Home bakers making a base or crumb topping
If you want to cut your own pieces or make crumbs, the shape of the Dutch spiced cake determines how much preparation is involved. For example, Lidl Recipes features a dessert with a pearl sugar cake base.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Bakers who want to balance the sweetness
If you’re using a sweet filling, icing or fruit, you’ll want to take the sugars in the Dutch spiced cake into account. Compare the nutritional information for the exact varieties and check for any sweeteners too.
Bakers checking ingredients and allergens
If anyone eating the dessert needs to avoid certain grains, the pack for your chosen variety is the key source of information. Check for rye, wheat and gluten, as well as any ‘may contain’ statements.
What should you look for in Dutch spiced cake for a recipe?
First decide whether you need slices, pieces or crumbs. Then compare the ingredients with the rest of the recipe and take the needs of everyone eating it into account.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Shape and texture | Check whether the cake is sliced or unsliced, and whether it contains pieces or a topping. | If I’m making a biscuit base, I want to decide how finely to crumble the Dutch spiced cake myself; for around 40% of consumers, that flexibility would be the main reason to buy. |
| Sugars and sweeteners | Compare sugars per 100 g and per serving. For varieties with no added sugar, check the ingredients and warnings too. | When using a sweet filling, I want to know how much sugar the Dutch spiced cake adds. Getting that balance right would be the main priority for around 30% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the current pack to see which grains are present and which are listed under ‘may contain’. | If anyone eating it needs to avoid certain grains, I don’t want to miss an ingredient or a ‘may contain’ statement; for around 30% of consumers, checking the ingredients would be the main concern. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming ‘premium’ always means better for baking
A description such as ‘luxury’ doesn’t tell you whether the flavour and texture will suit your base or dessert. Pieces of ginger or pearl sugar may stand out if you’re after an even layer of crumbs.
Compare the shape of the cake, its ingredients and whether the pieces or topping suit your recipe, rather than relying on the description alone.
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Reading ‘no added sugar’ as ‘sugar-free’
According to Jumbo, its variety with 0% added sugar still contains sugars and maltitols. The product information also warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
Check the sugars per 100 g, the ingredients and the warnings on the pack before combining the cake with other sweet ingredients.
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Relying on the label from a previous purchase
Ingredients and allergen information can change when a product is updated. This is particularly important if rye, wheat or other grains need to be avoided by anyone eating it.
Check the pack of the variety you’ve actually bought just before using it.
Brands to consider
Peijnenburg
Peijnenburg offers several varieties of Dutch spiced cake, including a sliced plain variety.
- Peijnenburg states that its plain variety comes in a 550 g pack containing 18 slices.
- This variety contains rye flour and glucose-fructose syrup. Check the ingredients if these matter for your recipe or anyone eating it.
Jumbo
Jumbo offers a standard plain Dutch spiced cake and a sliced variety with 0% added sugar.
- The product information for the standard variety lists its ingredients and allergens; the variety with 0% added sugar lists nutritional values per 100 g.
- The variety with 0% added sugar contains maltitols and carries a warning about excessive consumption. No added sugar does not mean sugar-free in this case.
PLUS
PLUS offers a 550 g unsliced plain Dutch spiced cake, so you can cut the pieces you need for your recipe.
- The product information confirms that it is unsliced and provides ingredient and allergen information for this variety.
- According to PLUS, the variety contains glucose-fructose syrup and 36 g of sugars per 100 g; wheat, barley and oats are listed as possible traces.
Koek & Bakker
This ALDI brand offers unsliced varieties of Dutch spiced cake with pearl sugar or ginger.
- ALDI describes the pearl sugar variety as having crunchy sugar pearls and the ginger variety as containing pieces of ginger.
- Choose one of these varieties only if the pieces suit the flavour and texture you’re after. Check the information on the pack you choose before buying.
Tastino
Tastino is a brand in Lidl’s range, with a 485 g zero variety of Dutch spiced cake among its products.
- Lidl states the pack size for this specific variety.
- Check the ingredients, nutritional information and allergens on the pack before choosing this variety for a recipe.
Dutch spiced cake on Joybuy for desserts and bases
These Snelle Jelle varieties are worth considering if you’re looking for ready-made Dutch spiced cake to use in a dessert. Check whether the flavour and shape suit the pieces, crumbs or base you need for your recipe.
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Snelle Jelle Dutch spiced cake Less Sugar-Free, 250 g
A handy option for a dessert if you’re looking for ready-made Dutch spiced cake and want to compare sugar levels. Don’t take the variety name as proof that the cake is sugar-free: check the nutritional information and ingredients on the pack.
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Snelle Jelle Dutch spiced cake with raisins, 325 g
A good choice for a dessert if the flavour of Dutch spiced cake with raisins is what you’re after. Before buying, consider whether raisins will also work with the texture you want for your pieces or crumbs.
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Snelle Jelle plain Dutch spiced cake, 325 g
A handy option for a dessert if you want to use plain Dutch spiced cake as a ready-made component. Check that the shape of this variety suits the pieces or crumbs called for in the recipe.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use Dutch spiced cake instead of raw biscuit dough?
Not as a direct substitute: Dutch spiced cake is already baked and ready to eat. You can use it as an ingredient when a recipe calls for it; Lidl Recipes, for example, features a pearl sugar cake base.
Should I check for gluten in Dutch spiced cake?
Yes. Check the exact pack if gluten or certain grains need to be avoided. The Peijnenburg, Jumbo and PLUS varieties described contain rye or rye flour; also check each product for other ingredients and ‘may contain’ statements.
Is Dutch spiced cake with no added sugar also sugar-free?
No, you can’t assume that from the description. The Jumbo variety described is labelled as having 0% added sugar, but according to Jumbo it also contains 5.8 g of sugars per 100 g and maltitols. Check the warning on the pack about excessive consumption too.
Does the mention of iodine in baker’s salt mean that all Dutch spiced cake contains iodine?
No. You can’t tell from the product category whether a particular Dutch spiced cake contains baker’s salt with iodine. Check the ingredients for your chosen variety or ask the manufacturer if this is relevant to your choice.
What should I do with leftover Dutch spiced cake after baking?
Seal any opened Dutch spiced cake well and follow the storage advice on the pack. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre also provides storage advice for opened Dutch spiced cake kept in a kitchen cupboard or freezer. Check the cake again before using it in a recipe later.