9 best cakes and biscuits for Halloween 2018
There’s a definite chill in the air and the leaves have started to turn orange – it can only mean one thing – Halloween is here. What better way to celebrate than with a selection of spooky sweet treats.
We’ve rounded up some of our favourite limited edition products that will only be available over the autumn period. So whether you’re throwing a Monster Ball or are just looking to reward little trick or treaters, these are guaranteed to get you in the Halloween spirit in no time.
Biscuiteers Haunted House Biscuit Tin: £35, Biscuiteers
Containing nine perfectly iced biscuits, in a seasonal trick or treat biscuit tin, this is sure to be popular with the whole family. Biscuiteers use their perennially popular chocolate flavour as the biscuit base before icing on zombies, mummies, black cats and a whole host of other nightmarish characters.
Even if the biscuits don’t last long, the tin will make a great keepsake for other treats collected on the big night. Even better, they deliver worldwide, so if there’s someone overseas that will be missing out on the spooky celebrations, you can let them know you’re thinking of them.
Hotel Chocolat The Little Monster Halloween Hamper: £27.50, Hotel Chocolat
If you’re planning a cosy night in or watching scary films with the little ones, you’ll need some suitably spooky snacks. This cute hamper from Hotel Chocolat provides more than enough to go around, no matter how many you’ve squeezed on the sofa.
Contents include a milk and white chocolate skull-shaped chocolate on a stick, milk chocolate mini vampire bites, and "Carvin the Pumpkin". Warning, the white oozy eyes are pretty convincing!
M&S Count Colin the Caterpillar Cake 640g: £7, Marks & Spencer
Never one to be underdressed, Colin has slipped on a black cape and been decorated with red drizzle this Halloween. Teeny tiny crunchy purple bats and black smarties have been studded into the topping but inside is still the chocolate sponge roll we all know and love. This not so innocent version of everyone’s favourite caterpillar features a rather terrifying fangtastic white chocolate face.
So whether your birthday falls around Halloween or you’re looking for a crowd-pleasing centre piece for your fancy dress party – Colin is a great choice. There are also miniature versions available, ideal for cheeky trick or treaters.
Available in M&S stores nationwide
Morrisons Decorate Your Own Halloween Haunted House: £5, Morrisons
Perhaps your little ones are too young to trawl the streets in search of sweets? Let them have some fun in the comfort of your own home with this do-it-yourself haunted Halloween house made out of gingerbread.
Although gingerbread houses are normally reserved for Christmas festivities, this pack contains orange and black bats making it clear this is a very haunted house. Each kit includes all you need to get creative, including jelly beans and squeezable icing pouches.
Greggs' Spooky Ring Bun: from 80p each or £2.75 for four, Greggs
We tried a lot of mini Halloween cakes in the name of research, but these vanilla flavoured fairy buns were the most impressive. Each cupcake comes with a thin layer of either purple or orange fondant icing and have been sprinkled, by hand with a rim of purple and orange hundreds and thousands. The cherry on top in this case is a novelty plastic pumpkin ring (adjustable for little trick or treater hands).
Asda Witch Unicorn Cake: £10, Asda
Whilst adults might not be wowed by the super sweet icing, this lurid green, orange and purple cake is sure to delight your little monsters. Three layers of vanilla sponge are layered with thick green icing, before being covered in suitably spooky orange and purple swirled icing decoration. We can see there being a fight over how gets the witches black hat, but the two green chocolate horns will be a solid consolation.
Tesco Zombie Brain Cake: £5, Tesco
If you’re squeamish, look away now. Made to look like a glistening brain, this gruesome cake was definitely the most convincing when it came to the gore factor. Inside is madeira sponge, layered with sweet frosting and a slick of raspberry jam. When we cut into the centre, slimy jelly maggots tried to crawl out. For that reason we reckon this fun centrepiece will go down a treat with the more mischievous kids in your house.
Cadbury Pumpkin Patch Gateau: £3, Tesco
Cadbury's have gone all out with their Halloween range, turning old favourites into limited editions for the month of October. Instead of mini rolls, you’ll find honeycomb bonfire logs and those beloved French fancies are orange flavoured fiendish fancies instead. However it’s the sharing pumpkin patch gateaux that will be going into our shopping trolley.
Decorated with swirls of chocolate and stuffed with orange crème, the seasonal cake doesn’t need refrigerating so we’ll be keeping one in the pantry for when friends drop by unannounced. It’s pretty rich so a small sliver should be enough, but the official guidelines says it serves eight people.
Crosstown Halloween Dough Bites: £2 each, Crosstown Doughnuts
Made from Crosstown’s signature sourdough base (which they make fresh, by hand each day), these mini doughnuts have been adorned with edible Halloween graphics and stuffed with homemade strawberry jam (or blood, you decide!). They are super limited edition and only available on Halloween itself, so be the office hero and make you sure you get your hands on a tray.
The Verdict: Best Halloween cakes and biscuits
For a sweet treat that adults and children will both adore, we’ve awarded our Best Buy to Biscuiteers Haunted House Biscuit Tin. These spooky treats tasted every bit as great as they looked, and you have the added bonus of getting a nice keepsake box too.
Stacey Smith is the founder of food & drink website Crummbs
