Goodbye Victoria Sponge, Hello Cinnamon Swirl – The Modern Bake Britain Can’t Get Enough Of

There was a time when a Victoria sponge reigned supreme at every tea table, its layers of jam and cream standing proud as the icon of British baking. A lemon drizzle might have made a confident runner-up, but the classics were untouchable. Today, however, the picture looks a little different. In a world where a cake’s worth is measured by its Instagram engagement, the traditional sponge finds itself edged aside by matcha lattes and cinnamon dust.

According to new research from We Love Cake, a Cumbria-based free-from bakery, Britain’s baking habits are shifting dramatically. Of the 2,000 people surveyed, more than two thirds admitted social media has shaped their tastebuds, with TikTok and Instagram serving as their virtual patisserie windows. Gone are the days when a good cake simply had to taste nice. Now it needs to photograph well too.

The study paints an amusing yet revealing portrait of a nation caught between nostalgia and novelty. While the lemon drizzle and coffee and walnut are making quiet comebacks, the appetite for global flavours continues to rise. Matcha, cardamom and cinnamon are all on the rise, with cinnamon alone seeing a sixty per cent surge in the past decade.

At the centre of this flavour revolution stands We Love Cake’s newest creation – the Spice Me Up Cinnamon Swirl. Arriving exclusively in Tesco stores this October, it gives one of Britain’s favourite autumn flavours a free-from makeover. The indulgent slices are gluten, wheat and milk free, yet still promise that comforting hit of sweetness and spice. Each swirl is baked in small batches on the edge of the Lake District, ready to be enjoyed with a cup of tea or, let’s be honest, quietly devoured when no one is looking.

Josh Boydell-Smith of We Love Cake says that trends in baking are far more than passing fancies. “Cake trends are not to be mistaken for cake fads,” he explains. “They mirror iconic recipes and flavours that stand the test of time. Right now, nostalgia is booming, but we’re also seeing global influences and ingredients play a bigger role than ever before.”

It seems the British love affair with cake is as strong as ever. Nearly eighty per cent of those surveyed said a slice remains the ultimate celebration, while seventy-three per cent said it evokes a feeling of home. Perhaps that is what makes this new generation of bakes so captivating. They honour the old while embracing the new, offering comfort with a twist of curiosity.

So as autumn settles in, and the air fills with the scent of cinnamon and coffee, perhaps it’s time to let the Victoria sponge rest for a moment. There’s a new bake on the block, and it looks just as good on your feed as it tastes on your plate.