Choose individually wrapped slices if you want to serve everyone a clearly defined portion with their tea. Choose mini cakes if your guests would rather help themselves from a plate. In either case, check the weight and nutritional information per piece, as ‘mini’ tells you nothing about the sugar content. If you’re considering a variety with no added sugar, check the ingredients too: Jumbo lists xylitol in Snelle Jelle Zero Kruidkoek and includes a warning against excessive consumption.
An individually wrapped slice saves you having to cut the cake at the table. Peijnenburg says its Naturel 10-pack contains ten individually wrapped 28 g slices. That gives you a clear starting point for comparing portions.
When comparing a regular variety with a zero version, it’s not just the claims on the front of the pack that matter. Check the total sugars per portion, the sweeteners in the ingredients list and any warnings on the packaging.
For a plate of mini cakes, flavour may matter more than having a pre-portioned slice. Jumbo describes Peijnenburg Parelkandij Mini’s as around twelve small, individually wrapped cakes per bag.
First decide whether you want to serve a set portion, compare added sugar content or share mini cakes. Then check the label on the variety you’ve chosen: the same number of pieces doesn’t necessarily mean the same weight or nutritional value per piece.
| What to consider | Check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Set portion | The weight per piece and whether the pieces are individually wrapped. | I want to put one piece out for everyone without cutting a cake; around 42% of consumers prioritise having a clearly defined portion. |
| Added sugars | The claim on the packaging, total sugars per portion and the sweeteners used. | If I want to avoid added sugars, I also want to know what else the variety contains. Around 33% of consumers say this is their priority. |
| Flavour and sharing | The flavour, the number of mini cakes and the ingredients in that variety. | For a plate to serve with tea, I’d rather let guests choose a mini cake for themselves; sharing and flavour matter most to around 25% of consumers. |
A small size affects the portion, not the nutritional value. Peijnenburg states that a 28 g slice from its Naturel 10-pack contains 11 g of sugars.
Compare the nutritional information for the piece you’ll actually be serving. Use the values per 100 g to compare varieties with different portion sizes.
Jumbo lists xylitol in Snelle Jelle Zero Kruidkoek and warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect. This product information doesn’t apply to other zero varieties.
Check both the ‘of which sugars’ line and the ingredients and warnings on the exact packaging.
Peijnenburg Naturel 10-pack lists rye and the possible presence of milk, hazelnuts, almonds and other cereals containing gluten. The information for a different flavour or pack may not be the same.
Before serving, check the allergen information on the current packaging of the exact variety you’ve chosen.
The fact that a product is called Dutch spiced cake doesn’t tell you what kind of salt has been used in that particular variety.
Check the ingredients and ask the manufacturer which salt is used if you need product-specific information.
These examples show different packaging formats. Always compare the exact variety, as size, ingredients and nutritional information vary from product to product.
Offers individually wrapped plain slices and Parelkandij Mini’s for different ways of serving.
Zero Kruidkoek comes in a small multipack for anyone looking to try a variety with no added sugar.
Offers own-brand Dutch spiced cake bars and portion packs from other brands.
An ALDI own-brand range of sliced Dutch spiced cake for anyone who wants to serve their own portions.
This Dutch spiced cake is worth considering if you want to choose a portion from a 250 g pack to serve with tea. Compare the size of one bar with the smaller portion you’re looking for, and check the nutritional information for your chosen variety.
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An option to consider if you want to serve one bar with tea. The product name specifies a 250 g pack. Check the weight and nutritional information per bar before judging the portion size or the claim on the packaging.
No. Check the weight per piece and the number of pieces too. Peijnenburg states that its individually wrapped plain slices weigh 28 g each; seeing a number of mini cakes on the front of another pack doesn’t tell you how much each one weighs.
Not necessarily. ‘No added sugar’ doesn’t mean there are no sugars present. Jumbo states that Snelle Jelle Zero Kruidkoek contains naturally occurring sugars. Check the nutritional information on your chosen pack to find out how much.
Check which sweetener the specific variety contains and whether there’s a warning. Jumbo lists xylitol in Snelle Jelle Zero Kruidkoek and warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect. Don’t assume the same applies to other products.
No. Check the packaging of the exact variety you’re serving. The listed ingredients and possible presence of allergens can vary from product to product.
