Chocolate flakes from a box are a good choice for finishing a cake: in a Jumbo recipe, dark chocolate flakes are added only once the cake has set. An individual chocolate bar is not a box of flakes. So first check whether your recipe calls for a topping or chocolate to melt, then choose the flavour, pack size and ingredients that suit you.
Want to sprinkle flakes over a cake once it’s finished or set? That’s what a Jumbo recipe does, adding dark chocolate flakes as a decorative nest in the final step. If your recipe calls for chocolate to be melted, choose according to the recipe.
If you want a dark chocolate topping, you can compare the cocoa content and pack size of the options you’re considering. Jumbo and PLUS both list their dark chocolate flakes in 300 g boxes, but with different minimum cocoa contents.
If you’re making a cake for others, read the ingredients and allergen information on the exact pack you plan to use. The listed ingredients and warnings vary between dark chocolate flakes, milk chocolate flakes and decorative mixes.
Start with the step in your cake recipe: flakes for decorating and chocolate that needs to be melted are not automatically interchangeable. Then compare the flavour or look you want with the ingredients listed on the specific pack.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Use in the recipe | Are the flakes added to the finished cake, or does the recipe call for chocolate to be melted? | I want to decorate the cake without replacing an ingredient in the mixture. For around 37% of consumers, this finishing touch comes first. |
| Dark chocolate flakes and pack size | Compare the stated cocoa content and choose a box size that suits how much you want to use. | I’m specifically looking for dark chocolate flakes for my topping and want to know how much is in the box. Around 27% of consumers prioritise this combination. |
| Colour and shape | Decide whether you want just chocolate flakes or a mix with other flakes and shapes; check any age warnings. | For a themed cake, the look of the topping matters to me. For around 18% of consumers, a decorative mix is the main reason for choosing. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients list and both the ‘contains’ and ‘may contain’ information on the pack you’ve chosen. | If other people will be eating the cake, I want to check which ingredients and allergens are listed in the topping first. This is the top priority for around 18% of consumers. |
In Jumbo’s cake recipe, the flakes are added as decoration only after the cake has set. That doesn’t tell you whether they’re suitable for a recipe that calls for melted chocolate or chocolate in the mixture.
Check which type of chocolate your recipe specifies for each step, and buy flakes when you want them as a topping.
Jumbo says its dark chocolate flakes may contain milk. PLUS describes its dark chocolate flakes as vegan, but also states that they may contain milk and lactose.
If an allergen is relevant to the people eating the cake, check the full information on the pack of the option you’ve chosen.
Venz Rimboe contains shapes as well as chocolate and vanilla flakes. According to the product information, the shapes are not suitable for children under 3; the mix also lists several allergens.
Read the age warning and ingredients before using this mix on a cake.
The chocolate flakes listed from De Ruijter, Jumbo, Venz and PLUS are sold in boxes. So if you’re looking for a single bar, that’s a different type of product.
Before buying, decide whether you want sprinkles for finishing a cake or an individual chocolate bar for another step in the recipe.
The milk chocolate flakes reviewed come in a 200 g box. PLUS recommends this option for use on cakes and cupcakes, among other things.
The own-brand range reviewed includes dark, milk and duo flakes in 300 g boxes.
The Rimboe option reviewed combines chocolate flakes, vanilla flakes and coloured shapes.
The own-brand dark chocolate flakes reviewed come in a 300 g box.
ALDI lists Kiekeboe milk and dark chocolate flakes in a 300 g pack.
Yes, as a decorative finish: a Jumbo recipe adds dark chocolate flakes only after the cake has set. If your recipe calls for chocolate to be melted, check which type it specifies; that use isn’t covered by using flakes as a topping.
Yes, check the pack of the option you’ve chosen if allergens are relevant to the people eating the cake. Jumbo says its dark chocolate flakes may contain milk; milk chocolate flakes and decorative mixes may list different ingredients and warnings.
Follow the storage instructions on the pack. The product information reviewed for Jumbo, PLUS and De Ruijter says to store in a cool, dry place; also check the best-before date on the box you’re using.
