M&S’ Colin the Caterpillar has been named the worst-performing supermarket caterpillar cake in a blind Which? taste test, with Waitrose’s Cecil topping the ranking and Aldi’s Cuthbert also beating the original.

The consumer group tested nine supermarket caterpillar cakes using a panel of 75 tasters, with Colin finishing last on 64 points. Cecil the Caterpillar, sold by Waitrose, came first with a score of 78 and was awarded Which?’s “best buy” title.

According to the findings, almost half of tasters said Colin’s sponge was “too dry”, while two in five described its chocolate flavour as “too weak”. At £9.50, it was also one of the most expensive cakes in the line-up.

Waitrose’s Cecil was praised for remaining “remarkably moist”, with judges also highlighting its flavoursome shell and “perfect” sponge-to-buttercream ratio. Although also priced at £9.50, Cecil was the heaviest cake in the test at 744g, making it better value by weight than several of its rivals.

Co-op’s Charlie and Sainsbury’s Wiggles came joint second on 73 points, while Aldi’s Cuthbert and Morrisons’ Morris followed closely behind on 72.

Cuthbert, which retails at £6.99, was singled out for the “creamy” texture of its buttercream and came in £2.51 cheaper than Colin. Aldi said the result proved that shoppers do not need to pay a premium for quality.

Julie Ashfield, chief commercial officer at Aldi UK, said: “The proof is in the pudding. Cuthbert has been a fan favourite for years, and this official result from Which? finally settles the score.

“We’ve always been confident that our cake offers superior taste at an unbeatable price, and we’re delighted that expert tasters agree. This is a win for Cuthbert, and a win for savvy shoppers everywhere who know you don’t have to pay a premium for the best.”

The Which? test also found Colin had the highest sugar and fat content of any cake in the line-up, containing 46.3g of sugar and 21.3g of fat per 100g.

Natalie Hitchins, head of home products and services at Which?, said the results showed there were now stronger options on the market than the long-established M&S favourite.

She said rivals including Waitrose and Iceland had produced alternatives that outperformed the original, adding that there were “better options out there than Colin”.

M&S pushed back on the results, saying its own consumer polling had recently named Colin the nation’s favourite caterpillar cake. A spokesperson added that the retailer regularly conducts blind taste tests to ensure it remains number one for taste and quality.

The grocer also highlighted Colin’s chocolate credentials, saying the cake had the highest chocolate content in the test at 39.5 per cent and was made with 100 per cent Fairtrade cocoa.

The ranking is likely to reignite interest in the long-running supermarket caterpillar cake rivalry, which has become one of the most recognisable and playful battlegrounds in UK grocery over recent years.

Which? caterpillar cake rankings:

1. Waitrose Cecil – 78
   2=. Co-op Charlie – 73
   2=. Sainsbury’s Wiggles – 73
   4=. Aldi Cuthbert – 72
   4=. Morrisons Morris – 72
2. Asda Letty – 68
3. Lewis & Green caterpillar celebration cake – 67
4. Tesco Slinky – 66
5. M&S Colin – 64

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