M&S shoppers going wild over return of retro cake that disappeared in the 80s

Metro

01-05-2025

The 80s are making a comeback… well, kind of.
There's good news if you've been missing iconic treats from that period of time like OG Opal Fruits, or if you're feeling nostalgic about playing the Head Over Heels video game, as both have returned in recent months.
And now another popular product that hasn't been seen in M&S since 1985 has made its way back onto supermarket shelves.
Marks & Spencer has brought back a retro cake from its archive to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day.
The Choc-O-Sandwich Cake was last sold at M&S 40 years ago and is comprised of two layers of Victoria sponge cake, strawberry jam and buttercream. The whole thing is then coated in a thick layer of chocolate to create a truly decadent treat.
To mark VE Day, the limited-edition product comes in bespoke vintage packaging, featuring St Michael branding and the symbol for two shillings (don't get your hopes up though, it'll cost you much more than that).
For those who might not be aware, St Michael was a brand owned and used by M&S between 1927 and 2000.
It was mostly used for clothing, however there were a range of food products and cookery books sold under the trademark from the 1950s and beyond.
The Choc-O-Sandwich cake recipe is thought to date all the way back to the 1960s.
Sharing a closer look at the cake on social media, Sharry Carmond, the marketing director for M&S Food, said: 'The chocolate on this cake is SO thick, the best advice is to heat a knife before trying to cut it. https://www.instagram.com/p/DJGl0ZBIlMe/?img_index=2
'This cake is the brainchild of @alex_mands_food and @kathrynturnermands who were visiting the M&S archive in Leeds, looking for ideas of how to mark the anniversary of VE Day. They stumbled across a forgotten gem from the 1960s – the Choc-O-Sandwich Cake.
'M&S has always been a key part of British celebrations and this cake was sold as a teatime treat during a time when ingredients like sugar and butter were finally becoming widely available again, following years of wartime rationing. Back in 1945, cakes were frugal and fruit-based, using vine fruits for sweetness. But by the early 60s, the Choc-O-Sandwich was a symbol of indulgence – real butter, chocolate coating, and proudly carrying the St Michael brand as a mark of M&S quality.'
She added: 'Fast forward to today: we've reimagined that classic. Our new Choc-O-Sandwich Cake features an all-butter Victoria sponge, filled with strawberry jam and Madagascan vanilla clotted cream buttercream, all covered in M&S milk chocolate.'
Priced at £12, the cake might not be the cheapest, but it's worth noting that it's for a good cause as 5% of all sales from the cake will be donated to the Royal British Legion. More Trending
Online social media users are thrilled to see the cake back in shops, with @another_snack_reviewer saying on Instagram: 'Love the retro look of this!'
Similarly Liz Lee wrote on Facebook: 'Brilliant!! M&S are coming up with some great products lately!'
And Dee Murphy said: 'I remember this cake from years ago.'
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