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:
- Best overall – Tesco Finest red velvet cake: £3.70, Tesco.com
- Best for a coffee morning with kids – Waitrose over the rainbow cake: £18, Waitrose.com
- Best chocolate cake – Sainsbury’s Belgian chocolate fudge cake: £3.70, Sainsburys.co.uk
- Best for summer coffee mornings – Co-op Eton mess cake: £2.50, Coop.co.uk
- Best cupcakes – M&S fruity mini cupcake selection: £4.50, Ocado.com
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.
