Greggs has kept Britain going with sausage rolls and steak bakes for decades, but not every item on its menu is sold in every shop. Some bakes are only available in certain parts of the country, and one of them has sparked a wave of envy online. Shoppers outside London have discovered the Tottenham Cake, and many are now asking why they can’t buy it where they live.
Many people don’t realise that Greggs sells different items depending on where you are. In Scotland, you’ll find Scotch Pies and Lorne Sausage breakfast rolls, while the North East has its own Peach Melba slice and Stotties in Newcastle. These local favourites are often seen as a kind of secret menu.
For people living in those areas, they’re everyday treats. For everyone else, they’re something you might only try on a trip away. That’s part of what makes them special, but it can also leave fans feeling left out.
What is a Tottenham Cake?
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The Tottenham Cake is a simple but much-loved bake. It’s made from a light sponge cooked in a large tray, then topped with bright pink icing. Depending on where it’s made, it’s finished with a sprinkle of desiccated coconut or colourful sprinkles.
It’s cut into neat squares, making it easy to grab as a snack or enjoy with a cup of tea. For many Londoners, it’s a taste of childhood, often picked up from bakeries or served at school. At Greggs, it’s sold in around 600 shops across London and the south of England.
The cake takes its name from Tottenham in north London, where it was first made in 1884. A Quaker baker called Henry Chalkley created it at the Friends Meeting House on Tottenham High Road. It quickly became a favourite in the local area.
Its famous pink colour originally came from mulberries picked from a tree in the meeting house garden. The fresh fruit juice was used to tint the icing naturally. Today, more than 140 years later, it’s still a popular treat in the capital.
How fans outside London found out about the Tottenham Cake
The cake started causing a stir after a food reviewer from Newcastle shared a photo of it online, admitting she’d never seen it before. Those who grew up with it were quick to explain what it was. Many shared fond memories of eating it as children in north London.
The post soon filled with comments from people who’d moved away from the capital and missed it. Some said they hadn’t been able to get one since leaving London and felt sad about it. One person even called it criminal that the cake was so hard to find elsewhere.
There are now calls for a nationwide launch.
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The excitement quickly turned into requests for Greggs to sell Tottenham Cake across the whole of the UK. Plenty of people said they’d love to try it, while others who’d grown up with it hoped it might one day reach their local high street. The idea of a nationwide launch clearly struck a chord.
Unfortunately for those fans, Greggs has made its position clear. The bakery has said there are no plans to roll out its regional bakes across the country. It describes them as local treasures that belong in their home areas, so the Tottenham Cake is staying put for now.
Tottenham Cake or pink slice?
The post also kicked off a lively debate about what the cake should be called. The reviewer referred to it as a pink slice, pointing out that it’s basically a sponge with pink icing on top. Some people agreed, but others were horrified at the idea of calling it anything else.
Greggs has settled the matter, saying it’s always known as Tottenham Cake and never called a pink slice. Similar pink-iced sponges are sold in other parts of the country under different names. For fans of the original, though, there’s only one Tottenham Cake.
Making your own at home
If you can’t get to a Greggs in London or the south, you could try baking a version yourself. Make a simple sponge mix with butter, sugar, eggs and self-raising flour, then bake it in a rectangular tin. Once it’s cool, cover the top with pink icing made from icing sugar and a splash of water.
To get the pink colour, use a few drops of food colouring or a little juice from raspberries or blackberries for a more natural shade. Sprinkle desiccated coconut over the top before the icing sets, then cut into squares. It’s an easy bake to make with children, and a fun way to enjoy a taste of London wherever you live.
