Home bakers who want to use sourdough
You want to know that the breakfast cake really contains starter or sourdough discard. Baking it yourself lets you control the recipe, but it takes preparation.
Which option is right for you?
Organisers who want to serve it quickly
You’re looking for breakfast cake you can serve without baking it yourself, for example in pre-sliced portions or individual servings. If sourdough matters, check for it separately.
Shoppers checking ingredients and allergens
You compare the ingredients, nutritional information and allergens for the specific product. Words such as wholemeal, zero or gluten-free don’t tell you what other ingredients the cake contains.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether sourdough is essential or whether serving it quickly matters more. Then check the ingredients on the recipe or packaging for anything that’s important to your guests.
Bake it yourself with sourdough
Choose this if: you want to serve breakfast cake and check for yourself that the recipe contains starter or sourdough discard.
Bear in mind: baking takes time and, if you don’t already have a starter, you’ll need to prepare one; Jumbo says making a starter can take 3 to 6 days.
Packaged breakfast cake
Choose this if: you want to serve slices or portions without baking them yourself beforehand.
Bear in mind: regular breakfast cake isn’t automatically a sourdough cake; check the packaging to be sure.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this important to? |
|---|---|---|
| Confirmed sourdough | Look for sourdough or starter in the ingredients or recipe; rye alone doesn’t confirm that sourdough was used. | If I want to serve breakfast cake made with sourdough specifically, I want to know it’s actually in the recipe. This certainty is the top priority for around 40% of consumers. |
| Quick to serve | Compare the number of slices or individual portions and check that the packaging suits the number of guests. | When I don’t have much time to prepare, I want to be able to portion out the cake straight away. Around 30% of consumers prioritise convenience when serving. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients, allergen information and nutritional information for the specific product, per 100 g and per serving if needed. | If certain ingredients matter to my guests, I don’t want to rely on the product name. The ingredients are the most important factor for around 20% of consumers. |
| Salt used | If you’re baking it yourself, check which salt you use, or ask about the salt in unwrapped cake from a bakery. | If the type of salt used matters to my choice, I don’t want to guess from the name of the bakery product. This check is the top priority for around 10% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming rye or ‘artisan’ means sourdough
Breakfast cake can contain rye flour and still be made with other raising agents. Peijnenburg lists rye flour and raising agents in its plain variety, but no sourdough.
Check the ingredients or ask a baker which recipe they use before choosing the cake as a sourdough option.
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Overlooking other allergens in ‘gluten-free’ products
The gluten-free Peijnenburg breakfast cake listed by PLUS also contains lupin and milk. Gluten-free also tells you nothing about whether it contains sourdough.
Check the allergen information for the chosen product for every guest with a relevant allergy.
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Assuming every baker uses baker’s salt
According to the Voedingscentrum, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. So you can’t tell which salt was used just from the words ‘sourdough’ or ‘bakery product’.
Ask about the salt used in unwrapped breakfast cake, and choose which salt to use if you’re baking it yourself.
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Relying on ‘zero’ or ‘wholemeal’ without reading the label
A claim on the front of the pack doesn’t give you the full picture of the ingredients, sugars, fibre or allergens in that product.
Compare the latest nutritional information per 100 g or per serving, and read the ingredients list.
Brands compared
Peijnenburg
A point of comparison for regular packaged breakfast cake alongside a homemade sourdough version.
- According to Peijnenburg, its plain variety contains 37% rye flour.
- That plain variety lists raising agents, but no sourdough. The separate gluten-free variety listed by PLUS contains lupin and milk; always check the label of the product you choose.
Jumbo
A supermarket option for comparing packaged breakfast cake in different formats; Jumbo also publishes information about making a sourdough starter.
- The range includes regular breakfast cake and individually portioned packs, among other options.
- Being part of the breakfast cake range doesn’t confirm that sourdough was used. According to Jumbo, making a starter can take 3 to 6 days.
Koek & Bakker
An ALDI own-brand option for comparing pre-sliced, packaged breakfast cake.
- ALDI lists a 485 g pre-sliced wholemeal breakfast cake.
- The terms wholemeal and zero don’t confirm that a product contains sourdough; check the individual pack.
Packaged breakfast cake for the procession
This packaged breakfast cake suits you if you want to serve slices without baking them yourself. If you specifically want breakfast cake made with sourdough, check the ingredients of the product you choose before buying.
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g'woon pre-sliced wholemeal breakfast cake, 485 g
An option if you want to serve pre-sliced portions at the procession without baking them yourself.
If sourdough is essential to you, check the ingredients: the wholemeal label doesn’t confirm which raising agent was used.
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell if breakfast cake is made with sourdough?
Check whether sourdough or starter is explicitly listed in the ingredients or recipe. Rye alone isn’t enough: according to its own product information, Peijnenburg’s plain variety lists rye flour and raising agents, but no sourdough.
How far in advance should I start if I want to bake it myself?
Start earlier if you need to make a sourdough starter: Jumbo says this takes 3 to 6 days. If you already have a starter or sourdough discard, you’ll still need to allow time to bake according to your chosen recipe.
Is sourdough breakfast cake suitable for guests who eat gluten-free?
Sourdough doesn’t mean gluten-free. Only choose a product that is explicitly labelled gluten-free, and check the other allergens too; the gluten-free Peijnenburg variety listed by PLUS contains lupin and milk.
Is baker’s salt compulsory in Dutch breakfast cake?
No, don’t assume there’s a general requirement to use it: according to the Voedingscentrum, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. If the type of salt matters to your choice, ask which salt was used in unwrapped cake.
What should I ask when buying unwrapped breakfast cake from a bakery?
Ask whether the recipe contains sourdough or starter, and which allergens are in the cake. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says allergen information for unwrapped food must be provided to consumers in a way other than on a packaging label; ask before buying it for your guests.