Colin the Caterpillar

"Colin the Caterpillar" is a chocolate roll cake sold by British store Marks & Spencer. More than 15 million cakes have been sold since it was introduced in 1990.[1]

Colin the Caterpillar
TypeRoll cake
Place of originUnited Kingdom
Created byMarks & Spencer
Main ingredientschocolate sponge cake, buttercream and shell; white chocolate

Overview

Colin the Caterpillar is a chocolate sponge roll cake filled with chocolate buttercream and covered in a milk chocolate shell, with sugar-coated milk chocolate beans for decoration.[2] The cake has a decorative face and feet made of white chocolate.[3] The dessert is available in large and small sizes.[4]

According to Marks and Spencer, it takes 38 people to assemble each cake from start to finish, and 8.4 tonnes (8,400 kg) of sugar coating are used each year for the decorative spots.[5]

Initial success for sales of the cake has been attributed to the ongoing popularity of Eric Carle's children's picture book The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and the fact that a bestselling cookbook by Jane Asher, published the same year that the cake launched, also featured a recipe for a caterpillar birthday cake.[6] However, Colin the Caterpillar has since become a staple of children's birthday parties, but is also popular with teens and adults.[3] British Prime Minister and former Mayor of London Boris Johnson,[7] former British Prime Minister David Cameron,[2] actress Dame Judi Dench, singers Liam Gallagher and Taylor Swift, and footballer David Beckham[6] are all said to be fans of the "Colin cake."[8]

In 2020, Marks & Spencer marked the cake's 30th anniversary by declaring Colin's Birthday, Wednesday 26 August, as National Colin the Caterpillar Day.[9]

Variations

Over the years, there have been several seasonal and limited edition variations on the original Colin the Caterpillar cake:[6]

  • Colin The Caterpillar Cake
  • Connie The Caterpillar Cake - A female version of the original Colin cake, wearing a pink bow[10]
  • Personalised Cake - As part of its "Food To Order" offering, Marks & Spencer offers giant versions of the Colin and Connie cakes. The larger sized cakes can serve up to 40 people, and are also personalisable, with a space for a name and the exact occasion being celebrating piped on.[11]
  • Wedding Cakes - In 2017, Marks and Spencer launched a Colin the Caterpillar wedding cake range. The range features 2 cakes, the first called "Colin the Groom" is a larger than standard Colin cake (weighing just over 2 kg) with the face featuring a bow tie and top hat.[12] The bridal version - named Connie the Bride - features a lace veil, confetti and a flower posy and also weighs just over 2 kg.[13] Each cake currently costs £10-£15.[14][15]
  • 25th Anniversary Cake - In August 2015, Marks and Spencer marked the 25th anniversary of the dessert with a limited edition "Colin the Caterpillar" featuring a party hat and multicoloured feet, and additional candy spots.[8]
  • Count Colin The Caterpillar Cake - For Hallowe'en, Marks and Spencer launched a Count Colin cake. The colouring of Colin's face and feet changes from white to green, and his body is decorated with chocolate maggots. It is said to resemble either Frankenstein's monster or a zombie.[16]
  • Christmas Cake - For Christmas, a festive version of Colin the Caterpillar cake is produced. Colin wears a Santa hat, and his body is adorned with a range of festive decorations, including candy canes, holly leaves and snowflakes.[17]
  • Coffee Morning Colin - In 2018, Marks and Spencer launched a limited edition Colin Cake for Macmillan Cancer Support's World's Biggest Coffee Morning. Colin's feet were changed to purple, and his body was covered in green and purple sprinkles, instead of the usual multi-coloured ones. Marks and Spencer donated 10% of sales to Macmillan Cancer Support after purchasing.[18]
  • Count Colin Gummies - For Hallowe'en, Marks and Spencer sold packets of maggot gummies, similar to the maggots on the body of the Count Colin cake[16]
  • Colin The Caterpillar Faces - In 2020, to mark the 30th Anniversary of the Colin the Caterpillar cake, Marks and Spencer began selling bags of Colin the Caterpillar faces. The snacks have white chocolate faces and milk chocolate eyes, just like the one that come on the cake.[19]

Other retailers

Similar caterpillar cakes are available in other rival retailors. This includes Morris the Caterpillar from Morrisons, Cuthbert the Caterpillar from Aldi, Charlie the Caterpillar at the Co-Op, Cecil the Caterpillar at Waitrose, Clyde the Caterpillar at Asda, Wiggles the Caterpillar at Sainsbury's and Curly the Caterpillar at Tesco.[20]

See also

References
  1. Colin the Caterpillar https://www.marksandspencer.com/c/food-to-order/not-just-any-food/mands-brands/colin-the-caterpillar. Retrieved 17 December 2020. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. Orr, Gillian (11 October 2012). "Food: David Cameron's love affair with Colin (the caterpillar)". The Independent. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  3. Hyslop, Sarah (25 August 2015). "Colin the Caterpillar is getting a funky makeover". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  4. "7 reasons Colin the Caterpillar is simply the ultimate birthday cake". The Daily Edge. 24 August 2015. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  5. Connor, Liz (26 August 2015). "Colin the Caterpillar turns 25... and celebrates with a special edition party hat cake". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  6. Finney, Clare (3 September 2020). "Colin the Caterpillar at 30: how a supermarket cake stole the nation's heart". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  7. "Boris Johnson just got a Colin the Caterpillar cake for his birthday". Metro. 2015-06-19. Retrieved 2019-07-26.
  8. "M&S to launch limited edition popping candy Colin cake to celebrate Colin The Caterpillar's 25th birthday". Metro. 24 August 2015. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  9. Chabo, Elena (18 August 2020). "This is what the original M&S Colin the Caterpillar cake looked like back in 1990". Good Housekeeping UK. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  10. Ibraheem, Hanna (1 June 2016). "M&S have made a BIG change to the Colin the Caterpillar family". Good Housekeeping UK. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  11. Chabo, Elena (17 July 2020). "M&S is selling giant personalised Connie and Colin the Caterpillar cakes". Good Housekeeping UK. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  12. "Colin the Groom Wedding Cake (Serves 40) | M&S". Marks & Spencer. Retrieved 2019-07-26.
  13. "Connie the Bride Wedding Cake (Serves 40) | M&S". Marks & Spencer. Retrieved 2019-07-26.
  14. Buglass, Lucy (11 May 2020). "Marks & Spencer's new cake hampers are perfect for lockdown birthdays". GoodtoKnow.
  15. Boult, Adam (2017-01-30). "Colin the Caterpillar wedding cakes now available - but the price might surprise you..." The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2019-07-26.
  16. Rice, Frencesca (30 September 2019). "Marks & Spencer launches Creepy Colin the Caterpillar for Halloween". Good Housekeeping UK. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  17. Sim, Keren (20 September 2019). "This is when M&S' Christmas Colin the Caterpillar cake will be in stores". Good Housekeeping UK. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  18. Chandler, Victoria (28 August 2018). "Colin the Caterpillar has had a makeover". Good Housekeeping UK. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  19. Chabo, Elena (18 August 2020). "You can now get bags of Colin the Caterpillar faces at M&S". Good Housekeeping UK. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  20. Whitbread, Louise (26 August 2020). "Colin the Caterpillar is 30. Lets revisit our Ultimate Taste Test". Huffington Post UK. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
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