Who is this choice relevant to?

Organisers catering for a mixed group

You want to offer something to suit different tastes and ingredient preferences, such as plain Dutch breakfast cake alongside a wholemeal version.

Shoppers comparing sugar and fibre

You look beyond terms such as ‘wholemeal’ or ‘less sugar’ and compare the nutritional information for the options you’re considering, both per 100 g and per serving.

Parents who portion things out in advance

You’re looking for pre-sliced cake to hand out, or individually wrapped bars to give out after the hunt.

What should you look for?

First decide which types of Dutch breakfast cake you want to offer. Then compare the nutritional information and packaging of the specific products.

What to consider What to check Who it matters to
Wholemeal, fibre and sugar Compare the proportion of wholemeal flour, fibre and sugar per 100 g; also check the actual serving size. If I want to offer wholemeal Dutch breakfast cake but also keep an eye on sugar, I need to be able to compare both figures on the same label. Around 36% of consumers prioritise this trade-off.
Choice of flavours and varieties Check the ingredients in plain, wholemeal and any reduced-sugar or no-added-sugar options; look out for sweeteners too. With fussy eaters, I don’t want to rely on just one type of Dutch breakfast cake. Around 29% of consumers prioritise having a choice of varieties.
Handing out portions Check whether the cake is pre-sliced or individually wrapped, and how many slices or bars are in the pack. I don’t want to have to cut the cake during the hunt, and I want to be able to hand out portions easily. This is the main concern for around 21% of consumers.
Packaging and availability Check how many portions are in each pack and whether the variety you want is available from your chosen retailer. For a larger group, I want to know how many packs I’ll need and where I can buy the variety I’ve chosen. Around 14% of consumers prioritise this.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming ‘wholemeal’ means ‘low in sugar’

    Jumbo lists 35.5 g of sugar per 100 g for its wholemeal Dutch breakfast cake. So the proportion of wholemeal flour doesn’t tell you how much sugar the cake contains.

    Compare the nutritional information for the exact varieties per 100 g, then check how much a single slice weighs.

  • Assuming ‘no added sugar’ means ‘no sweeteners’

    Jumbo’s product information for Peijnenburg wholemeal Dutch breakfast cake with no added sugar lists xylitol and polyols. It also includes a warning about excessive consumption and a warning about animals.

    Read the ingredients list and warnings on the pack you choose. Keep Dutch breakfast cake containing xylitol out of reach of pets.

  • Choosing one variety for the whole group

    Plain, wholemeal and no-added-sugar varieties have different ingredients. One option may not suit everyone’s preferences in a mixed group.

    Consider offering two clearly identifiable varieties, and keep the packaging with its ingredients and allergen information to hand.

Brands to consider

Peijnenburg

Offers plain, wholemeal and reduced-sugar or no-added-sugar varieties, so you can compare options within the range.

  • For its pre-sliced wholemeal variety with no added sugar, Jumbo lists 40% wholegrain rye flour, 17 g of fibre and 4.9 g of sugar per 100 g.
  • According to Jumbo, the same variety also contains xylitol and polyols. These figures and ingredients don’t automatically apply to other Peijnenburg varieties.

Jumbo

Offers plain and wholemeal Dutch breakfast cake, among other options, in a range of pack sizes.

  • Jumbo lists 35.9% wholemeal rye flour and 8.2 g of fibre per 100 g for its wholemeal Dutch breakfast cake.
  • The same product lists 35.5 g of sugar per 100 g. So it’s worth checking the nutritional information for wholemeal varieties too.

Albert Heijn

Its range of pre-sliced Dutch breakfast cake includes both AH own-brand options and Peijnenburg varieties.

  • At Albert Heijn, you can compare the product information for different pre-sliced varieties side by side.
  • Albert Heijn notes that ingredients, nutritional values and allergen information can change. Check the packaging when you buy.

Koek & Bakker

ALDI’s own brand, with options including pre-sliced wholemeal Dutch breakfast cake and a pre-sliced zero-sugar variety.

  • ALDI lists both varieties in 485 g packs. The pre-sliced format is handy if you want to hand out slices.
  • To compare sugar, fibre and allergens, check the nutritional information on the pack you choose.

PLUS

Offers own-brand options including pre-sliced Dutch breakfast cake and breakfast cake bars.

  • PLUS lists a 485 g pack of pre-sliced wholemeal cake and a pack of six reduced-sugar bars weighing 300 g in total.
  • Compare the ingredients and nutritional information for each specific variety before choosing between slices and bars.

Dutch breakfast cake for different ways of handing it out

These Joybuy products show two types of packaging: pre-sliced wholemeal Dutch breakfast cake to hand out by the slice, and breakfast cake bars to portion out in advance. Compare the ingredients and nutritional information on the pack you choose before picking a variety for the group.

g'woon pre-sliced wholemeal Dutch breakfast cake, 485 g

g'woon pre-sliced wholemeal Dutch breakfast cake, 485 g

The pre-sliced format is handy if you want to hand out slices on the day. Only compare sugar and fibre with another cake once you’ve checked whether the figures on the pack are per 100 g or per serving. If you have a rye or gluten allergy, check the latest ingredients and allergen information.

View on Joybuy
Snelle Jelle Less Sugar-Free breakfast cake, 250 g

Snelle Jelle Less Sugar-Free breakfast cake, 250 g

According to the product description, the pack contains five individually wrapped 50 g bars, making them easy to portion out in advance. The words ‘Sugar-Free’ in the product name don’t mean you should assume the cake is sugar-free: check the sugar content per 100 g and the ingredients on the latest packaging. If you have allergies, also check for rye, gluten and possible traces of nuts and milk.

View on Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Is wholemeal Dutch breakfast cake automatically low in sugar?

No. Jumbo lists 35.5 g of sugar per 100 g for its wholemeal Dutch breakfast cake, while Peijnenburg wholemeal cake with no added sugar contains 4.9 g per 100 g. Compare the nutritional information for the specific varieties you’re considering.

Does ‘no added sugar’ also mean ‘no sweeteners’?

No. Jumbo lists xylitol and 24 g of polyols per 100 g for Peijnenburg wholemeal Dutch breakfast cake with no added sugar. Read the warnings on the pack too: for this variety, it states that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.

Can Dutch breakfast cake containing xylitol be left within reach of pets?

No. Keep the Peijnenburg variety containing xylitol out of reach of pets. The product information shown by Jumbo says xylitol is not suitable for animals and advises contacting a vet immediately if an animal eats it.

Which allergens should I check for in Dutch breakfast cake?

Check the ingredients and allergen information on the exact pack you’re buying. Jumbo lists rye, wheat and gluten for its wholemeal Dutch breakfast cake; you shouldn’t assume the same applies to other varieties.

Does all Dutch breakfast cake contain iodine from baker’s salt?

Don’t assume it does. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that iodine compounds may be present in bakery products through baker’s salt, but that doesn’t tell you whether a particular Dutch breakfast cake contains them. Check the ingredients information or ask the manufacturer.