Dark Chocolate Egg Cakes for Mother's Day: Which to Choose?

Who are these options suitable for?

Dark chocolate lover

You want to choose which chocolate to use for Mother’s Day. With a separate chocolate bar, you can check the stated cocoa percentage. If you bake from scratch, you can also add cocoa to the mixture.

Host with little time to prepare

You want to decorate plain egg cakes for a coffee break without making the mixture yourself. Jumbo suggests using melted dark chocolate to decorate egg cakes.

Shopper who needs to check allergens

You’re choosing ingredients for someone who needs to consider allergens. Check the current packaging of both the egg cakes and the chocolate for ingredients and any warnings about the possible presence of allergens.

What should you look for when choosing?

First, decide how much you want to prepare yourself: bake egg cakes from scratch, decorate plain ones or assess a ready-made option. Then check that the chocolate and other ingredients you choose are suitable for the recipient.

Bake your own chocolate egg cakes

When to choose it: Choose this option if you want to use cocoa in the mixture and dark chocolate in the recipe; 24Kitchen’s recipe combines both.

Things to consider: You choose the ingredients yourself, but you’ll need to set aside time to bake and check every ingredient for allergens.

Decorate plain egg cakes

When to choose it: Choose this option if you don’t want to bake, but would like to select a dark chocolate bar with a stated cocoa percentage.

Things to consider: The egg cake itself remains plain; you melt the chocolate separately to decorate it.

Ready-made chocolate egg cake

When to choose it: Consider this option if the current packaging lists the chocolate and ingredients you’re looking for.

Things to consider: The name alone doesn’t tell you whether dark chocolate has been used. A Jumbo version described previously had cocoa-based decoration and is no longer in the online range.

What to consider	What to check when buying	Who it matters to
Chocolate flavour	Check whether the mixture contains cocoa, or choose a chocolate bar with a stated cocoa percentage for decorating.	If I want a pronounced chocolate flavour, I want to know which chocolate is actually in the treat. Around 42% of consumers put checking the flavour first.
Preparation	Decide whether you have time to bake or would rather decorate ready-made egg cakes with melted dark chocolate.	For a Mother’s Day coffee break, I want to serve something without making the mixture first. Quick preparation is the main priority for around 33% of consumers.
Ingredients and allergens	Read the ingredients and relevant allergen warnings on the current packaging of both products.	If I’m sharing the treat with someone who needs to consider allergens, I need to be able to check both packages. This check matters most to around 25% of consumers.

Common mistakes

Assuming ‘chocolate’ means ‘dark chocolate’

Jumbo described a chocolate egg cake as having cocoa-based decoration. This description doesn’t confirm that the topping is made from dark chocolate.

For a ready-made egg cake, read the ingredients and product description. If you’re adding chocolate yourself, check the cocoa percentage on the bar you choose.
Assuming dark chocolate contains no relevant allergens

Ingredients or warnings about the possible presence of allergens can still be relevant for dark chocolate. You’ll also need to check the egg cake itself.

Check the current packaging of both products, including the allergen information and any ‘may contain’ warnings.
Taking a higher cocoa percentage as dietary advice

A cocoa percentage can help you choose chocolate, but on its own it doesn’t tell you whether the complete treat suits someone’s dietary preferences. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre also points out that dark chocolate contains saturated fat and calories.

Use the percentage to choose your chocolate, and check the nutritional information and portion size of each product separately.
Relying on an old product page

The Jumbo Eierkoeken met Chocolade described here is no longer in the online range. The description of that version therefore doesn’t represent a current buying option.

Check the current range and the label on the product you actually choose shortly before buying.

Brands and places to shop for inspiration

Albert Heijn

A place to shop for plain egg cakes and a separate dark chocolate bar to decorate them yourself.

Albert Heijn lists several types of egg cakes and dark chocolate bars with stated cocoa percentages.
Choose the chocolate bar and egg cake separately; the cocoa percentage of a bar tells you nothing about a ready-made egg cake.

Jumbo

A recipe to use as a starting point for egg cakes with a homemade dark chocolate topping.

Jumbo specifically suggests melted dark chocolate as a decoration for egg cakes.
The Jumbo Eierkoeken met Chocolade described previously is no longer in the online range; its topping was described as cocoa-based decoration.

Bolletje

A brand to consider if you want to use a ready-made egg cake as the base for your own decoration.

Bolletje describes its Brosse Eierkoek as light and airy thanks to whisked egg.
For the Brosse Eierkoek described, Bolletje lists egg, cereals containing gluten, milk and soya among the allergens. Check the packaging of the version you choose before buying.

Verkade

A chocolate option for anyone who wants to decorate an egg cake themselves and check the chocolate ingredients separately.

Albert Heijn lists a cocoa percentage for Verkade Kookchocolade on its product page.
The product information lists soya and the possible presence of milk, wheat, almonds and hazelnuts. Check the packaging if allergens are relevant.

Related products at Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Are chocolate egg cakes automatically made with dark chocolate?

No, the product name alone doesn’t confirm this. Jumbo previously described a version with cocoa-based decoration; check the current ingredients and chocolate description of the product you’re buying.

How can I give plain egg cakes a dark chocolate flavour?

You can decorate them with melted dark chocolate, as Jumbo suggests in its egg cake recipe. Choose a bar based on its stated cocoa percentage, and check the ingredients if you’re serving someone else.

Which allergens should I check for this treat?

Check the current packaging of both the egg cakes and the chocolate for allergens relevant to the recipient. These may include egg, cereals containing gluten, milk, soya and nuts. Also read any warnings about the possible presence of allergens; the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains allergen information on food labels.

How should I store chocolate for decorating?

Follow the storage instructions on the packaging of the chocolate bar you choose. Albert Heijn advises storing Verkade Kookchocolade 74% cacao in a cool, dry, dark place; this advice doesn’t automatically tell you how to store a decorated egg cake.

Does a higher cocoa percentage make an egg cake healthier?

A higher cocoa percentage doesn’t automatically make the whole egg cake healthier. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that dark chocolate also contains saturated fat and calories; consider the nutritional information and portion size separately from the chocolate flavour you want.