Finsbury Food Group claims to have launched the first mainstream £20 celebration cake into the grocery market.

The large three-dimensional cake has been designed as an ideal centrepiece at children’s parties, featuring the hero of the Disney film Cars 2 Lightning McQueen.

The Cars 2 cake follows on the back of the successful film, and Finsbury’s already popular Cars 2 £12 cake.

Karen Smith, commercial development director, said: "From our own market research, it has become clear that striking centrepiece cakes are seen as an intrinsic part of children’s parties and, despite difficult economic times, they remain firmly on top of the birthday shopping list."

Finsbury said the value of the celebration cake market is rising at 1.7%, but volume is down at -0.7%.