Colin the Caterpillar has been a birthday party staple for more than 30 years. Since the iconic caterpillar landed on M&S shelves in 1990, several supermarkets have launched their own variations- including Asda’s Clyde, Tesco’s Curly and Sainsbury’s Wiggles. But, it is Cuthbert from Aldi that has found himself facing legal action from M&S.
1. Preheat the oven to 200C/fan180C/gas 6. Lightly brush the base of a 33cm x 23cm tin with vegetable oil and line with baking paper.
2. Whisk the sugar and eggs in a large bowl with a whisk or an electric whisk for 7-10 minutes. Stop when the mixture is pale and thick enough for the mixture to leave a trail behind when the whisk is lifted out.
3. Sift the flour and cocoa powder into the mixture and fold in very carefully until fully mixed together.
8. Use a serrated knife to cut away strips 1/3 the way down. Then roll gently and allow to cool.
9. Once the cake is cool, unroll it and cover with the buttercream you prepared. Then slice the cake strips up to create feet. Place into the fridge for 30 minutes to set.
10. Final step, for the ganache: Add the cream and butter into a small saucepan and heat until steaming. And the chopped chocolate slowly and stir in until the mixture is smooth. When the cake roll is set, transfer it onto a wire rack and pour the ganache over the top. Allow to set for 10 minutes, then cover with rainbow smarties. Make the caterpillar face by melting and piping white chocolate, using smarties or M&M’s for the eyes and mouth.