If several people are having coffee at the same time, a large, pre-sliced breakfast cake is practical: you can hand out slices without having to cut it. If people are leaving at different times, individually wrapped slices are more convenient; an unsliced cake needs a knife and a suitable surface. Whichever option you choose, check the current label if ingredients, allergens or nutritional values are important to your decision.
If everyone is having coffee at the same time and there’s no knife to hand, a pre-sliced cake means you can serve the slices straight away. For example, Peijnenburg says its 550 g sliced cake contains 18 slices.
If people are leaving at different times, everyone can take a sealed portion with them. Jumbo lists a Peijnenburg pack containing ten individually wrapped 28 g slices.
If you’re buying for a group where ingredients or allergens matter, compare the exact products. Check the nutritional information too if sugar, salt or sweeteners are part of your decision.
First decide whether you’ll be sharing the breakfast cake there and then, or taking it away in individual portions. Then compare the size and label of the product you want to buy.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Sharing straight away | Check whether the cake is sliced and how many slices are in the pack. | If everyone is having coffee at the same time, I want to hand out slices without having to find a knife first. Sharing straight away is the priority for around 42% of consumers. |
| Taking individual portions | Check whether the slices are individually wrapped, and look at the number of slices and the weight of each one. | Anyone leaving earlier may want to take a sealed portion rather than share an opened cake. Around 33% of consumers prioritise taking individual portions. |
| Ingredients and nutritional information | Check the ingredients, allergens and nutritional values per 100 g or per serving on the exact pack. | If I’m buying for people with different dietary requirements, I want to be able to identify the right product. For around 25% of consumers, this label information matters most. |
A large, sliced breakfast cake is ready to serve, but that doesn’t mean the slices are individually wrapped for people leaving later.
Check the pack for the difference between ‘sliced’ and ‘individually wrapped’, and see how many slices it contains.
According to Peijnenburg, its no-added-sugar variant still contains 4.9 g of sugars per 100 g and includes xylitol. The wording on the front of the pack is no substitute for checking the full nutritional information.
Compare the ingredients and nutritional values per 100 g of the exact products you’re considering.
Not every breakfast cake has to contain baker’s salt: according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use it.
Don’t assume what’s in a breakfast cake based on its name. Check the label or ask the manufacturer if iodine is relevant to your choice.
Ingredients and allergens can vary between breakfast cakes. Choosing a pack for the whole group based only on the brand name could therefore hide important differences.
Check the current allergen information on the exact pack before serving the cake.
Peijnenburg offers, among other products, large sliced cakes and individually wrapped slices.
Jumbo’s range includes breakfast cake in various formats, including sliced cakes and packs with multiple portions.
PLUS sells, among other products, its own-brand 550 g breakfast cake, which is sold unsliced.
ALDI lists, among other products from Koek & Bakker, pre-sliced 485 g breakfast cakes in wholegrain and Zero variants.
This sliced breakfast cake is a good fit for a coffee break when you want to offer several people a slice at the same time, without having to cut it there and then.
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This sliced cake is a handy option when you want to serve slices at a group coffee break without cutting it yourself. The pack contains 485 g; check how many slices it includes if you need a portion for everyone.
If ingredients, allergens or nutritional values matter to the group, check the current label on this pack.
Choose a large sliced cake if you want to serve several people a slice at the same time without cutting it. If they’re leaving at different times, individually wrapped slices are more convenient to take with you.
No, those two descriptions don’t mean the same thing. Peijnenburg lists 4.9 g of sugars per 100 g for its sliced no-added-sugar variant. Check the other ingredients and nutritional values of the product you’re buying too.
Check the allergen information on each exact pack. The Peijnenburg 10-pack described contains rye and lists milk and nuts as possible allergens; don’t assume this information also applies to other variants.
You can’t tell from the type of product alone. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. Check the label or ask the manufacturer about the ingredients in a specific cake.
Follow the storage instructions on the pack you choose. PLUS says to store its unsliced breakfast cake in a cool, dry place away from light; don’t assume the same instructions apply to another variant.
