I tried supermarket Halloween cakes – the winner cost £7 but looked almost too stomach-churning to eat
AS Halloween draws near, planning for the October 31 fright fest goes into overdrive.
But it doesn’t have to be all about pumpkins and lollipops – the supermarkets also have some splendidly spooky cakes.
Prices are often not too scary either, and they are a great option if you do not have the time to bake.
Lynsey Hope tasted some and gives her verdicts and ratings out of five . . .
Marks & Spencer Mini Halloween Pumpkin Cakes, £4 for four: 4/5
DESCRIBED as “mini” but these are quite substantial, even for a chocolate lover like me.
The chocolate sponge is moist and delicious and is filled with a sweet orange buttercream which I could not get enough of, though there was plenty of it.
The cakes are then dipped in orange icing so they look like pumpkins.
Not as cheap as some other own brands but delicious.
Fun and tasty party treat.
Iceland Giant Eyeball Dessert, £7: 4/5
A REAL showstopper, this stand-out creation is most impressive.
A Victoria sponge with layers of raspberry and white chocolate mousse, it comes frozen and is designed to look like an eyeball – all at a competitive price.
The kids were delighted and it tasted fab. The sponge is moist and the cake is covered in a yummy white chocolate shell.
You need to defrost in the fridge for 12 hours or so before eating.
Sainsbury’s Spooky Tray Bake, £7: 5/5
HALLOWEEN version of one of those rectangular chocolate birthday cakes.
The sponge is really tasty – moist and not too sweet – and it is topped with a creamy chocolate butter- cream, white drizzle and sugar-paste eyeballs.
The design is simple but just the thing for scare season.
The kids scoffed it eagerly and I reckon it would go down a storm at any party.
Fiona Cairns Seasonal Fairy Cakes, £7 for six, Waitrose: 3/5
DELICATE-looking delights in pretty pastel colours, these are dainty as can be and not as scary or spooky as other offerings.
They taste lovely, though.
The sponge is light and moreish and the icing is spot on. Also, they were not as sickly as some cakes can be.
A tasty option if you are not too keen on the thought of little ones gobbling ghouls or eyeballs and other scary bakes for their Halloween party tea.
Lidl Sticky Toffee Halloween Muffins, 99p each: 3/5
GREAT to have an option that is not chocolate.
These muffins have a lovely flavour that is perfect for this time of year.
The taste was subtle enough for the kids to enjoy and the sponge was moist and moreish.
The muffins did not exactly stand out on the shop shelf against some prettier cakes, with just a splodge of toffee sauce and a chocolate ghost on top.
But they did taste delicious.
Morrisons Super Scary Cupcakes, £5: 2/5
I LOVED the look of these scary cakes – especially the eyeball ones, which really put you in a spooky mood.
They would be fabulous as part of a Halloween party spread, and the kids and I could not wait to tuck in.
The sponge was pretty good but the icing tasted just a little artificial, and too sugary.
These cakes score well for appearance, not so well once in the mouth.
Asda Horror Emporium Miles The Millipede Cake, £7.50: 1/5
MILES’ sponge tasted a little dry and flavourless and the chocolate coating separated from the cake as I cut into it.
He looks cute, though, and the sugar decorations are a delight without being overpowering.
Pack says this serves 12 but I reckon that is a bit tight.
You get better value with the Sainsbury’s tray-bake, which is 50p cheaper, and Iceland’s offering is a bit more fun.
Aldi Halloween Mini Cupcakes, £1.75 for nine: 3/5
SMALL but tasty. And their modest size means these are not too much of a sugar overload for little ones – though you will want to tuck in too.
They were pretty good value for a pack of nine.
Nothing really blew me away, tastewise, but they were decent enough. And the decorations were sufficiently spooky.
Maybe just a bit too middle of the road.