Ever since it first went on sale 30 years ago, M&S’s Colin the caterpillar cake has become somewhat of a British institution.
The chocolatey treat is a failsafe for all ages and occasions, from kids’ and adults’ birthday parties (David Beckham and Dame Judi Dench are big fans), to farewell work dos. In fact, it’s proved so popular that M&S has launched an entire range of spin-offs: Colin got himself a girlfriend back in 2016, Connie, and has since branched out into mini rolls, wedding cakes and seasonal versions for events like Halloween, Christmas, Easter, Valentine’s and Mother’s Day.
But trouble has been brewing for Colin in recent times as its status as the go-to caterpillar cake has come under threat from a bevy of imitators, including Aldi.
Last year, M&S launched legal action against the budget retailer, claiming that its cake – called Cuthbert – infringed on Colin’s trademark. However,in February the two rivals called a truce, confirming an agreement had been struck that means Cuthbert will not appear again in quite the same form.
Announcing his return with the hashtag #CuthbertReturns, the discounter said on Instagram: “Guess who managed to pull a get out of jail free card… Cuthbert is BACK baby!.. Find him in store now (and forever if he stays out of trouble).” And it’s safe to say the caterpillar is back with a vengeance – with Aldi planting huge vans outside M&S stores across the UK last week with a photo of Cuthbert, reading “#CuthBack” and “Definitely not in M&S from 06/06/22.”
Aldi Cuthbert the caterpillar cake: £4.99, Aldi.com – in stores now
The cake that’s causing all the controversy, Cuthbert is made with chocolate sponge and filled with chocolate buttercream. Like Colin, it has the same distinctive arches and is topped with a hard chocolate shell covered in multi-coloured chocolate beans. The cake also has a white chocolate face with milk chocolate eyes. Cuthbert costs shoppers less, at £4.99, and serves up to 12 people.It’s unavailable to buy online at the moment, but you pick one up at your nearest store.
M&S Colin the caterpillar: £8, Ocado.com
The OG caterpillar cake, Colin is made from a creamy chocolate sponge roll that’s filled with chocolate buttercream. It features a series of distinctive curves – which make it all the easier to cut 10 equal portions – and is covered in a milk chocolate shell.
It also has a decorative face made from solid white chocolate, which features milk chocolate eyes and a pink tongue, while its feet are also made from white chocolate. The cake is finished with a sprinkle of sugar-coated milk chocolate beans all over its back.
Feeding a bigger crowd? The supermarket also sells a giant version (£45, Marksandspencer.com) that serves 40 people and can be personalised with an iced message. If Colin’s sold out online, remember you can also pick one up in-store. Click here to find your nearest M&S.
Waitrose Cecil the caterpillar cake: £8, Waitrose.com
Waitrose & Partners’s Cecil is made from hand-rolled chocolate sponge and also has a chocolate buttercream filling. It is coated with milk chocolate on the outside that’s finished with colourful chocolate beans and white chocolate drizzle. It serves 12 people and also comes with a solid white chocolate face that’s finished with green eyes made from icing. Struggling to get hold of Cecil online? Find your nearest Waitrose store using this locator.
Tesco Curly the caterpillar cake: £6.50, Tesco.com
Tesco’s caterpillar cake goes by the name Curly and consists of a chocolate Swiss roll that’s filled with chocolate-flavoured buttercream. It serves 12 people and is coated in solid milk chocolate that’s sprinkled with a generous amount of colourful sweets and a white chocolate drizzle. Unlike some other versions, Curly’s face is made from orange icing that’s finished with eyes and a round red nose. If Curly is sold out online or you simply can’t wait to get your hands on one, you can find you nearest Tesco store here.
Asda Clyde the caterpillar celebration cake: £6.50, Asda.com
Asda’s Clyde is made from chocolate sponge with a smooth buttercream filling the supermarket claims is “perfect for hungry caterpillars”. It features the same distinctive curves and is coated in solid milk chocolate that’s topped with colourful sweets and sprinkles. Clyde’s face and feet are both made from icing and it serves 12 people. You can also pick up Asda’s caterpillar cake in store – find your nearest supermarket here.
Sainsbury’s Wiggles the caterpillar cake: £6.50, Sainsburys.co.uk
Sainsbury’s clearly missed the alliteration memo and named its cake Wiggles. It’s made from chocolate sponge that’s filled with swirls of chocolate buttercream and comes enrobed in solid milk chocolate. It’s decorated with sugar sprinkles and on-brand orange-coloured chocolate beans, and also features a white chocolate face and feet. It’s one of the biggest in the line-up, serving 14 people. If Wiggles is out of stock online, you can also pick one up at your nearest Sainsbury’s store.
Morrisons Morris the caterpillar cake: £5.99, Morrisons.com
Morris the caterpillar is the brainchild of Morrison’s and is big enough to serve 12 people. Made from chocolate sponge and filled with chocolate-flavoured buttercream, the cake is coated with smooth milk chocolate that’s decorated with chocolate beans and hundreds and thousands. Morris’s face is made from a thin slice of white chocolate and finished with eyes made from icing. Find your nearest Morrisons store here.
Co-op curious caterpillar cake: £7, Coop.co.uk
Made from a soft chocolate sponge filled with chocolate-flavoured buttercream, Co-op’s version of the caterpillar cake serves 12 people and comes covered in milk chocolate and is hand-decorated with sugar paste decorations, including a yellow drizzle, chocolate beans and sugar pearls. The feet are made from orange icing, as is the caterpillar’s face, which is finished with green eyes and a red nose. Co-ops caterpillar cake can often be hard to find online but, fear not, as if it’s out of stock you can simply head to your nearest store.
