Home bakers who use oats regularly
If you often bake cakes, muffins or banana bread, regular oats in a larger pack are worth considering. You can weigh out the amount your recipe calls for and store the rest in an airtight container.
Who are the differences relevant to?
Bakers who want a smooth batter
If you don’t want visible, coarse oats in your cake, you could choose fine porridge oats. Regular oats can also make a smooth batter when blended with the other ingredients, as in a Jumbo cake recipe.
Bakers with coeliac disease
Not every pack of oats is suitable for you. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre warns that oats may be contaminated with gluten and says that, for oats to be suitable for people with coeliac disease, the packaging must carry the official Crossed Grain mark.
What should you look for when choosing?
First, decide whether the oats need to meet a specific dietary requirement. Then choose the texture that suits your recipe, and consider whether individual portions would also be useful beyond baking.
| What to consider | What to look for | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Pack size and quantity | Check the total amount and whether you’re buying individual portions or a larger pack. | If I bake cakes regularly, I want enough oats to weigh out what I need and store the rest. Around 50% of consumers say that buying in larger quantities is their top priority. |
| Batter texture | Check whether the oats are fine and whether your recipe uses a blender to make a smooth batter. | I want to decide whether oats remain visible in my cake; for around 40% of consumers, texture is the top priority. |
| Labelling for coeliac disease | Check the specific packaging for the official Crossed Grain mark and read the current ingredients and allergen information. | If I need oats for a cake because I have coeliac disease, the product must be suitable. This is the top priority for around 10% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming you need instant oats for a smooth cake
The word ‘instant’ doesn’t, by itself, tell you how your cake batter will turn out. A Jumbo recipe uses regular oats to make a smooth batter by blending the ingredients.
Consider the texture you want and the method in your recipe. Fine oats or blending may be suitable if you don’t want coarse oats in the batter.
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Assuming regular oats are gluten-free
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, oats may be contaminated with gluten. This means a regular pack of oats isn’t automatically suitable for someone with coeliac disease.
If you have coeliac disease, check the packaging for the official Crossed Grain mark and read the latest label information every time you buy.
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Leaving an opened pack unsealed
If you use only some of a pack for one cake, you’ll need to store the rest. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends keeping oats in a cool, dry, dark place in a tightly sealed container.
Seal the pack well after use or transfer the oats to an airtight storage container.
Brands compared
These brands offer different types of oats. For cake, compare the oat size, pack format and label information for the specific product.
Albert Heijn
The own-label range includes fine wholegrain oats that you can weigh out for your recipe.
- Albert Heijn lists a 500 g pack of fine wholegrain oats.
- If you have dietary restrictions, check the allergen information on the pack; regular oats aren’t automatically suitable for people with coeliac disease.
Jumbo
The own-label range includes both fine wholegrain oats and individually portioned oats.
- With fine oats, you can weigh out the amount you need for your cake; Jumbo lists, among other options, a 1 kg pack.
- Individual portions are only useful if that pack format suits the way you use oats.
Golden Bridge
This ALDI own-label brand offers fine wholegrain oats for anyone who wants to weigh out their own portions.
- ALDI lists Golden Bridge fine wholegrain oats in a 500 g pack.
- The word ‘fine’ alone doesn’t tell you how smooth the batter will be when you follow your recipe.
Quaker
Quaker offers regular oats and an Express version; choose between these pack formats based on how you’ll use them.
- Albert Heijn lists wholegrain oats as an ingredient in the 600 g pack of Quaker Oats.
- The product information states that it may contain barley and wheat. Read the label if allergens are relevant to you.
Brinta
Brinta Oats are a branded option if you’re specifically looking for extra-fine oats.
- Albert Heijn’s product information describes the oats as extra fine.
- Extra-fine oats aren’t the only way to make a smooth cake batter: Jumbo uses regular oats and a blender in one of its cake recipes.
Oat products on Joybuy
This selection includes regular branded oats, an extra-fine variety and an Express version. Choose based on your recipe and preferred pack format; if you have coeliac disease, always check the specific packaging.
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Brinta Oats 450 g
An option if you want to use extra-fine oats in your cake batter. Albert Heijn’s product information describes Brinta Oats 450 g as extra fine; if you have dietary restrictions, check the label on the pack you buy.
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Quaker Express Oats 324 g
Consider this Express version if the pack format also suits the way you use oats beyond baking. Check how much your cake recipe calls for; the name Express doesn’t, by itself, mean it will give you a smoother batter.
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Quaker Oats 600 g
Regular oats for recipes where you want to weigh out the amount you need. Albert Heijn lists wholegrain oats as an ingredient in Quaker Oats 600 g and states that it may contain barley and wheat; check the current packaging if allergens are relevant to you.
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Quaker Oats 375 g
A smaller pack of regular oats for anyone who wants to weigh out the amount needed for a cake. Choose an oat texture to suit your recipe and, if you have dietary restrictions, check the ingredients and allergen information on the specific pack.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need instant oats for an oat cake?
No, regular oats can also be used as the base for an oat cake. Choose the type that suits your recipe; if you want a smooth batter, a Jumbo recipe shows how to blend regular oats with the other ingredients.
How can I make a smooth batter with regular oats?
You can blend regular oats with the other ingredients if your recipe allows. In Jumbo’s oat cake recipe, all the ingredients except the walnuts are blended until smooth.
Are regular oats suitable for people with coeliac disease?
Not automatically. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, oats may be contaminated with gluten. To be suitable for people with coeliac disease, the packaging must carry the official Crossed Grain mark. Check the label on the specific product every time you buy.
How should I store oats after opening?
Store oats in a cool, dry, dark place in a tightly sealed container. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that opened oats can be kept in a kitchen cupboard for around a year; follow the instructions on the packaging too.