Hosts catering for several guests
You want to put enough slices on a platter. Compare the pack weight and check how many portions the manufacturer states before deciding how many packs you need.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Hosts catering for a guest with a specific dietary requirement
If a guest needs a gluten-free option, or you want to offer a variety with no added sugar, check the label, ingredients and allergen information to help you choose.
Hosts looking to serve a flavoured variety
Perhaps you’re looking for plain, raisin, ginger or pearl sugar for coffee or dessert. Check that the flavour you choose will suit your guests, and whether you’ll need to slice the cake yourself.
What should you look for when choosing?
First, work out how many slices you want to serve. Then check for any dietary requirements, and only after that choose the flavour and pack format.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it’s relevant to |
|---|---|---|
| Portions and packaging | Check the net weight and the stated number of portions. | I want enough slices for my guests, without running short halfway through serving; around 50% of consumers prioritise having enough portions. |
| Dietary requirements and allergens | Check the gluten-free label, ingredients and allergen information on the pack you choose; for a variety with no added sugar, check the sweeteners too. | If a guest needs a gluten-free option, I want to know exactly which cake I can serve and what other allergens it contains; around 20% of consumers prioritise suitability for their dietary needs. |
| Flavour and presentation | Choose a flavour to suit the occasion, and decide whether you want sliced or unsliced cake. | With coffee, I want to be able to serve the slices straight away or choose the thickness myself; around 30% of consumers prioritise flavour and presentation. |
Common mistakes
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Serving standard rye breakfast cake as a gluten-free option
Standard breakfast cakes from retailers including PLUS and Jumbo list rye or wheat. Even a variety explicitly labelled gluten-free may contain other allergens: Albert Heijn’s gluten-free Peijnenburg variety lists milk and lupin.
Ask guests in advance about any relevant allergies or intolerances, and read the label on the exact pack you’re buying.
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Assuming ‘no added sugar’ means ‘sugar-free’
A breakfast cake with no added sugar may still contain sugars. Jumbo’s sliced variety included in this research lists sweeteners and carries a warning that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
Check the sugars per 100 g, the sweeteners and any warnings on the current label.
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Assuming every breakfast cake contains iodised baker’s salt
According to the Voedingscentrum, bakers don’t always use baker’s salt. So you can’t tell whether it’s present just from the product category.
Check the ingredients list for the breakfast cake you choose if this is relevant to your decision.
Brands to consider
Peijnenburg
The retailers included in this research stock Peijnenburg in plain and flavoured varieties, as well as individual portions.
- Jumbo stocked plain packs, as well as varieties with raisins, ginger and pearl sugar.
- The gluten-free Peijnenburg variety listed by Albert Heijn contains milk and lupin, so ‘gluten-free’ doesn’t tell you everything about other allergens.
Jumbo
Jumbo’s range included standard breakfast cake and a sliced variety with no added sugar.
- Jumbo states that its 280 g plain pack contains around 11 portions.
- The sliced variety with no added sugar included in this research contains sweeteners; Jumbo warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
PLUS
PLUS lists a 485 g sliced plain breakfast cake and a 500 g Korenlanders Bakkers variety.
- The sliced plain variety can go straight onto a platter, with no need to cut it.
- The ingredients information for the Korenlanders Bakkers variety lists wheat and rye, and warns that it may contain nuts.
Koek & Bakker
ALDI lists sliced zero and wholemeal breakfast cakes from Koek & Bakker, as well as a pearl sugar variety.
- The sliced zero and wholemeal varieties are both listed in 485 g packs.
- According to ALDI, the 465 g pearl sugar variety is unsliced, so allow time to cut it if you want to serve it.
Bolletje
Jumbo lists Bolletje Sliced Breakfast Cake in a 500 g pack.
- The sliced format is handy if you want to serve the slices straight away.
- If you’re catering for dietary requirements, check the ingredients and allergen information on the pack you choose.
Dutch breakfast cake on Joybuy
These two products come in different formats for serving Dutch breakfast cake: a 250 g Snelle Jelle variety and a 485 g sliced wholemeal breakfast cake. Check the portions and any dietary requirements on the packaging before serving your guests.
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Snelle Jelle Breakfast Cake Less Sugar-Free, 250 g
This 250 g pack can help you plan how much you’ll need for your guests. The variety name is no substitute for the nutritional information: check the sugars per 100 g and the ingredients on the label.
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g'woon wholemeal breakfast cake, sliced, 485 g
The sliced format is handy if you want to serve the slices straight away. The pack contains 485 g; work out how many packs you’ll need for your guests, and check the current label if you’re catering for dietary requirements.
Frequently asked questions
How much Dutch breakfast cake do I need for a dinner party?
Check the number of portions on the pack and work out how many guests will want a slice. For example, Jumbo states that its 280 g plain breakfast cake contains around 11 portions. If you’re serving other snacks too, factor those into your plans.
Can I serve standard breakfast cake to someone who needs to eat gluten-free?
Only choose a product explicitly labelled gluten-free. The standard breakfast cakes from PLUS and Jumbo included in this research list rye or wheat. For a gluten-free variety, check the label for other allergens too.
Is breakfast cake with no added sugar also sugar-free?
No. Jumbo’s sliced variety with no added sugar included in this research still contains 5,8 g of sugars per 100 g. The product contains sweeteners, and the product information warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
Does breakfast cake always contain iodised baker’s salt?
No, don’t assume that it does. According to the Voedingscentrum, bakers don’t always use baker’s salt. Check the ingredients list for the breakfast cake you choose.