Choose a ready-made Dutch egg cake if you mainly want something to eat on the train without any preparation, and a pronounced cocoa flavour isn’t essential. If you want to choose the dark chocolate yourself, you can decorate an egg cake in advance, as Jumbo suggests in a recipe. This takes a little preparation, so check the cocoa percentage and the labels on both the egg cake and the chocolate.
You want the chocolate on your egg cake to suit your taste, not just look dark. Choosing a dark chocolate separately lets you check the cocoa information on the packaging, but you’ll need to prepare your snack in advance.
A plain egg cake is an option if you don’t want to spend time decorating and chocolate isn’t a must. Albert Heijn and Jumbo offer plain, mini and wholemeal egg cakes, among other varieties. Compare the packaging and portion size to find one that suits your journey.
You can check the ingredients, nutritional values per 100 g and per portion, or the allergens in your chosen variety. If you’re adding chocolate, that has its own label to check too.
A good fit if: you want to take an egg cake on the train without having to decorate it first.
The trade-off: the plain, mini and wholemeal varieties in Albert Heijn and Jumbo’s ranges don’t, on their own, provide evidence that they have a high cocoa content.
A good fit if: you want to choose the chocolate yourself and can prepare the egg cake before setting off; Jumbo suggests this in a recipe tip.
The trade-off: you’ll need time to prepare it, and you’ll also need to check the chocolate packaging for its cocoa content, ingredients and allergens.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who should consider this? |
|---|---|---|
| Dark cocoa flavour | Check that it is labelled as dark chocolate and, if a high cocoa content is essential, check the stated cocoa percentage. | If you specifically want a dark chocolate flavour, a brown decoration alone won’t tell you enough. For around 42% of consumers, a cocoa flavour they can verify is the top priority. |
| Nutritional information and allergens | Compare the nutritional values per 100 g and per portion; if the egg cake is decorated, read the ingredients lists for both products. | If ingredients or allergens determine my choice, I want to know what’s in both the egg cake and the chocolate. Around 33% of consumers prioritise checking the labels. |
| Convenience and portion size | Check the portion size and packaging, and confirm that your chosen variety is available before setting off. | For a train journey, I want something I can take with me and eat straight away, without decorating it first. Convenience matters most to around 25% of consumers. |
A Jumbo product page for an egg cake with chocolate decoration listed cocoa powder but no cocoa percentage. You can’t tell the percentage from the colour either.
If a high cocoa content matters to you, check the cocoa information on the current label of the chocolate or product.
Jumbo says that its egg cake with chocolate decoration is no longer part of its online range. A temporary in-store listing also doesn’t guarantee it will be available for a later journey.
If you want to take a specific variety with you, check the latest product or store information shortly before setting off.
The value per egg cake doesn’t tell you the same thing as the value per 100 g, especially when you’re comparing portions of different sizes.
Read both figures on the packaging and check which portion you’ll actually be taking with you.
When you decorate it yourself, you’re combining two products, each with its own ingredients. Bolletje lists egg, cereals containing gluten, milk and soya among the ingredients in its Brosse Eierkoek; other varieties may differ.
Check the current labels of the exact egg cake and chocolate you’re using, especially if allergens are important to your choice.
The egg cake range includes plain, mini, wholemeal and spelt varieties, among others, for anyone looking for a ready-made option.
The range includes plain, mini and wholemeal egg cakes. Jumbo also suggests decorating egg cakes with melted dark chocolate as a recipe tip.
Bolletje describes its Brosse Eierkoek as a light, airy variety for anyone who chooses mainly by texture.
Lidl has listed egg cakes as a limited-time offer available in store only.
No. The colour or chocolate decoration doesn’t confirm a high cocoa content. A Jumbo product page for an egg cake with chocolate decoration listed cocoa powder but no cocoa percentage. Check the current label if that percentage will determine your choice.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging and protect the portion you’re taking with you from being crushed. Albert Heijn advises storing its plain egg cakes in a cool, dry place away from light and closing the packaging securely after use. If you’ve added a chocolate coating yourself, let it set before wrapping the egg cake separately.
Check the ingredients list for your chosen variety and, if you’re decorating it yourself, check the chocolate too. Bolletje Brosse Eierkoek lists egg, cereals containing gluten, milk and soya, among other ingredients. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that allergens must be indicated on the labels of prepacked foods.
Compare the nutritional information per 100 g and per portion, so differences in cake size are clear. If you’re adding chocolate, check its packaging too; a single set of nutritional values won’t tell you whether the combination suits your needs.
