Macmillan Coffee Morning is celebrating 35 years of bringing people together to raise money for those living with cancer. Since 1990, the fundraising event has raised more than £300m for Macmillan Cancer Support. In 2024 alone, the charity provided vital support to around 2.4 million people affected by cancer across the UK.
The charity’s famous Coffee Morning event is a chance for people to get involved and donate to the cause. The idea is simple: bring baked treats for the group to eat while enjoying a cup of coffee or tea and ask everyone to donate money while having a good time. You can make it as wild or as simple as you like; whether it’s organised among teachers and parents at a school, a sober rave with a group of colleagues at work or in your living room with friends. And there’s no reason to stick to coffee and cakes, mix things up by organising a Coffee Morning with a difference.
Macmillan Cancer Support makes it easy for hosts with information and advice online on how to organise the event, and a fundraising kit that contains everything from balloons and bunting to posters and food labels.
Want to be a Coffee Morning Host?
Traditionally, people bake their own cakes to take to Macmillan Coffee Mornings. But if you’re strapped for time (or skills), then this shouldn’t dissuade you from taking part. Requiring minimal effort but often tasting just as nice, supermarket cakes are equally well-received.
But with all the biggest supermarkets vying for your attention, which cake should you buy? If you’re joining a Macmillan Coffee Morning soon and need some inspiration, the IndyBest team has tried and tasted the best supermarket cakes to enjoy with a cuppa (someone had to do it).
How we tested
The team sampled these cakes one by one, considering freshness, flavour, ingredients and the concept behind each. From classic carrot cake and tiered extravaganzas to rich red velvet and a spongey take on Eton mess, these are our favourites.
The best supermarket cakes for 2025 are:
Signing up to host your own Coffee Morning this year couldn’t be easier! Find out more today on the Macmillan website
Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England and Wales (261017), Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604). Also operating in Northern Ireland.
Tesco finest red velvet cake
Best: Overall
Servings: Six
Why we love it
- Rich flavour
- Affordable
The sign of any standout cake, there were mere crumbs left of Tesco’s finest red velvet after our taste test session. The bargain cake serves six and is beautifully presented with a rich full fat soft cream cheese frosting and sprinkled red cake crumbs. The sponge is deliciously moist with a subtle hint of chocolate, complemented by a tangy buttermilk flavour. It’s not as intensely chocolatey as traditional chocolate cakes, so serves as the perfect crowd-pleasing option for a coffee morning. The only gripe is that you might be left wanting more once the cake is served out.
Buy now £3.70, Tesco.com
Waitrose over the rainbow cake
Best: For coffee mornings with kids
Servings : 16
Why we love it
- Large servings
- Beautifully presented
Take note
- Could be too sweet for some
If you’re hosting with other parents or at a school, this extravagant “over the rainbow” cake from Waitrose is sure to impress kids and fussy adults alike. It’s not as sweet as it looks, with our testers praising the balance of flavours. The light and airy sponge is layered with four layers of vanilla buttercream, with each tiered coloured for extra aesthetic appeal. Multi-coloured sugar sprinkles also provide a satisfying crunch. With up to 16 servings available, it’s an indulgent and decadent option for larger coffee mornings.
Buy now £18.00, Waitrose.com
Sainsburys Belgian chocolate fudge cake
Best: Chocolate cake
Servings : Six
Why we love it
- Rich, smooth flavour
- Beautiful presentation
Take note
- Only serves 6
An affordable cake to satisfy chocoholics, Sainsburys’ Belgian chocolate fudge cake can serve up to six people. The cake is filled with a smooth and rich Belgian chocolate buttercream (a generous amount) while the sponge is moist and soft. Presentation is top tier, too, with a hand decorated chocolate topping. The sponge dries out quickly once opened, so you’ll want guests to indulge quickly (not that they’ll need an excuse).
Buy now, Sainsburys.co.uk
Co-op irresistible eton mess cake
Best: For summer coffee mornings
Servings : 6
Why we love it
- Unique concept
- Moist sponge and crunch thanks to meringue
This limited-edition cake from Co-op is perfect for Macmillan Coffee Mornings this summer. The supermarket has turned the classic British dessert, eton mess - which consists of strawberries, meringue and whipped cream - into a seasonal cake. A sweet twist on a Victoria sponge, the vanilla flavoured cake is filled with strawberry jam. But it’s the toppings that steal the show. Clotted cream flavour frosting, strawberry jam and crisp meringue pieces replicate the delicious taste of eton mess. We could have done with more toppings, but for £2.50, it’s hard to complain.
Buy now £2.50, Coop.co.uk
M&S mini fruity cupcakes
Best: Cupcakes
Servings : Nine
Why we love it
- Great presentation
- Various flavours
If you can’t decide on one cake flavour, there’s three to choose from in this pack of nine cupcakes from M&S. In classic M&S style, the presentation is lovely, right down to the pastel-coloured packaging. Each box contains strawberry jam and clotted cream cupcakes (think of them as mini Victoria sponges), raspberry buttercream and meringue, and tangy Sicilian lemon curd. The flavours are sweet but the cupcake sizes are small (two bites and you’re done), and they went down a storm with our testers who were craving a mid-morning pick-me-up.
Buy now £4.50, Ocado.com
Tesco finest carrot cake
Best: Spiced cake
Servings: Six
Why we love it
- Rich, complex flavour
- Lovely presentation
- Affordable
Take note
- Sponge is a little dry
Carrot cake is ranked among the UK’s favourite cakes, and for good reason. Warm spices – cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger – give it a complex, rich flavour compared to sweeter baked goods. Tesco Finest’s take on the classic serves six and went down a storm with our testers. The sweetness of the carrot is perfectly complemented by the soft cream cheese frosting (not too heavy), while walnut pieces and cinnamon dusting not only elevate the presentation, but also the flavour profile. Our only gripe is that the texture of the sponge is a little dry.
Buy now £3.70, Tesco.com
M&S raspberry ripple cake
Best: Buttercream cake
Servings : 16
Why we love it
- Decadent presentation
- Serves a big group of people
Take note
- Could be too sweet for some
A sweet showstopper, M&S’s raspberry ripple cake is a soft madeira sponge with an impressive three tiers. Each is layered with vanilla and raspberry flavoured buttercream and raspberry jam, while the top is layered with meringues. Owing to the placement of the buttercream, some bites are sweeter than others. Those who prefer richer flavours might find the cake on the sweeter side, but it will please anyone drawn to fruity flavours. When it comes to presentation, you won’t find a supermarket cake more decadent.
Buy now £18.00, Ocado.com
Asda raspberry and pistachio cake
Best: For pistachio flavours
Servings: 16
Why we love it
- Moist sponge
- Nice presentation
Take note
- Subtle pistachio flavour
Pistachio is all the rage right now in desserts (see the viral Dubai chocolate bar), and Asda has just served up its own take on the trend. The raspberry and pistachio cake is hand-finished for an eye-catching look. The moist layers of madeira sponge are filled with raspberry jam and covered in sage green pistachio buttercream. Those hoping for big pistachio flavours might be disappointed as it’s quite a subtle taste, but the buttercream isn’t overly rich and the sponge is moist.
Buy now £17.00, Asda.com
The verdict: Supermarket cakes
You can’t go wrong with Tesco’s red velvet cake. Beautifully presented, affordable and the perfect compromise between richness and sweetness, it’s sure to go down a treat at your next Macmillan Coffee Morning. If there are kids in the mix, the Waitrose over the rainbow cake and M&S’s sweet cupcakes are sure to be popular.
