Supermarket birthday cakes for kids

[Startingtomoveon]

Can anyone recommend a nice birthday cake/s from a supermarket please? It’s for DS 7th birthday party which will have 13 kids. We are ok to buy two cakes if one isn’t enough. A few online reviews can be mixed so I’m not sure.

We usually get a large Costco sponge cake but this year we are won’t have the time to collect one unfortunately, plus it will be too big as he’s having a much smaller party this year.

I always get the children those printed ones from Asda or Morrison’s, I think the small ones serve 22 and are only £12 with your choice of print. They don’t contain milk and I have a dairy free child so it’s brilliant!

@RicherThanYew oh dear! I hope your niece is young enough to be forgiven?

We went to a party where the birthday cake had been specially made and cost the parents £85 and it was awful. It was supposed to be chocolate but it was tasteless and it was covered in marzipan (why?!) and then decorated intricately on the outside - it looked fab but tasted awful. Even the birthday child (7) and his parents said afterwards how awful it was, so it just shows that expensive cake isn’t necessarily better or worth having.

honestly, all the supermarkets do fondant ice party cakes in all sorts of themes that look fabulous and taste fine. I can bake really well, but can't do fancy icing. Each year my DC have a homemade cake on their actually birthday, and a supermarket party cake for their party, where the small guests appreciate something pretty more than a moist sponge. I think this year we had a lion (chocolate caramel) and a unicorn (madeira).

Waitrose sponge cakes are the nicest - the ones by a lady called Fiona something.

But otherwise, Colin! Don’t think it tastes the best but it’s got to be done!

Waitrose birthday chocolate cakes - they do a couple of sizes - have never let us down. I normally buy some fun decorations to add eg small toys or cupcake toppers or from somewhere like eBay you can often find personalised cake toppers with child‘s name and age.
PS my DH turning 38 this year and it’s not a birthday for him without a Colin! I reckon you are never too old for one …

Tesco have a nice ones.
Lots of themed ones too.
Depends what you are looking for?

I'm usually getting chocolate cake for my son.

I like those ones from Tesco and probably other places which are 15 individual squares of cake covered in chocolate and spell out Happy Birthday with icing. Really easy to distribute into party bags and everyone gets loads of very decent cake.

Costco cakes are revolting. We’ve had several over the years - I’d much rather have a Colin or any of the party cakes you get from Waitrose or other supermarkets - any chocolate one is passable IMO.
For personalised ones the Fiona Cairns ones from Waitrose are very good, but not the most exciting designs (and they don’t appear to have updated them in the 11 years I’ve been buying kids cakes) and you have to pre order a week or so before.

Or you can go with cupcakes?

We , after many years of buying various cakes, default to chocolate tray bakes from the nearest supermarket. I have never had a guest refuse to eat it.

M&S Chocolate Birthday cake - my DSs (mid to late teens!) pretty much demand it. And the non-birthday version is a great occasional treat. Fortunately they disappear quickly enough that I don't have to exercise too much willpower in resisting eating some myself.

They come in smaller and larger version. Also, we've had the Waitrose version and generally think that the M&S one is a bit better.

At 7, it’s all about how the cake looks. Get R2D2, Spider-Man, whatever from whichever supermarket does a cake if your child’s current craze.

@Startingtomoveon sadly she was 9 and is now 17 and worse than ever, no manners but that's not in the spirit of the thread

I disagree about Costco cakes, our local Costco's cakes are tasteless. We bought the red velvet and the chocolate one for my outdoor birthday picnic last year and couldn't tell the difference apart from the colour. They are sweet but no flavour particularly.

I also vote for Tesco cupcakes or traybake

For ease I'd go with a Colin (for candles and the birthday child to blow all over, and to be taken hfor family) and prepack the smaller individual sized Colins into the party bag. It's more hygienic and saves time faffing around trying to cut the cake.and the kids get the same as thig one they saw just in a smaller version.

Costco cake is revolting and the ingredients are shock.

I agree - the Costco cakes are awful and taste of chemicals! I never understood the fanfare about them. They are cheap and big. When you taste it you'll see it's cheaper for a reason.

Go to Aldi if you can. Same supplier as M&S. I was there this morning and saw a lady buying a large birthday cake and a tray of cup cakes.

I would let your child choose it (or pick a design they like).
For a 7 y o birthday cake for a party the taste is pretty much irrelevant.
My kids would have wanted football cakes at that age.
I agree with PP that most cake gets thrown away.
My kids wouldn't want to eat the squashed party bag cake, although they like the excitement of candles singing etc.

DS specifically asked for a smash cake this year and Asda were the only ones stocking one. He loved smashing the chocolate shell, there were lots of sweets inside and the cake itself was fine for what it was. I’d recommend it for the novelty value.

I got dd a super mario one in Morrisons..... We were all surprised at how nice it was.

Tesco and Co op ones are usually good. Mainly sponge with buttercream and jam. Hits have been dinosaur and iron man heads! Sometimes make my own. Did a ninjago head - not too difficult, but by time had got ingredients (including coloured icing) prob cost the same as a shop one! One year had pirate themed party for 25 kids, and got an m & s pirate ship for that one. Was about £45, and served loads, and was nice choc cake.

Just check the use by date if get supermarket one - sometimes only have 1 or 2 days on them. Sometimes over a week! Although, the amount of sugar and preservatives in them they would prob be ok a day or 2 over!

Thanks again all, I have a lot of ideas of where is the best to look.

What is the verdict on still doing candles and blowing them out? I thought this was a no-no these days with Covid but have just remembered that the last three parties DS went to the birthday child still did this (and same cake cut up for guests).

DD doesn't like supermarket cakes as they taste of chemicals to her, I blame that on MiL who was a semi pro baker back in the day( worked the circuit with Mary Berry). I've totally lost my ability to make cakes so I bought one from Waitrose for DS' birthday she declared it not bad.

Get a Colin and also the sausage dog. Sorted.

@wanttomarryamillionaire

Do you have a Costco near you? The cakes can be personalised, they taste far nicer than your average supermarket cake as well. Great value for money.

I'd get a big box of doughnuts.