I hadn’t realised how much I’m shaped by nostalgia until I started writing this. My memories of school tuck-shop treats, and my sister bribing me with contraband chocolate bars to stop me tattling… all of it feeds straight into the cakes I love to make. Growing up in Kuwait, I had Twix, KitKats, Snickers and Maltesers. So creating cakes inspired by these iconic chocolate bars has been mega fun. Then I moved to the UK and entered full-scale confectionery culture shock. SO many chocolate bars. Honestly, you lot are spoilt for choice. Though let’s be real: quantity does not always mean quality.

The Chocolate Bars We Love as Cakes

Maltesers

I cannot stop at one Malteser. I need them all. Immediately. Maltesers are elite: that thin chocolate shell, the crisp airy malt centre… utterly addictive. Maybe it’s tied to childhood mugs of Horlicks and Ovaltine. This Chocolate Malt Milkshake Cake celebrates all of that — layers of chocolate hero sponge, Ovaltine Swiss meringue buttercream, and loaded cupcakes crowned with Maltesers. One of our most popular cakes for a very good reason.

Twix

My sister gave me my first ever Twix when I was about nine or ten. She’s ten years older than me, which means she kept it from me FAR too long, frankly. The biscuit snap, the gooey caramel pull — a textural masterpiece. Our Twix Cake has vanilla hero sponge, chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream and salted caramel ganache, plus loaded cupcakes. I adore the cute bubble-combed finish.

Snickers

This is a weird one for me. A classic Snickers bar? Meh. A Snickers *ice cream* bar? I could inhale twenty. Normally I’m a peanut–chocolate girly through and through, but the regular bars just don’t do it for me. Still, it deserves a spot on the Love List because a) the ice cream version bangs and b) the Snickers Cake SLAPS. Peanut butter and chocolate hero sponge, peanut butter Swiss meringue buttercream, chocolate and salted caramel ganache… sensational.

Kinder

I’ve never met anyone who dislikes Kinder. The bars and eggs are fine, sure, but the Buenos and the Hippos?! YES. PLEASE. That creamy hazelnut filling layered with wafer — bliss. The Kinder vs Nutella Cake brings all that joy together in one glorious, hazelnutty bite.

The Chocolate Bars We Loathe

Crunchie

I’ll say it: I don’t get Crunchies. The stingiest chocolate coating around a massive hunk of crunchy air-sugar? No. But apparently I’m in the minority, because plenty of people adore them. So I made a cake anyway — and honestly, despite my contempt, this Crunchie Cake is a beaut.

Bounty

A chocolate bar so universally loathed that scientific studies (okay, fine — vibes) prove it’s always the last left in the Celebrations box. It is also the only bar on this list that will NOT be getting a cake. Ever.

What are your thoughts on the love-and-loathe list? Which bars transport you back to childhood? Which ones trigger you? Tell me everything in the comments.

Love,

Reshmi xoxo