Home baker looking to make a standard cake or tart
If the texture of your cake or tart matters, start with a product and recipe specifically designed for that purpose. ALDI Nederland lists cake and tart mixes separately from pancake mix.
Which option is right for you?
Baker looking to make pancakes quickly
A complete mix or shaker bottle may suit you if you want to make pancakes or a pancake dessert. Compare what needs adding: Koopmans Compleet specifies water, while PLUS’s plain shaker bottle requires milk.
Baker comparing ingredients and allergens
If you’re looking for a particular grain or need to avoid certain ingredients, compare the current labels for each product. Wholemeal and multigrain do not automatically mean gluten-free.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether you want to bake a standard cake or tart, or make pancakes. Then compare the ingredients you need to add and the ingredients in the specific product.
| What to consider | What to check | Especially relevant for |
|---|---|---|
| Intended baking result | Check whether the packaging or recipe specifically mentions cake, tart and the relevant method. | If I want to bake a standard cake or tart, I look for a recipe designed to give me that result rather than adapting pancake batter. For around 50% of consumers, choosing a product for the intended baking result comes first. |
| Convenience and additions | Check which liquid and other ingredients you need to add; instructions vary between pancake mixes. | I want to be able to make pancakes with ingredients I already have at home, without much preparation. Around 30% of consumers give convenience top priority. |
| Grains and allergens | Compare the ingredients, allergen information and any warnings on the current packaging. | If I’m looking for a particular grain or need to avoid an ingredient, I give the label more weight than the name of the mix. For around 20% of consumers, checking the ingredients is their first purchasing priority. |
Common mistakes
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Treating pancake mix as standard cake mix
The instructions discussed for Koopmans and PLUS describe how to make pancakes. ALDI Nederland distinguishes pancake mix from cake and tart mix, so a pancake recipe won’t tell you how to make a standard cake or tart.
If that’s what you want to bake, choose a cake or tart mix with a suitable recipe. If you want to experiment with pancake mix, expect a different texture and result.
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Assuming ‘complete’ means ‘nothing else needed’
Koopmans Compleet lists water as an addition to the mix, but you’ll also need butter or oil for the pan with PLUS Complete mix. Other pancake mixes may call for milk and eggs, for example.
Read the full instructions for your chosen product before getting the other ingredients ready.
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Confusing wholemeal or multigrain with gluten-free
A grain description doesn’t tell you that a pancake mix is gluten-free. Ingredients and any warnings vary by product.
Check the specific ingredients, allergen information and any ‘may contain’ statements on each pack. Don’t assume a product is gluten-free because it’s labelled ‘wholemeal’, ‘multigrain’ or ‘organic’.
Brands to consider
Koopmans
Koopmans offers a range of pancake mixes, including complete, original, wholemeal, organic multigrain and gluten-free varieties.
- The product information makes clear what needs to be added to each pancake mix.
- For cake or tart, check for a separate cake or tart recipe; the pancake instructions aren’t designed for that.
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn’s product range includes several types of pancake mix, including plain, complete and multigrain varieties.
- You can compare different pancake mixes side by side in the range overview.
- Being labelled pancake mix doesn’t make a product suitable for a standard cake.
PLUS
PLUS lists plain, complete and wholemeal pancake mixes, including a plain variety in a shaker bottle.
- The preparation information helps you compare the ingredients you’ll need to add.
- Check the current packaging: additions vary by variety, and the instructions are for making pancakes.
Albona
Albona is ALDI’s brand for pancake mix; ALDI Nederland lists cake mixes as separate products.
- The separate product categories help you tell what each mix is intended for.
- If you want to bake a cake, don’t choose a pancake mix based on the brand name alone.
Belbake
Lidl Nederland lists an original Belbake pancake mix, 400 g, intended to make around 12 pancakes.
- The product listing gives the pack size and an estimated yield for pancakes.
- Check the packaging for ingredients and instructions before choosing this variety.
Cake mixes on Joybuy
These products are intended for cake baking: three are described as mixes for a specific type of cake, and one as cake flour. Check the instructions for each product to see whether it suits your recipe.
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Koopmans Bundt cake mix 465 g
For anyone looking for a mix specifically labelled for Bundt cake. Check the packaging for the fresh ingredients you’ll need, allergen information and instructions.
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Koopmans light cake mix 400 g
For a standard cake, when you want to use a mix designed for that purpose. Check the packaging to see which ingredients to add, and read the allergen information.
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Koopman farmhouse cake mix 400 g
For anyone specifically looking for a mix for farmhouse cake. Before baking, check the packaging for the additions, preparation steps and allergen information for this variety.
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Gogi Cake Flour Layer Sweet Cake 1 KG
For a cake recipe that suits the instructions for this cake flour. Check the packaging to see which other ingredients and steps are required; don’t assume it’s a complete cake mix based on the name alone.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use pancake mix instead of cake mix?
Not if you want to bake a standard cake or tart using a recipe designed for that purpose. The pancake mixes discussed here have instructions for making pancakes. For a cake or tart, it’s better to choose a product whose packaging specifically mentions that baking purpose and how to prepare it.
What should I add to pancake mix?
It varies by product. Koopmans Pannenkoeken Compleet lists water as an addition to the mix, while Koopmans Origineel calls for milk, eggs and butter. According to PLUS, its plain shaker bottle requires around 400 ml of semi-skimmed milk. Follow the instructions on your pack.
Where can I check the allergens in pancake mix?
Check the ingredients list and allergen information on the current packaging for your chosen mix, including any ‘may contain’ warnings. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority describes the mandatory labelling of 14 allergens; ingredients vary by product.
Is wholemeal or multigrain pancake mix gluten-free?
No. Those words alone don’t mean that a mix is gluten-free. Check for a specific gluten-free label, as well as the ingredients and warnings on the packaging, rather than assuming it’s gluten-free because of the type of grain.