If you’re choosing breakfast cake to use in a dessert for someone with coeliac disease, look for a product explicitly labelled ‘gluten-free’. Under European Commission Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, products sold to consumers with this label must contain no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg. An uncut gluten-free cake lets you slice off the amount you need, while an individually wrapped bar is suited to a single serving. Also check the allergens on the packaging, and keep the cake separate from gluten-containing crumbs during preparation and serving.
Check more than just the label on the breakfast cake: how you handle it afterwards matters too. The Dutch Coeliac Society points out that gluten-containing crumbs can get into gluten-free food through shared equipment.
An uncut breakfast cake can be sliced or crumbled as needed. Jumbo Lekker Vrij offers a 300 g gluten-free cake, while Peijnenburg’s uncut gluten-free cake weighs 285 g.
If you’d rather eat the breakfast cake on its own than use a whole cake in a recipe, consider an individual portion. The AH Glutenvrij Ontbijtkoekreep weighs 65 g.
Check the gluten-free claim and any other allergens before choosing the shape and quantity that suit your baking or serving plans.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free status and separate preparation | Look for the explicit ‘gluten-free’ label on the packaging, and use clean equipment when preparing the cake. | When I’m baking for someone with coeliac disease, I want to choose the right packaging and avoid contact with ordinary crumbs. Around 42% of consumers prioritise gluten-free status and safe handling. |
| Amount needed for the cake | Compare an uncut 285 g or 300 g cake with a 65 g bar, based on how much you want to use. | For slicing, crumbling or making several portions, I want to decide how much cake to use. Around 33% of consumers say ease of use is their top priority. |
| Single serving and other allergens | Check the pack size and read the ingredients list and allergen information; gluten-free doesn’t mean milk- or lupin-free. | I’m looking for a single serving and want to know before buying whether it also contains milk or lupin. Around 25% of consumers prioritise portion convenience and allergen checks. |
A claim about sugar tells you nothing about whether a product is gluten-free. ALDI’s zero breakfast cake is described as having no added sugars; that description is not a gluten-free claim.
If you’re buying for someone with coeliac disease, check that the current packaging explicitly says ‘gluten-free’.
According to their product information, Jumbo Lekker Vrij and Peijnenburg gluten-free cakes contain milk and lupin. Milk and lupin are also listed for the AH Glutenvrij Ontbijtkoekreep.
Read the ingredients list and allergen information on the exact pack you’re buying, even if the front says ‘gluten-free’.
When slicing or crumbling breakfast cake, it can come into contact with gluten-containing crumbs. The Dutch Coeliac Society warns that shared equipment can cause cross-contamination.
Use a clean work surface and clean utensils, and keep the gluten-free portion separate from gluten-containing baked goods and toppings.
The AH Glutenvrij Ontbijtkoekreep is a 65 g portion. That’s a different quantity from the uncut Peijnenburg and Jumbo Lekker Vrij cakes, which weigh 285 g and 300 g respectively.
Decide in advance whether you want to serve one portion or slice off an amount to use in a cake.
Jumbo sells a 300 g uncut gluten-free breakfast cake under this name.
Peijnenburg’s 285 g uncut gluten-free breakfast cake is listed by Albert Heijn and PLUS.
The 65 g breakfast cake bar is an individual portion rather than a whole breakfast cake.
Here, PLUS is a retailer of Peijnenburg Ontbijtkoek Glutenvrij Ongesneden, 285 g, rather than a separate breakfast cake brand.
Under European Commission Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, a food may be labelled ‘gluten-free’ if it contains no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg when sold to the final consumer. When choosing, don’t rely solely on an ingredients list that doesn’t appear to mention wheat.
No, the ‘gluten-free’ label doesn’t guarantee this. According to the product information, the Jumbo Lekker Vrij and Peijnenburg cakes mentioned contain milk and lupin. Always check the current packaging for any other allergens.
Slice or crumble the gluten-free breakfast cake with clean utensils on a clean work surface, and keep the portion separate from ingredients containing gluten. The Dutch Coeliac Society points out that crumbs can be transferred through shared equipment.
No, ‘zero’ on its own doesn’t confirm that a product is gluten-free. If a product is described as having no added sugars, check separately that the current packaging explicitly says ‘gluten-free’.
No, baker’s salt isn’t a gluten-free label. The Dutch legal definition describes baker’s salt as iodised table salt for bread and other baked goods. To find out whether it’s in a particular breakfast cake, check the ingredients list on the packaging.
