Home bakers with their own breakfast cake idea
Your recipe calls for breakfast cake, or you want to serve it alongside your oliebollen. You’re not looking for a substitute for the ingredients in regular oliebollen batter.
Who is this relevant for?
Shoppers who want slices ready to use
You’d rather not slice it yourself, so you’re comparing sliced varieties. If the size or thickness of the slices matters, check the packaging too.
Shoppers who need to check allergens
Before using it, you want to know which grains and other relevant allergens are in the exact breakfast cake, or listed on its label.
What should you look for when buying?
First decide what role breakfast cake will play in your recipe or serving plan. Then compare the label and slice format of the variety you’re considering.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Role in the recipe | Check whether your recipe calls for breakfast cake, and what it’s used for. Follow the ingredients in your recipe for the batter. | If my recipe doesn’t mention breakfast cake, I don’t want to accidentally buy a cake instead of an ingredient for the batter. This is the top concern for around 45% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients and allergen information on the exact product packaging, including any statements about possible traces. | If I need to avoid certain grains, I want to be able to judge whether this particular pack is suitable for me. For roughly 36% of consumers, this check comes first. |
| Slice format and variety | Check whether the cake is pre-sliced, look at the number of slices where possible, and compare plain or wholemeal varieties to suit your preference. | I want slices I can use without cutting them myself, but I also need the right format. Around 19% of consumers prioritise this convenience and choice of variety. |
Common mistakes
-
Buying breakfast cake as a substitute for oliebollen batter
Breakfast cake is a ready-made cake with different ingredients from the individual ingredients in an oliebollen recipe. Replacing them changes what you’re making.
Only use breakfast cake if your recipe or serving plan specifically calls for it. Follow your oliebollen recipe for the batter.
-
Assuming ‘sliced’ means a standard medium thickness
A label such as ‘sliced’ or ‘pre-sliced’ doesn’t tell you the size of the slices. The pack weight won’t tell you how thick each slice is either.
Check the number of slices and, if the size is crucial, look at the packaging itself. With an unsliced breakfast cake, you can cut it to the size you want.
-
Relying on the brand or variety name to check for allergens
The product information reviewed mentions rye, among other things; statements about the possible presence of other grains vary by product.
Before using it, read the ingredients and allergen information on the exact packaging, even if you’ve bought the same brand before.
Brands to consider
Peijnenburg
Albert Heijn lists, among other products, plain sliced breakfast cake from Peijnenburg.
- The 550 g pack of plain sliced breakfast cake is described as containing 18 slices.
- The product information for this variety lists rye flour. Check the slice thickness and ingredients of any other variety separately.
AH
Albert Heijn sells plain sliced breakfast cake under its own AH brand.
- The pack described contains 485 g of pre-sliced breakfast cake.
- Check the ingredients and allergens on your pack; a sliced variety won’t necessarily have the thickness you want.
Jumbo
Jumbo lists its own-brand breakfast cake alongside other brands, in both sliced and unsliced formats.
- You can compare the format and variety of each product.
- Check the slice size and the label on the pack you choose; the range title doesn’t determine these details.
PLUS
PLUS lists a 485 g plain sliced own-brand variety as well as an unsliced variety.
- The two formats let you choose between pre-sliced pieces and cutting it yourself.
- The information for the sliced variety mentions the possible presence of wheat, barley and oats. Check the label if these grains are relevant to you.
Koek & Bakker
ALDI describes a 485 g sliced wholemeal breakfast cake from Koek & Bakker.
- The variety described is pre-sliced.
- ‘Wholemeal’ doesn’t tell you how thick the slices are or whether it’s suitable for a particular oliebollen recipe.
Tastino
Lidl Netherlands included Tastino breakfast cake in a promotion running from 28 September to 4 October 2026.
- The promotion doesn’t specify an exact sliced variety. Check the packaging before choosing based on slice format or ingredients.
Sliced wholemeal breakfast cake at Joybuy
This sliced wholemeal breakfast cake could suit your own serving idea or a recipe that specifically calls for breakfast cake. Check the product packaging for the slice thickness you want and for allergen information.
Image unavailable
g'woon sliced wholemeal breakfast cake, 485 g
An option if you’re looking for sliced wholemeal breakfast cake for your own recipe or serving idea. The pack contains 485 g; check the slice size and the current label before using the product.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use breakfast cake instead of flour or oliebollen batter?
Not as a straightforward substitute. Breakfast cake is a ready-made cake; only use it if your recipe specifically calls for it, and follow that recipe’s ingredients for the batter.
Is sliced breakfast cake automatically gluten-free?
No. The product information reviewed mentions rye; PLUS also lists the possible presence of wheat, barley and oats in one sliced variety. Always check the allergen information on the exact packaging.
Does every Dutch breakfast cake contain iodised baker’s salt?
You can’t assume that every breakfast cake does. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that iodine compounds may be present in bread, bread substitutes and other bakery products. Check the ingredients list for the specific breakfast cake to find out what it contains.
How can I stop oliebollen from getting too dark?
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends frying oliebollen at around 175 °C in suitable oil, until golden brown but not too dark. Also follow the cooking instructions in your oliebollen recipe.