Discontinued Snack Cakes That Need To Make A Comeback

The best snack ever? Why not have it be cake? Celery is great and all, though sometimes a sweet fix is the only thing you need. Cakes rolls, cookie cakes, cheesecake bars, chocolate bites, donut holes ... all snacks worthy of the title "cake." From the Hostess brands to the company Little Debbie, there's a favorite snack to meet everyone's fancy. Whether they evoke memories of busy school days or served as an afternoon treat, some stood to the test of time, while others left us prematurely. 

One of the most recognizable cake snack companies, Little Debbie, first began selling their cakes in 1933 for five cents a piece to a small bakery, according to the company website. Founder O.D McKee's cakes gained popularity with the birth of his very first, Oatmeal Creme Pies. Still a bestseller for the company, fast forward to 1959 and Nutty Buddy Bars came to be, still loved by fans.   

Additional cake snack brands like Hostess, Nabisco, Hershey's, Philadelphia, Kellogg's, Snackwell's, and Farm Rich, innovated new products, pushing fan favorites to the side. Behold the mini cakes lost in the perils of time, still being mourned by their loyal fans who hope for a revival of their favorite treat. Some are missed because there are no other cakes on the market like them. Others, simply because they tasted like snack perfection. It's high time the snack cake titans consider bringing back these beloved treats.

Cheesecake? As a snack? That's a tough deal to pass up. Morning, afternoon, midnight snack ... pretty much any occasion at that. Even though the Philadelphia Cheesecake Snack Bar is simply a dessert made to look like a light munch, the treat became a crowd favorite upon its release and is greatly missed today.

According to The Chicago Tribune, Philadelphia Cheesecake Snack Bars first appeared in 1999 by the Kraft/Philadelphia company. A silky, thick layer of cheesecake atop a base of graham cracker crust, this cake was available for purchase in its classic flavor, chocolate raspberry, chocolate chip, and its most loved one — strawberry (via My Urban Treats). The product was eventually discontinued due to the company's ongoing struggle with manufacturing capabilities. However, the company alluded to the possibility of bringing them back should these challenges get resolved, and is obviously aware these treats have a loyal fanbase.

Described as "making you feel like you died and went to heaven," a petition by cheesecake bar fan Chelsee Teleha was started in 2017 with a 50,000 signatures goal in mind, via Change.org. Comments like "it cures my sadness," flood in favor of the movement. With over 40,000 signatures, the "cause" is nearing one of the top signed petitions on the site. If that isn't enough of a reason to bring these dreamy bars back, then they may never see the light of day again.

Did you know that America's favorite cookie had a cake phase? When you think of Oreos, you're most likely picturing a small, round double-sided chocolate cookie filled with vanilla cream. Known for its versatility, some enjoy the cookie halved to scoop the cream out first, while others prefer biting right into this chocolate-vanilla duo. Then came Oreo Big Stuf, to challenge the will of snackers everywhere.

Quite literally a giant Oreo, this treat was more of a cake due to its size. Nearly 10 times bigger than your traditional Oreo, this full-on meal was reported to take around 20 minutes to finish (via Fast Company.) Released in 1984, the product was discontinued in 1991. Boasting 13 grams of fat along with 316 calories, the product is said to have ultimately failed despite its glory days because dietary guidelines were made more aware to consumers. The snack, geared toward children, was fit for the appetite of a (very) snack-ish adult.

Despite its downfall, the Oreo Big Stuf is still desired. One community group on Facebook was formed, by the name of "Oreo Big Stuf – 1,000,000 People to Bring Them Back." One fan posted "Can you imagine if they came back? We'd be able to fry an Oreo Big Stuf!!! Another user pointed out that a comparable product, Oreo Mega Stuf, is "getting closer, but still not the Big Stuf." There's even a petition to revive these one-of-a-kinds on the market. Perhaps one day it will find its place back in the market.

Snackwell's Devil's Food Cookie Cakes were released in 1992. A small, soft chocolate fudge-like center surrounded by a thin layer of marshmallow, this snack was nestled under a rich chocolate coat. You might be thinking that a fat-free treat is not good enough to make a revival, but Twitter doesn't seem to be bothered by the cookie's reputation as a "diet" food. For some, this cookie-cake combo was a decadent bite, via an account dedicated to discontinued foods called Snack Memories.

"These were really, really good," according to a comment made on the post. "I could have eaten a whole box by myself," commented another fan. The maker of the post fought back to users stating the cakes were too dry, explaining that biting into the cookie then letting it soak in milk was the perfect way to enjoy this unassuming snack. The cookie gained popularity with diet culture emerging in the 1990s(via Tedium). With a low fat content yet a fair amount of sugar, this snack yielded 120 calories per serving of two cookies, according to Calorie King. 

So why did they disappear? According to the Chicago Tribune, Snackwell's was acquired by Back to Nature Foods Company. With a goal of rebranding to appeal even more to diet culture, the company removed most of the artificial ingredients that gave the cookie its flavor. Soon after, the product was shoved to the side to make way for a new, "healthier" version minus all of its flavor. The old version of Snackwell's is missed, and the new one, even with marshmallow, simply isn't cutting it.

Snack providers Farm Rich, a company owned by Rich Products Corporation, known for its snack collection, showcases a little bit of everything from sweet to salty goodies. The company announced in 2018 that its chocolate cake and cinnamon sugar donut holes were being discontinued via a Facebook post as a result of altering its product mix to allow for newer ones.

Both flavors of the cinnamon sugar and chocolate treats were leaving the market, and social media users did not hesitate to let Farm Rich know they'd miss these sweet bites. One commented, "Not the donut holes! Please!!" Another shared a similar sentiment and wrote "Cinnamon and sugar donut holes were great." "I've never seen these, and now that I'm excited they are being discontinued" is the bleakest comment on the post.

The company seems to have taken a turn, with new product lines now featuring healthier options like cauliflower bites and meat replacements, many geared toward breakfast according to Prepared Foods. But there's nothing in their food repertoire quite like those chubby bits of chocolate and cinnamon goodness, (though French Toast Sticks are still available on the company's site) perhaps that's enough of a reason for Farm Rich to hear us out.

You might be thinking, "Oh no, Little Debbie Coffee Cakes are off the market?" Fret not, the company still churns out a version of its coffee cake, though it's nowhere near the original — the one fans have been asking to get back. And with reason at that, the original coffee cakes were nothing short of irreplaceable. 

Little Debbie Coffee Cakes were the perfect companion for drinks like hot chocolate or coffee. A spongy, soft vanilla cake was the resting place for a crumbly layer of cinnamon and apple paste, crunchier on the top and mushy in the middle.

Facebook users shared their concerns over not finding these little bites of cinnamon goodness via a Facebook post made in 2010. One fan said, "they are delicious but I can't find them anywhere," while another expressed "Same here, I can't find them anywhere!" Another user pointed out the original coffee cakes as being far better than the version circulating on the market today. To this day, they have not been revived and while fans did have the option of a less-tasty counterpart, the Streusel Cakes, those too are no longer available for snacking. Hostess boasts a similar product, though still not comparable to the light-weight, slightly creamier coffee cakes made by Little Debbie.

Where have they gone? Well, McKee foods (Little Debbie providers) purchased Hostess' coffee cakes during their bankruptcy. This is why some fans see their coffee cakes as interchangeable, via Reddit. The product disappeared years ago, most likely to make room for their newer Streusel Cake.