If you want to serve snacks quickly
You want to serve or hand out Dutch breakfast cake without any baking preparation. Your choice mainly comes down to sliced, unsliced or individually wrapped portions, and the number of guests.
Which approach is right for you?
If you want to bake with sourdough
You want to make your own recipe and can set aside time for the starter, dough and baking. Check in advance that your chosen recipe is suitable for the cake you want to serve.
If you’re checking allergens for guests
You want to know which grains and other allergens the cake contains before buying. Even with gluten-free Dutch breakfast cake, you’ll need to check the specific label.
What should you look for when choosing?
Ready-made Dutch breakfast cake
Choose this if: you want to put the cake on the table without any baking preparation.
The trade-off: you can’t tell from the product category alone whether a standard Dutch breakfast cake is a sourdough cake; check the packaging for an explicit sourdough claim.
Bake it yourself with sourdough
Choose this if: you want to make a suitable cake yourself and can plan the preparation before snack night.
The trade-off: you’ll need a suitable recipe and time for the starter, dough and baking; sourdough alone says nothing about the sugar content.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who this matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Serving and portions | Compare sliced, unsliced and individually wrapped cake; check the number of pieces or the net weight. | If I want to serve everyone straight away, I don’t want to be slicing up pieces for them on the spot. Around 36% of consumers prioritise easy serving. |
| Sugars and ingredients | Compare the ingredients and nutritional information for sugars, fibre and salt per 100 g and per portion. | When there are different snacks on the table, I want to be able to choose a cake with a composition that suits me. Around 29% of consumers give this comparison top priority. |
| Sourdough and preparation | If you’re baking it yourself, check the recipe and preparation required; for a shop-bought product, look for an explicit sourdough claim. | If I specifically want to make a sourdough cake, I’m happy to put in the extra preparation. This is the main consideration for around 21% of consumers. |
| Gluten and other allergens | Read the current label; for unwrapped cake, ask for allergen information. | If a guest needs to avoid certain ingredients, I want to check the specific product before serving it. This check matters most to around 14% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming the name tells you about the nutrition
Words such as sourdough, wholemeal or zero don’t tell you on their own how much sugar the Dutch breakfast cake contains. Albert Heijn notes that many ready-made Dutch breakfast cakes contain added sugar.
Compare the ingredients list and nutritional information per 100 g and per portion for the variety you’re planning to buy.
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Assuming gluten-free means free from all allergens
The Lekker Vrij van Gluten Ontbijtkoek described by Jumbo contains milk and lupin, and may also contain other allergens. So a gluten-free label doesn’t answer every question about allergens.
Ask guests in advance which ingredients they avoid, and keep the packaging handy when serving so you can check the current allergen information.
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Assuming sourdough bread contains iodine
If you’re serving sourdough bread alongside Dutch breakfast cake, sourdough doesn’t mean the bread was made with baker’s salt. According to the Voedingscentrum, using baker’s salt in bread is not compulsory.
Check the label or ask the baker about the bread if the use of baker’s salt matters to your choice. Don’t draw any conclusions from this about the Dutch breakfast cake.
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Leaving it too late to plan a homemade cake
You’ll need to fit the preparation in before snack night, and you’ll also need to think about how to store the baked cake.
Check the storage instructions in your recipe and plan your baking and serving around them.
Brands and product ranges to consider
Peijnenburg
Dutch breakfast cake in a range of pack formats for anyone looking for a classic, ready-made option.
- According to Peijnenburg, the Naturel 10-pack contains ten individually wrapped slices weighing 28 g each.
- For this specific variety, the manufacturer lists rye flour and 38 g of sugars per 100 g. Check the allergen information on the pack you buy, too.
Albert Heijn huismerk
Unsliced plain Dutch breakfast cake for anyone who wants to choose the thickness of each slice.
- Albert Heijn lists a 550 g plain variety and a 400 g organic plain variety.
- Check the ingredients and allergens for each variety; a plain label doesn’t confirm that sourdough was used.
Jumbo huismerk
A range of sizes and flavours of Dutch breakfast cake for a snack table.
- Jumbo offers, among other options, sliced, unsliced, plain and wholemeal varieties.
- Don’t choose based on the category name alone: check the product information for your chosen variety if sourdough or a particular ingredient is essential.
Jumbo Lekker Vrij van Gluten
A specific unsliced Dutch breakfast cake for anyone who needs a gluten-free option.
- Jumbo describes this variety as gluten-free and displays the crossed grain symbol.
- The product information lists milk and lupin, and warns that other allergens may be present. Check the current label.
Lidl Ontbijtkoek zero
A Dutch breakfast cake variety for anyone looking specifically for this product.
- Lidl lists a 485 g pack.
- Don’t assume that zero indicates a particular sugar content or other nutritional property; check the packaging for details.
Dutch breakfast cake to serve straight away
These ready-made Dutch breakfast cakes are a good fit for a snack night when you don’t want to bake. Check the packaging format, ingredients and current nutritional information for each product if these will affect your choice.
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Snelle Jelle Breakfast Cake Less Sugar-Free 250 g
A ready-made option if you want to serve cake without baking it yourself. Check the packaging for portion details, allergens and the exact sugar information; the name Less Sugar-Free is no substitute for this. If sourdough matters to your choice, check separately whether it’s mentioned.
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g'woon unsliced Dutch breakfast cake 550 g
A ready-made cake to serve at snack night. Before buying, check the pack format and weight: as well as the 550 g unsliced option, a 485 g sliced option is also listed. Read the current label for allergen information, and check for a sourdough claim if that matters to you.
Frequently asked questions
Is sourdough Dutch breakfast cake less sweet?
No. Sourdough alone says nothing about the amount of sugars. For shop-bought Dutch breakfast cake, compare the nutritional information for the specific product; if you’re baking it yourself, check the ingredients in your recipe.
How do I check for allergens when buying Dutch breakfast cake for guests?
Before buying, read the current ingredients list and allergen information for your chosen Dutch breakfast cake. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that the 14 designated allergens must be listed on the label. For unwrapped cake, ask for allergen information.
Is gluten-free Dutch breakfast cake also free from other allergens?
Not necessarily. The product information for Jumbo Lekker Vrij van Gluten Unsliced Dutch Breakfast Cake lists milk and lupin, and warns that other allergens may be present. So even with a gluten-free variety, check the specific pack.
Does sourdough bread served alongside Dutch breakfast cake always contain iodised baker’s salt?
No. According to the Voedingscentrum, bread doesn’t have to be baked with baker’s salt. If you’re also serving sourdough bread and this distinction matters to your choice, read the label or ask the baker; it tells you nothing about the ingredients in the Dutch breakfast cake.