If you’re looking specifically for something sourdough to serve with coffee when friends visit, don’t choose a Dutch breakfast cake based on its artisanal appearance. Check that sourdough is explicitly mentioned on the packaging, or ask the baker. A regular Dutch breakfast cake may be easier to share; a separate sourdough loaf is another option, but it won’t have the sweet, soft texture of breakfast cake. Whichever you choose, bear your guests’ ingredients and dietary requirements in mind.
If you want to serve something made with sourdough, ask the baker for a product that actually uses sourdough. You could also serve a sourdough loaf alongside Dutch breakfast cake, as long as you don’t present it as sourdough breakfast cake.
If you’re expecting guests who avoid gluten or certain allergens, check the ingredients and allergen information for each product. A Zero option and a gluten-free option meet different needs.
For an informal coffee get-together, sliced portions or individually wrapped servings can be handy. Peijnenburg, for example, lists a pack of ten individually wrapped 28 g slices; the packaging tells you nothing about whether sourdough is used.
First decide whether sourdough is essential, or whether the Dutch breakfast cake simply needs to suit your guests. Then check the ingredients, nutritional information and packaging for each product.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Actual sourdough | Look for an explicit mention of sourdough on the packaging, or ask the baker how it’s made. Rye and spices alone are no proof. | If I specifically want to serve something sourdough with coffee, a regular Dutch breakfast cake isn’t necessarily what I’m looking for. This is the top priority for around 31% of consumers. |
| Gluten and allergens | Read the current ingredients list, allergen information and any cross-contamination warnings. Check for a gluten-free claim separately from other allergens. | If a guest needs to avoid certain ingredients, I want to be able to choose a product by checking the label. Suitability is the top priority for around 31% of consumers. |
| Sugars and nutritional information | Compare sugars and other relevant nutritional values per 100 g and per serving; check the ingredients too. The name Zero doesn’t tell you how much sugar a serving contains. | If I want to cater for someone who prefers less added sugar, I’d rather compare the information on the packaging than rely on product names alone. This is the first consideration for around 23% of consumers. |
| Sharing and taking with you | Check the number of slices or portions, whether the cake is pre-sliced, and where you can buy it. | If I want to serve coffee and food to friends without much preparation, the packaging can make a difference. This convenience comes first for around 15% of consumers. |
Rye, spices or an artisanal presentation don’t confirm that a cake was made with sourdough. Jumbo lists its sourdough breads separately from its Dutch breakfast cake range.
If sourdough is essential, check the product description or ask the baker how it’s made.
PLUS lists rye flour as an ingredient in PLUS Ontbijtkoek Zero. The Dutch breakfast cake that Jumbo labels gluten-free lists milk and lupin as allergens. So neither name answers every question about ingredients.
Start with the restriction that matters to your guest, then read the full, current label.
According to the Voedingscentrum, bakers don’t always use iodine-fortified baker’s salt. So you can’t tell whether it’s present just from the product category.
Check the ingredients for the cake in question, or ask the baker what kind of salt was used.
These examples show the kinds of Dutch breakfast cake you can compare. Information about a range doesn’t automatically apply to every product from that brand or shop.
Dutch breakfast cake in plain, wholemeal and individually wrapped varieties, among others.
A range that includes AH plain, wholemeal and Zero Dutch breakfast cake, alongside products from other brands.
Stocks Dutch breakfast cake and also lists a separate range of sourdough breads.
A range that includes plain, wholemeal and Zero Dutch breakfast cake.
Lists Tastino Dutch breakfast cake and a Zero variety, among others.
ALDI describes a pre-sliced 485 g Koek & Bakker Ontbijtkoek Zero.
No, they’re different products. Jumbo lists sourdough bread separately from Dutch breakfast cake. If you specifically want to serve sourdough breakfast cake, check that sourdough is explicitly mentioned for that cake, or ask the baker.
Not automatically: Zero and gluten-free describe different product characteristics. PLUS Ontbijtkoek Zero, for example, contains rye flour. If you need a gluten-free option, check the claim and current label for the specific product.
Read the ingredients list and allergen information on the packaging of the product you’re going to serve. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that allergens in prepacked foods must be clearly listed in the ingredients list. For unpackaged products, ask for allergen information before buying.
You can’t assume that it does. According to the Voedingscentrum, bakers don’t always use baker’s salt; check the product ingredients or ask the baker what kind of salt was used.
Follow the storage advice on the packaging of the Dutch breakfast cake you’ve bought. For example, PLUS recommends resealing the pack of its Korenlanders Dutch breakfast cake properly after opening. Check the best-before date on your own product too.
