Choose an unsliced Dutch breakfast cake with a distinctive flavour if you want to cut your own slices and serve it on a platter. If quick serving or fixed portions matter more, a sliced cake or individually wrapped portions may suit you better. If you have specific dietary requirements, always check the label on the variant you choose. According to Stichting Vlaggetjesdag Scheveningen, the festival is all about Hollandse Nieuwe (new-season Dutch herring); breakfast cake is an optional extra, not an essential part of the celebration.
If you want to serve Dutch breakfast cake as a sweet extra at a Vlaggetjesdag gathering, you can cut your own slices from an unsliced cake. Pearl sugar or ginger gives you a different flavour option from plain. According to Stichting Vlaggetjesdag Scheveningen, Hollandse Nieuwe remains the focus of the festival.
If fibre, sugars or wholegrain ingredients are important to your choice, compare the nutritional information for the exact variants. A ‘no added sugars’ claim does not mean the cake contains no sugars.
Check the packaging of the Dutch breakfast cake you choose before serving it. For example, PLUS lists rye and wheat in its Korenlanders Bakers plain breakfast cake, while Jumbo and PLUS list milk and lupin in the gluten-free Peijnenburg variant.
First decide whether the Dutch breakfast cake is mainly for serving on a platter, needs to be easy to hand out or must meet a specific dietary or allergen requirement. Then compare the size and the label of the variant you want to buy.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Presentation and flavour | Check whether the cake is unsliced and which added flavours are listed on the packaging. | I want to cut my own slices for a platter and would rather choose a distinctive flavour than plain; around 37% of consumers prioritise presentation and flavour. |
| Nutritional information | Compare fibre and sugars per 100 g and per portion; also read the ingredients and check for any sweeteners. | If I’m keeping an eye on fibre or added sugars, I want to know what’s in the variant I choose. This nutritional profile is the most important factor for around 27% of consumers. |
| Allergens | Check the current packaging for both ‘contains’ and ‘may contain’ statements; verify the gluten-free claim for the exact variant. | If someone at the table needs to avoid an allergen, a suitable label matters more than flavour; this dietary requirement is decisive for around 18% of consumers. |
| Portions and size | Check the number of slices or individual portions and decide whether you want to cut the cake yourself. | I don’t want to keep cutting slices while serving, and I need enough portions for my guests; around 18% of consumers prioritise this practical convenience. |
Pearl sugar, ginger or an unsliced shape may suit the way you want to present the cake, but the name alone tells you nothing about its sugars, fibre or allergens.
Choose based on flavour and how you plan to serve it first, then compare the nutritional information for the exact variant.
The Peijnenburg variants with no added sugars described by Albert Heijn and Jumbo still list sugars. Jumbo also warns that its variant may have a laxative effect if consumed in excess.
Read the ingredients and compare the ‘of which sugars’ line in the nutrition table.
The gluten-free Peijnenburg breakfast cake described by Jumbo and PLUS contains milk and lupin. So gluten-free does not mean this variant is suitable for every guest with an allergy.
Ask which ingredients need to be avoided and check the packaging of the cake you’re actually serving.
You’ll need to cut an unsliced cake yourself, while sliced cakes and individual portions offer a different way to serve it.
Work out how many slices you need and check that the size you choose will be enough.
Peijnenburg offers a range of Dutch breakfast cakes, including plain, wholemeal, individually wrapped and gluten-free variants.
The PLUS own brand sells a 500 g unsliced Korenlanders Bakers plain breakfast cake.
This ALDI own brand offers unsliced Dutch breakfast cakes with pearl sugar and with ginger.
The Albert Heijn own brand offers a range of Dutch breakfast cakes, including plain, wholemeal and organic variants.
The Jumbo own brand offers a range of flavours and sizes, including plain, wholemeal and individual portions.
These Dutch breakfast cakes offer different ways to serve a sweet extra at Vlaggetjesdag: cut your own slices, serve pre-sliced pieces or hand out individual portions. The word ‘premium’ is not a quality that can be inferred from these options.
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Ideal for cutting your own slices to arrange on a platter.
Unsliced 550 g cake; remember you’ll need to cut it before serving.
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A pre-sliced option if you want to serve slices without cutting the cake yourself.
Wholemeal Dutch breakfast cake, 485 g. Check the packaging if nutritional values or ingredients affect your choice.
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Individual portions are handy if you want to serve them without cutting slices first.
250 g pack. Check the nutrition table on the packaging before choosing based on sugar content.
No, Dutch breakfast cake is not an essential part of Vlaggetjesdag. Stichting Vlaggetjesdag Scheveningen puts Hollandse Nieuwe at the heart of the celebration; you can serve Dutch breakfast cake as a sweet extra if you like.
No, the Peijnenburg variants with no added sugars described by Albert Heijn and Jumbo still contain sugars. For the exact variant, check the ‘of which sugars’ amount per 100 g and per portion.
Not without checking for other allergens. Jumbo and PLUS list milk and lupin in Peijnenburg’s gluten-free Dutch breakfast cake; check the packaging of the one you buy before serving it.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging of your Dutch breakfast cake. For the Peijnenburg variants described, the product information recommends storing the cake in a cool, dry and dark place, preferably in a sealed container or tin.
