Choose sliced breakfast cake if you want to serve slices at a birthday party without having to cut it yourself first. Then compare the stated number of slices or portions, ingredients, allergens and nutritional information for the exact variety: plain, wholemeal and no added sugar each suit different preferences. Don’t treat ‘medium sliced’ as a standard slice thickness; check the specific information on the packaging.
Want to put out individual slices at a birthday party without needing a knife and chopping board? Look for a pack that is explicitly sold as sliced. For planning, a stated number of slices or portions is more useful than the pack weight alone.
Are you choosing between plain, wholemeal and a no added sugar variety? Compare sugars and fibre on the same basis, for example per 100 g, and check the stated serving size too. A variety’s name doesn’t tell you everything about what it contains.
Do you need to know which slices are suitable for guests who avoid certain ingredients? Check the ingredients and allergen information on the exact pack. A brand name or general product category is no substitute for this.
Start by asking whether the cake needs to be pre-sliced and how many slices you want to serve. Then choose a variety based on the ingredients and nutritional information that matter to your guests, rather than relying on the word ‘medium’.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Ready to serve | Check that the pack is sold as sliced and states the number of slices or portions. | If I want to fill a serving platter quickly, I don’t want to slice a whole cake first. This convenience is a priority for around 31% of consumers. |
| Sugars, fibre and sweeteners | Read the nutritional information per 100 g and per stated portion; for no added sugar varieties, check the ingredients and warnings too. | If I’m choosing between plain and a different recipe, I want to know what’s actually in each slice. This nutritional information is the main concern for around 31% of consumers. |
| Quantity for your group | Compare the net weight with the stated number of slices or portions; portion sizes can vary. | When I’m catering for several guests, I want to estimate how many packs I’ll need, even if a pack doesn’t state the number of slices. This quantity is a priority for around 23% of consumers. |
| Allergens | Read the ingredients, allergen information and any ‘may contain’ statement on the current packaging of the variety you choose. | If a guest needs to avoid an ingredient, I want to know what the pack says before serving it. This is the main concern for around 15% of consumers. |
Sliced breakfast cake is sold in packs of different weights and with different serving information. The term ‘medium sliced’ doesn’t give you a standard size to use when planning how many slices you’ll need.
Use the stated number of slices or portions and the net weight as your guide. If the pack doesn’t state a number, don’t assume it contains the same number of portions as another brand’s pack.
A no added sugar variety may contain naturally occurring sugars and sweeteners. Jumbo also includes a warning about excessive consumption for its Zero% variety.
Check the sugars information, ingredients list and any warnings for the variety you plan to serve.
Ingredients and ‘may contain’ statements can vary between varieties. For example, PLUS lists rye flour and possible traces of wheat, barley and oats for its sliced plain variety.
Check the current label on the exact pack before serving it to guests with a relevant allergy.
These examples show what you can compare for specific sliced varieties; the features listed don’t necessarily apply to other products from the same brand.
Jumbo lists its 550 g plain sliced breakfast cake as containing 18 slices.
The own-brand range includes a plain sliced variety and a no added sugar sliced variety, both weighing 475 g.
ALDI lists a pre-sliced wholemeal breakfast cake and a pre-sliced Zero variety under this brand, both weighing 485 g.
PLUS lists a 485 g plain sliced breakfast cake with ingredient and nutritional information.
These sliced breakfast cakes are ideal if you want to serve slices without cutting the cake yourself. Compare the variety and pack weight with your plans, and check the current label if your guests have specific dietary requirements.
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A sliced variety for anyone who wants to serve breakfast cake without cutting it first.
Pack weight: 485 g. Check the pack for the number of slices when planning, and read the current allergen information before serving it to guests with an allergy.
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A sliced wholemeal variety for anyone who wants to serve this type of product at a birthday party.
Pack weight: 485 g. Check the packaging for the number of slices, and carefully check the ingredients and allergen information before serving the cake to guests with an allergy.
No. Jumbo states that its Zero% variety contains naturally occurring sugars. For the exact amount, check the nutritional information on the pack you choose, and see which sweeteners and warnings are listed too.
Yes. Check the ingredients and allergen information for the exact variety. The plain varieties from Peijnenburg and PLUS mentioned here list rye; don’t serve breakfast cake as a gluten-free option unless the product information explicitly confirms that it is.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging and seal the cake securely after opening. For its plain variety mentioned here, Jumbo recommends storing it in a sealed tin; Peijnenburg recommends keeping its plain variety in a cool, dark place, for example in a sealed tin or container.
