For a cake or tart baked in the oven, choose a mix made for that purpose, such as cake mix or tart mix. If you want to serve pancakes as an indulgent dessert, choose a pancake mix with an added flavour or a topping of your choice. Check the pack for preparation instructions, ingredients to add and allergen information.
If you want to bake something in the oven, look for a product specifically made for cake or tart. Koopmans lists cake mix and cake flour as the basis for cake, while ALDI offers separate cake and tart mixes alongside pancake mix.
If you want the finished dish to be pancakes, you can choose a mix with a sweet flavouring or a plain mix to finish yourself with toppings such as fruit or mascarpone.
If you need to take allergens into account, check the ingredients and the ‘contains’ and ‘may contain’ statements on the current packaging. These can vary between mixes.
First decide whether you want to bake something in the oven or make pancakes in a frying pan. Then consider flavour, ease of preparation and ingredients to make your final choice.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Mix for cake or tart | Look for a cake or tart mix, or an explicit oven recipe for the bake you want to make. | If I want to bake a cake or tart, I look for a mix made for that bake. Around 36% of consumers put this first. |
| Dessert flavour | Check whether the flavour is in the mix or whether you add a topping yourself. If you have a particular variant in mind, check that it is available too. | I want to serve pancakes as a sweet dessert and choose the flavour or finishing touches myself. Around 29% of consumers put dessert flavour first. |
| Ease of preparation | Compare the ingredients you need to add and how many pancakes the pack says you can make by following the instructions. | When I want to make pancakes quickly, I want to measure out as few ingredients as possible. Around 21% of consumers put convenience first. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients list and the ‘contains’ and ‘may contain’ statements on the pack. | If ingredients or allergens determine my choice, I need to know what is in this particular mix. Around 14% of consumers prioritise checking this. |
For its original pancakes, Koopmans describes preparation in a frying pan and lists cake mix and cake flour separately as the basis for cake. Although both products are baking mixes, they are not prepared in the same way.
Choose a mix made for cake. Only use a specific pancake mix for oven baking if the pack itself gives you a suitable recipe.
Jumbo’s product page says its Koopmans speculoos pancake mix is no longer part of its online range. So you cannot rely on that listing if your dessert plan depends on this particular variant.
Check current availability before choosing the ingredients for your dessert. Using a plain pancake mix with separate toppings is another option.
The organic pancake mix on Jumbo’s product page lists wheat and warnings about the possible presence of other ingredients. The name of a mix is no substitute for allergen information.
Read the full ingredients list and the ‘contains’ and ‘may contain’ statements on the pack you buy.
Voedingscentrum advises against tasting raw cake or biscuit batter because raw eggs and flour may contain harmful bacteria.
Do not taste the batter raw, and prepare the product according to the instructions on the pack.
Offers separate products and recipes for pancakes and cake.
Offers pancake mixes as well as a separate range of baking mixes, including cake mixes.
Offers several pancake mixes, including an organic option.
Offers a plain pancake mix that you can finish as a dessert yourself.
Offers an original pancake mix for cooking in a pan.
Offers a multigrain pancake mix and separate mixes for cake and other bakes.
This mix is for anyone who wants to bake a cake rather than make dessert pancakes. Check the pack for the full preparation instructions.
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For anyone who wants to bake a cake rather than make pancakes in a pan. For preparation, allow for 150 g butter, 50 ml milk and 4 eggs. Follow the instructions on the pack for oven temperature and baking time. For allergens, check the current ingredients list and warnings, particularly for wheat, rye, milk and egg.
For reliable results, it’s best to choose a mix made for cake. Koopmans describes its original pancakes as being cooked in a pan, and lists cake mix and cake flour as the basis for cake. If you still want to use a particular pancake mix in the oven, only follow a suitable recipe provided for that mix.
Choose a sweet-flavoured mix or add your own finishing touches to plain pancakes after cooking. For example, you can choose the flavour with fruit or mascarpone, while keeping the dish a pancake rather than turning it into a cake.
Read the ingredients and allergen information on the pack you buy. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains the mandatory allergen labelling on food labels. For each product, also check for warnings about the possible presence of other allergens.
It’s best not to taste raw batter. Voedingscentrum warns that raw eggs and flour may contain harmful bacteria. Prepare the batter according to the instructions before eating it.
