The cake bar has been on a roll as the category moves to snacking The best thing since sliced bread in the cake category seems to be the cake bar, because it has proved to be one of the few genuinely new products of the last decade. With 9% growth over the last 12 months it remains the fastest growing cake sector. Often combining an established chocolate bar brand name with sponge cake, the cake bar is instantly accessible to adults as a luxury treat. And because it is individually wrapped, it is also ideal for kids' lunchboxes. The forerunner to cake bars, Cadbury's Mini Rolls, have also performed exceptionally well ­ the 15.2% increase helped by the popular Hands Off My Mini Rolls' back to school promotion. Not too far behind are Jaffa Cake bars, which have had something of a headstart in the cake bar world. McVitie's is exploiting its favourable position with on- pack promotions such as Battle Conkers and the chance to win a training day with Manchester United. Not to be outdone, Galaxy Caramel cake bars were launched this summer, and with Milky Way and Cadbury's Caramel cake bars just inside our ranking, it seems likely that they will also be strong competition to current favourites next year. Even the exceedingly traditional Mr Kipling has succumbed to the lure of the cake bar, with its Chocolate Chip Cake Bar being the most successful. It is, however, the more traditional cakes in which Mr Kipling specialises and to great effect with an impressive 10 products in the top 20 best selling cakes. Perhaps even more remarkable is the fact that only one of these products is not in growth. Cake bars aside, subsequent NPD in the cake sector has not been expansive. However, the launch of Cadbury's muffin bars could change all that. In response, McVitie's has brought out individual muffins and the Fabulous Bakin' Boys are achieving success with their quirkier range of muffins ­ an indication that the muffin bandwagon is well and truly building up steam. {{MARKETING }}

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