A Caramel and Shortcake Concept
A new design doing the rounds online proposes a significant flavour extension for the UK’s most famous party cake. The mockup shows a box for a “Billionaire’s Shortbread” edition of Colin the Caterpillar, described on-pack as a “Caramel & Shortcake” variant. The packaging uses the familiar M&S Colin branding, but with a gold and caramel colour scheme.
Billionaire’s shortbread itself is a classic traybake made of three distinct layers: a shortbread biscuit base, a thick layer of soft caramel, and a solid chocolate topping. Applying this concept to the established Colin format—a chocolate-covered Swiss roll with a buttercream filling—presents a structural challenge. The mockup suggests a version where caramel and shortcake elements are incorporated into the sponge cake, rather than layered on top.
The Expansive Colin Range
While a flavour-led special edition of the main cake is unusual, brand extensions are central to the Colin the Caterpillar line. The original cake has spawned a vast universe of spin-off products, primarily in confectionery. The current M&S range includes Colin the Caterpillar Softies, Speckles, Cola Gums, and Cherry Gums.
The sweets line is where M&S tends to experiment with flavour. Alongside standard Fruit Gums, shoppers can find sour editions like Sourtastic, Fruit Sours, and Sour Stomps. The core cake, however, has remained largely unchanged. Variations are typically cosmetic or character-based, such as seasonal outfits or the introduction of other caterpillar characters. A fundamental flavour overhaul like Billionaire’s would be a first for the flagship sponge roll, moving it into the territory usually reserved for the smaller, more experimental gummy sweets.
A Plausible Flavour Profile
The choice of Billionaire’s Shortbread is a commercially sound one. The flavour profile is a fixture in UK cafes and supermarket bakeries, appearing in everything from doughnuts and muffins to ice cream and milkshakes. It represents a familiar, indulgent combination that requires little explanation.
Marrying it with another national favourite like Colin the Caterpillar follows a well-trodden path of brand collaboration and flavour mashing. While the practicalities of a shortbread-and-caramel-infused sponge roll are complex, the idea itself is far from outlandish. It sits firmly within current food trends that see established products given a ‘premium’ or ‘deluxe’ flavour treatment.
What the real range looks like
The real M&S range has expanded far beyond the original Colin the Caterpillar Cake to include Mini Colin Cakes and a huge variety of sweets like Cola Gums, Fruit Sours, and Cherry Gums. This fictional Billionaire’s edition would represent the first major flavour innovation for the flagship cake itself, which has typically only seen cosmetic or seasonal changes.
- M S Colin the Caterpillar Cake
- M S Colin the Caterpillar Softies
- M S Colin the Caterpillar Speckles
- M S Colin the Caterpillar Cola Gums
- M S Mini Colin the Caterpillar Cakes
- M S Colin the Caterpillar Sourtastic
- M S Colin the Caterpillar Fruit Gums
- M S Colin the Caterpillar Party Cups
- M S Colin the Caterpillar Party Time
- M S Colin the Caterpillar Sour Stomps
Frequently asked questions
- What is in a Billionaire’s Shortbread?
- It’s a three-layer traybake. It has a biscuit base of shortbread, a middle layer of soft, thick caramel, and it’s topped with a solid layer of milk or dark chocolate.
- Has M&S made other flavours of the main Colin the Caterpillar cake?
- Historically, variations to the large Colin cake are cosmetic or seasonal, like special decorations for Halloween or Christmas. Entirely new flavour profiles like this are not part of the core range, with M&S preferring to experiment with flavours in the spin-off sweet ranges.
- Is the Billionaire’s Colin the Caterpillar cake real?
- No, this is a Snackfish. It is a mockup design created by the online page UK Snack Attack and is not a real M&S product available for purchase.
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- Nutella Colin the Caterpillar Sponge Cake Box Concept
You have been Snackfished!
Snackfish :
[sn-a-ck-fish] verb
A snack that lies about its legitimacy as an official product online for internet clout and attention. Most commonly fabricated in Adobe Photoshop or using the unofficial Snackfish AI