, emphasizing that other brands like Waitrose and Iceland are now producing better alternatives. Hitchins advised consumers to explore various options for better taste and value beyond the original Colin.
Responding to the evaluation, an M&S spokesperson defended Colin’s reputation as the top caterpillar cake in the UK, with over a million units sold annually. The spokesperson highlighted Colin’s rich history of being handcrafted in the UK for more than three decades, boasting the highest chocolate content in the market at 39.5% and made from 100% Fairtrade cocoa.
The spokesperson further mentioned M&S’s commitment to quality and taste through regular blind taste tests to maintain their leading position in the market, including their Colin cakes consistently topping taste tests.