The free-from bakery brand is made by Cumbrian family baker Bells of Lazonby.
Its team has identified four trends that are influencing its plans for future products.
Danny Parsons, Senior Concept Developer at Bells of Lazonby, told That's Food and Drink thats people still want cake, but their expectations around how and when they eat it are changing.
The challenge, he said, is to respond to those changes while keeping the enjoyment of cake at the heart of the experience.
1. Smaller portions for changing appetites
The growing use of GLP-1 weight-loss medicines could influence how some households buy cake. If one person wants a smaller portion or eats cake less often, a large cake for sharing may be less practical.
We Love Cake believes this could increase interest in individual slices and single-serve formats. These give people more control over portion size, while making it easier to enjoy a treat without buying a whole cake.
The idea is not to take the indulgence out of cake. With smaller portions, flavour, texture and quality may matter even more.
2. More attention to ingredients
Shoppers are paying closer attention to what goes into their food, bringing cleaner labels and recipe choices higher up the development agenda.
For free-from baking, this can be technically challenging. Ingredients often play an important role in recreating the taste and texture usually provided by gluten. The aim is to make meaningful changes without compromising quality, consistency or shelf life.
Ingredient sourcing, processing and sustainability are also becoming part of how consumers assess a product.
3. Childhood flavours return
While health considerations may shape some product choices, familiar flavours can offer comfort and an easier decision in a crowded bakery aisle.
Rhubarb and custard, birthday cake, Angel Delight-inspired flavours, traditional puddings and sweet-shop favourites are among the ideas We Love Cake expects to see influence new products.
The opportunity is to refresh these much-loved flavours for today’s shoppers, rather than simply reproduce a retro product.
4. Free-from goes mainstream
Free-from bakery is increasingly expected to match conventional products for taste, texture and quality. The next step, We Love Cake believes, is making it available in more everyday settings.
Food-to-go, convenience stores and food service could all provide opportunities to reach consumers beyond the dedicated free-from fixture. Individually portioned cake slices already offer a portable option for people looking for a convenient treat.
Together, these trends point towards smaller portions, more considered recipes and familiar flavours in new formats. Parsons describes the direction as “less, but better” cake that evolves with consumers while keeping the pleasure of eating it.