Predictions for 2024 cake and bake trends
Kluman & Balter, a UK-based bakery ingredients supplier, offers some predictions for cakes and bakes trends in 2024.
Nostalgic bakes, retro themes: Classics such as Victoria Sponge will always be popular but there is now a demand for cakes that remind consumers of days gone by – think hundreds and thousands school tray bakes, strawberry shortcake, and coffee cake. Kluman & Balter, has experienced a growing demand for retro flavours, such as pink lemonade & raspberry, strawberry & clotted cream and raspberry & rose.
This nostalgia trend means S’mores and marshmallows are also proving to be popular additions in recipes, as well as being used as a topping,
Vintage makeovers: Going even further back in time, cakes are also having a vintage makeover. Think pearl decorations and multiple layers of piping for celebration cakes.
Colour: Driven by social media, colour continues to have an enormous influence and it’s not limited to seasonal bakes. Pink dominated in the Summer of 2023 and colours will stay bold. Anything goes from violet and green matcha, to black. This can already be seen with 2D, comic style cakes taking social media by storm, with their bright colours and contrasting black fondant.
Instagram-worthy desserts: Celebrations are giving consumers the perfect excuse to have fun and treat themselves. Instagram-friendly dessert sharing boards are growing in popularity for parties and gatherings giving consumers the chance to try an array of cakes and flavours.
Tiny treats: luxury mini versions of cakes are growing in popularity. More affordable, they offer an ideal sweet treat that can be enjoyed on-the-go or at home.
Innovative flavours: Favourites such as chocolate and salted caramel are here to stay, but there are other exciting trends coming through – from yuzu to the Caribbean influence of tropical mango and passionfruit or peanut butter making room for pistachio as a filling or as a topping flavour. Coffee cakes are also getting an upgrade – and it’s not just cappuccino and chai – coffee is being teamed with a range of flavours from banana to Irish cream liquor.
Feel good cakes: Health and special diets continue to have a big influence. Plant-based cakes remain popular, with consumers choosing vegan options not just due to special diets, but a desire to do better for themselves and the planet. Also expect cakes with added benefits to continue to grow in popularity. High-protein cakes and even protein celebration cakes will make an appearance as consumers look at ways to have ‘better for them’ sweet treats.
Marketing Manager, patisserie at Puratos UK. “Recent data from Innova shows that sponge bases have dominated UK cake launches from 2021 and 2023, with blonde chocolate emerging as a key flavour in recent years.”
A blonde recap According to Gemma Whitaker, Marketing Director at Whitakers Chocolates, blonde chocolate, also known as caramelised white chocolate, is made by slowly roasting white chocolate at low temperatures to give it a rich, toffee-like flavour and a distinctive golden-blonde colour. “It is known for its creamy texture and hints of butterscotch and caramel,” she says. Blonde chocolate would appear to have a relatively short history, emerging in the early 21st Century, when chocolatiers set
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out to push the boundaries of traditional chocolate flavours. It started to gain traction in the culinary world due to its versatile flavour that complements a variety of ingredients, and it has become a popular flavour choice for creative chefs and pastry artisans over the years. As consumers sought unique and sophisticated treats, blonde chocolate also found its way into an array of confectionery products, including truffles, bars, and ganaches.
Addressing the trend
Also addressing the blonde trend, Macphie has recently bolstered its sweet bakery range with the introduction of a new Blondie Mix. “Blondies – brownies cousins – are continuing to increase in popularity, with consumers craving the sweet caramel taste,” says Kirsty Matthews, Marketing
Manager for Macphie. The mix is very simple to make, simply requiring the addition of water and oil. “We are seeing demand for premium sweet treats such as brownies and blondies continuing to rise year on year,” continues Kirsty. “We have improved our brownie mix to ensure that a fudgy textured brownie can be created using a limited number of ingredients, as previously to make an American-style brownie with our mix extra ingredients were required “We are seeing more people buy sweet
bakes as gifts, and also many – particularly those in younger generations – seeking a twist on traditional offerings. Our Brownie and Blondie Mixes provide bakers with the perfect foundations to create unique, eye- catching offerings that stay on-trend and offer something unique and different to their competitors.”
Kennedy’s Bakery Production December/January 2023/24 21
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