Halloween is just around the corner and many stores are pulling out all the stops with festive and fiendish themed products.
Over the last few months, we've taken to sampling supermarkets' own brand products to see which are worth the hype, and which can't compete with the big name brands. We've tried everything from fish fingers and tea bags to autumnal door wreaths and bubble bath on our quest for the best items to splash our cash on.
With Halloween fast approaching, we were keen to snap up some themed products and, after a little debate, settled on cakes - it's a tough job but someone's got to do it. We ventured to Marks and Spencer, Sainsbury's, Tesco and Morrisons to see what was on offer.
READ MORE: We tried Halloween candles from Marks and Spencer, Primark, TK Maxx and 'hit the jackpot' with one
Some supermarkets were well stocked with own-brand items to peruse, while others had a decent spooky selection but mainly by bigger brands. We put a range of little cakes to the test so you don't have to, so you can see what's worth your money and what's best to avoid.
Here's our verdict:
M&S Yummy Mummy Mini Colin the Caterpillar Cakes
I'm firmly team Colin when it comes to caterpillar cakes and couldn't resist trying the adorable Halloween take on the original. Colin has been given a spooky makeover in time for All Hallows' Eve, but why wait until then when this range is available now?
M&S is selling its usual sized Colins, which have been 'mummified', with white chocolate encasing the cake in 'bandages'. The store is also selling these miniature versions, which I picked up to put to the test. You get five in a pack and they're covered in the usual milk chocolate, with a white chocolate swirly pattern on top and white chocolate Colin face.
I bit into the face first and it was so thick and milky, I was in heaven. I'm not normally a big fan of white chocolate, but this is such good quality and it was just the right amount to not be too sickly.
Onto the cake, and even though they were quite small, I still felt satisfied by the hit of rich chocolate and moreish buttercream. My only criticism would be that it could have been more fun if the mini versions had been given the same 'mummy' makeover as the big cakes.
But no one (I'm looking at you Aldi) does it as good as M&S when it comes to these caterpillar cakes and these are the perfect sized treats if you want a little bit of indulgence this Halloween, without completely overdoing it on sugar and calories.
Price: £2.75 but they have been on sale recently at £2.20
Rating: 4/5
Where to buy: M&S stores or online at Ocado
Mr Kipling Halloween Fiendish Fancies via Sainsbury's
I'm completely obsessed with Halloween - I love the scary films, getting to dress up in a costume, eating an obnoxious amount of chocolate and sweets, and all the breath-takingly beautiful autumn colours and dreamy fragrances that always pop up around this time of the year.
As chocolate's number one fan girl, my Halloween snacks of choice are usually geared towards the chocolate variety. On the quest for this week's review, I popped into the small Sainsbury's on Old Hall Street - a stone's throw away from the newsroom - only to find there were relatively limited options.
I couldn't see any products by the supermarket itself, though this may be because it was a convenience store and not one of its larger branches. I did spot a box of Mr Kipling Halloween Fiendish Fancies, all kitted out in orange packaging, conjuring images of pumpkins and fallen leaves, with darker coloured illustrations of towering trees, spooky spiders and bats for good measure.
I don't recall ever having eaten a fondant fancy before, so was keen to give the Halloween edition of the sweet treat a try. It's made with an orange flavour sponge and is complete with a decadent vanilla topping, all drenched in orange coloured fondant icing.
I was pleasantly surprised by how sweet and fresh this little cube of joy was, and had to immediately tuck into another to truly savour the taste. The sponge is light and fluffy, the vanilla cream is sweet without being sickly, and the fondant icing was delicious - "exceedingly good cakes" indeed.
Price: £1.75 for a pack of eight from Sainsbury's, though prices may vary
Rating: 5/5
Where to buy: Sainsbury's and other supermarkets
Mr Kipling Toffee Terror Whirls via Tesco
It's no doubt that this time of year is my all time favourite, and don't even get me started on autumnal food. If autumn and winter isn't an excuse to eat a ton of carbs and sweet treats, then I don't know what is!
I always make sure I get some sweeties in for the inevitable trick or treaters, but of course, I like to make sure I treat myself as well. I took a trip to Tesco to see what cute Halloween cakes they had on offer, and it was surprisingly slim pickings.
As soon as I laid eyes on the Toffee Terror Whirls, I knew I had to have them. I love anything toffee flavoured, and because these cakes resembled a Viennese whirl I was already obsessed.
These little cakes were the perfect size, and looked aesthetically very moreish. The toffee flavoured buttercream and toffee sauce looked absolutely delicious sandwiched in the middle, and there was just the right amount.
As I took a bite I was really impressed with all the flavours, the dusting of sugar on the top was a great addition and the cakes were lovely and sweet but not too sickly. Let's just say, I could've easily eaten the whole box they were that good.
Price: £1.25 for a pack of six from Tesco, though prices may vary
Rating: 5/5
Where to buy: Tesco and other supermarkets
Cadbury Pumpkin Patch Cakes via Morrisons
Autumn is my favourite time of year, and I can never resist trying the delicious array of seasonal sweet treats available in the supermarkets. When it comes to cakes, chocolate is my go-to flavour, so I couldn't resist when I spotted these Cadbury Pumpkin Patch Cakes on the shelves of my local Morrisons.
Priced at £2.49, these cakes come in a pack of four. I was instantly impressed by the adorable pumpkin decoration on top of the cakes, which I thought was a nice seasonal touch.
I love Cadbury products, so these cakes definitely didn't disappoint as they were coated in deliciously creamy chocolate. The inside of the cake is a mix of chocolate sponge and orange coloured creme.
I was expecting the filling to have an orange flavour, but I didn't get this when I tried it. I'm personally not a huge fan of the combination of orange and chocolate, so I much preferred the creamy filling myself.
Overall, I was really impressed with these cakes. They are nice and light which makes them rather moreish, and the combination of the creme filling and the sponge was delicious.
Price: £2.49 from Morrisons, although prices may vary in other stores
Rating: 4/5
Where to buy: Morrisons and other supermarkets
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