Greggs fans outside London have reacted with dismay after discovering that the Tottenham Cake, a pink-iced sponge treat, is only available in the capital and the south of England. Some have called the regional exclusivity 'criminal', and the bakery has confirmed there are no plans for a nationwide rollout.
What is the Tottenham Cake?
The Tottenham Cake is a traditional British sheet-pan sponge topped with bright pink icing and desiccated coconut or sprinkles. It takes its name from its origin on Tottenham High Road, where Quaker baker Henry Chalkley first baked it in 1884 at the Friends Meeting House. Its iconic pink icing was originally dyed using fresh juice from mulberries harvested from the meeting house garden.
The treat sparked debate after food reviewer @UKNewestFoods, who hails from Newcastle, posted a picture on Instagram revealing she had 'never seen' it before. Commenters were quick to share their nostalgia, with @teamdonovan writing, 'This takes me back to my childhood in North London. Tottenham cake, so good!' while @jademclaire said she 'grew up on these'.
Fans demand nationwide launch
The passionate response has led shoppers to beg Greggs to launch the product nationwide. '@hodge_nic' wrote, 'The fact that I haven't been able to have Tottenham cake since I left London is genuinely devastating.' One TikToker even called it 'criminal' that the cakes were hard to come by, and @sameera said, 'They should definitely bring this to the rest of the UK.'
However, when Metro approached the bakery, a Greggs spokesperson confirmed there are no plans for the regional items to be launched nationwide, telling Metro: 'Tottenham Cake is one of a small selection of regional products that are unique to shops in a specific area, alongside the likes of Lorne Sausage breakfast rolls in Scotland, and Stotties in Newcastle. They're regional treasures for a reason, and home is where they're staying.'
Greggs did confirm to Metro that Tottenham Cake is available in 600 stores in London and the south.
What about the 'pink slice' debate?
The @UKNewestFoods reviewer was also accused of 'blasphemy' for calling the offering a 'pink slice' rather than a Tottenham Cake. She asked in the comments, 'How is it not a pink slice? It's sponge cake with pink icing on top.' The Greggs spokesperson confirmed: 'It's always called a Tottenham Cake; it's not referred to as "Pink Slice" anywhere.'
