The sourdough fan who enjoys a slice with coffee
Wants sourdough to mean more than just a description of how the product looks. For this shopper, confirmation of the starter and method matters more than finding a slice that’s easy to buy.
Which option is right for you?
The slice comparer
For a coffee break, focuses on comparing sugars, fibre, salt and ingredients per serving. A wholemeal version or one with no added sugars may be more relevant than how it was made.
The convenience seeker
Looks for pre-sliced breakfast cake or individual portions for home or work. Even with convenient packaging, it’s important to check the current ingredients and allergen information.
What should you look for when choosing?
First, decide what matters most to you in breakfast cake with coffee: a proven sourdough process, the nutritional value per slice or a convenient portion. Then check the label of the version you’re considering.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this most important to? |
|---|---|---|
| Sourdough process | Ask whether a sourdough starter has been used and how the cake was made; an artisanal look alone doesn’t confirm this. | If I’m choosing sourdough specifically, I want to know that a starter has actually been used. An estimated 42% of consumers say this confirmation is their top priority. |
| Nutritional value per slice | For the same serving size, compare the sugars, fibre and salt listed on the packaging. | During my coffee break, I want to weigh up what’s in one slice, even if the front of the pack makes a claim. An estimated 33% of consumers say this is their main concern. |
| Convenient portions | Check whether the cake is pre-sliced or individually wrapped, and how much each portion weighs. | When I’m short on time, I want to be able to take a slice with me without cutting into a whole cake. Convenience comes first for an estimated 25% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming an artisanal look means it’s sourdough
A dark rye colour or the description ‘artisan’ doesn’t confirm that a breakfast cake has been made with a sourdough starter. The ingredient lists for Peijnenburg Naturel and Jumbo Ontbijtkoek Naturel list raising agents, but no starter.
Ask a baker about the starter and method, or look for clear product information about these details on packaged products.
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Relying only on ‘no added sugars’
This description says nothing about whether sourdough has been used. According to the Voedingscentrum, a 30 g slice of breakfast cake contains an average of 11.2 g of sugars and 1.1 g of fibre, compared with 0.8 g of sugars and 5.1 g of fibre for breakfast cake with no added sugar. The values for a specific product may differ.
So compare the nutritional information for the same serving size, and read the ingredients list too.
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Treating online shop information as the definitive label
Ingredients and allergen information can change. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority emphasises that allergens must be clearly listed on the labels of pre-packed foods.
Check the current packaging, especially if you need to avoid an ingredient or allergen.
Brands compared
Peijnenburg
Peijnenburg’s Naturel breakfast cake is available in several formats, including a whole cake and individually wrapped portions.
- The ingredient list for Peijnenburg Naturel, uncut, states that it contains 37% rye flour and raising agents.
- If you’re specifically looking for sourdough, you’ll need confirmation that the starter and method were used for the version you choose.
Jumbo
Jumbo Ontbijtkoek Naturel is a 280 g pre-packed option, with product information available to view online.
- Jumbo lists the ingredients and nutritional information for this version; the ingredient list states that it contains 34.4% rye flour and the raising agents E450 and E500.
- The listed ingredients don’t confirm the use of a sourdough starter. Check the current packaging if this is a must-have for you.
Koek & Bakker
This ALDI own brand offers, among other options, pre-sliced wholemeal breakfast cake and a pre-sliced version with no added sugars.
- These versions give you a choice of packaging convenience and product composition.
- Don’t assume that ‘wholemeal’ or ‘no added sugars’ means a sourdough process has been used; check the information for the specific version.
Pre-packed breakfast cake at Joybuy
This breakfast cake is a good fit for a coffee break when you’d prefer a pre-packed product. If sourdough is your main requirement, check separately whether the product’s starter and method have been confirmed.
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Snelle Jelle Breakfast Cake Less Sugar-Free 250 g
An option if you’re looking for pre-packed breakfast cake for your coffee break and don’t need sourdough to be a confirmed product feature.
The product name states that the pack contains 250 g. Check the current ingredients and allergen information on the packaging; if you specifically want sourdough, ask about the starter and method too.
Frequently asked questions
How can I check whether breakfast cake is made with sourdough?
Look for an explicit mention of a sourdough starter and ask how the cake was made. Albert Heijn describes a sourdough starter for bread as a mixture of flour and water in which natural yeasts and bacteria develop; a similar name or appearance for breakfast cake doesn’t, by itself, confirm that a starter has been used.
Is breakfast cake with no added sugars also sourdough breakfast cake?
No. ‘No added sugars’ describes the product, not how it was made. To check whether it’s sourdough, find out separately whether a starter is used and how the fermentation process works.
What should I look for when checking allergens in breakfast cake?
Read the allergen information on the current packaging for the version you’ve chosen. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority points out that allergens must be listed on labels; the Peijnenburg individually wrapped portion shown by PLUS lists rye and warns, among other things, that hazelnuts and almonds may be present.
Does baker’s salt mean that all breakfast cake contains iodine?
No. Don’t assume that breakfast cake contains iodine just because it belongs to this product category. The Baker’s Salt Use Covenant, published in 2008, describes baker’s salt as iodised table salt for bread and other baked goods; you’ll need product-specific information to find out what a particular breakfast cake contains.