Choose a multipack with individually wrapped portions if you want to take Dutch spiced cake to school or work without having to cut it. If you’re sharing it at home or using it in a baking recipe, it’s worth comparing a large sliced or unsliced cake. In either case, check the quantity, portion size and ingredients on the exact pack.
If you want to take Dutch spiced cake with you without having to cut it, check whether the portions are individually wrapped. Compare the number of pieces and the weight of each one too: a multipack name doesn’t tell you how many will fit in one lunchbox.
If you want to divide the cake into slices, cubes or crumbs at home, compare a large sliced or unsliced cake with multipacks. Whether you choose sliced or unsliced depends on what you plan to make.
If you’re stocking up for several people, the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information for the version you choose are important. Check the packaging, even if you’re familiar with a different size from the same range.
First, decide whether you’ll mainly be taking the cake with you or sharing it at home. Then compare the quantity and read the ingredients and nutritional information for the version you’re considering.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Portions to take with you | Are the pieces individually wrapped? Compare the number of pieces and the weight of each one. | If I’m putting the cake straight into a school or work bag, I don’t want to have to cut and wrap it each time. For around 40% of consumers, this convenience would be the main reason for choosing a particular size. |
| Sharing and baking at home | Compare sliced and unsliced cake, the total weight and how much scope you have to make your own portions or crumbs. | If I’m sharing it at the table or using it in a baking recipe, I want to decide how much cake to use. Sharing or using it at home would be the main consideration for around 40% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and nutritional information | Read the ingredients and allergen information for the exact version; compare sugars, fibre and salt per 100 g and per portion. | If several people are eating from the same supply, I want to know what’s in this particular version. For around 20% of consumers, this check would matter more than the pack size. |
A multipack with more pieces doesn’t necessarily contain more Dutch spiced cake: the weight of each piece can vary.
Compare the number of pieces, the weight of each piece and the total contents of the packs you’re considering.
According to Albert Heijn, AH Kruidkoekreep zero contains xylitol and polyols, and the packaging warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect. So a comparison of sugar content doesn’t tell you everything about this bar.
Also read the ingredients, the nutritional information per portion and any warnings on the packaging.
A product name doesn’t tell you which allergens the exact version contains or may contain. For one Peijnenburg version, Albert Heijn lists rye, cereals containing gluten and milk, among other ingredients, and says the product may contain nuts.
Before eating it, check the allergen information on the pack you’ve actually bought.
The type of product alone doesn’t tell you which salt was used in a particular Dutch spiced cake. The Voedingscentrum says that bakers don’t always use bakers’ salt.
If the presence of iodised bakers’ salt matters to your choice, check the label or ask the manufacturer.
The range shown by Jumbo includes both large Dutch spiced cakes and Peijnenburg multipacks with individually wrapped portions.
AH Kruidkoekreep zero is an own-brand bar sold in a 5-pack, not the same type of product as every large Dutch spiced cake.
Jumbo offers its own-brand Dutch spiced cake in large, sliced and unsliced sizes.
Lidl has featured Tastino Dutch spiced cake in a large size, which is worth comparing if you’re sharing it at home.
This product is a good fit if you want to divide Dutch spiced cake into portions at home. Check the packaging to see whether the pieces are individually wrapped if you want to take them with you without any preparation.
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A pack of six pieces to share at home. Check the weight, ingredients and allergens on the current packaging; if you’re using them for lunchboxes, also check whether the pieces are individually wrapped.
Only if you want to take a portion with you without having to cut or rewrap it. Check that each piece really is individually wrapped and that the weight per piece is suitable for the person taking it.
Follow the storage and use-by information on the exact pack. For a multipack, also check the instructions for the individual portions; don’t assume they’re the same as those for another version.
No, the name Dutch spiced cake doesn’t tell you that. The Voedingscentrum says that bakers don’t always use bakers’ salt; check the label or ask the manufacturer about a specific product.
Compare the nutritional information, and read the ingredients and warnings too. According to Albert Heijn, AH Kruidkoekreep zero contains xylitol and polyols; the packaging warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect. These properties don’t automatically apply to other bars.
Try not to bake the cake until it’s very dark. When advising on how to limit acrylamide formation in baked products, the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority recommends, among other things, a lower oven temperature and a longer baking time. Follow your recipe’s instructions and keep an eye on the colour as it bakes.
