When shopping for vegan food, first choose Dutch spiced cake with an explicit vegan label, then check the current ingredients and information about possible cross-contact. Next, compare wholegrain status, fibre, sugars and sweeteners per 100 g; individually wrapped portions are most relevant if you want to take the cake with you. A variety with no added sugars is not automatically sugar-free or explicitly vegan.
You don't want to assume that Dutch spiced cake is vegan just because it contains rye and spices. You’re looking for an explicit label on the exact variety, and you also check the ingredients and information about possible cross-contact.
When choosing Dutch spiced cake as a snack, you look at wholegrain ingredients, fibre, sugars and sweeteners. The word ‘zero’ on the packaging alone doesn’t give you enough information.
You’re looking for a portion that fits easily into a bag, or you’d rather choose a whole cake. Even with convenient packaging, the ingredients and nutritional values of the exact variety still matter.
First decide whether an explicit vegan label is essential for you. Then compare the nutritional information for the remaining varieties, and only after that choose the packaging that suits how you’ll use it.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Vegan label | Check the label for the exact variety and read the current ingredients and allergen information. | If I shop strictly vegan, I don’t want to decide whether a cake is suitable based on the ingredients list alone. For around 39% of consumers, confidence that a product is vegan is the top priority. |
| Wholegrain and nutritional values | Compare wholegrain ingredients, fibre, sugars and any polyols per 100 g; also check the values per portion. | When choosing a snack, I want to know what ‘wholegrain’ or ‘zero’ means for this particular cake. Around 38% of consumers prioritise the nutritional profile. |
| Packaging and portion size | Check the number of slices, the amount per slice and whether individual wrapping would be useful for you. | When I’m out and about, I want to take a portion with me without having to cut slices myself. Convenience and portion size are the top priorities for around 23% of consumers. |
A product with no added sugars may still contain sugars and sweeteners. For example, the Peijnenburg plain variety described as having no added sugars contains 4.9 g of sugars per 100 g.
Read the nutritional information per 100 g and check the ingredients list to see which sweeteners have been used. The PLUS listing for Snelle Jelle Zero 4-pack also warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
The ingredients in Dutch spiced cake vary between varieties. PLUS explicitly labels its Ontbijtkoek Zero as vegan; a regular Peijnenburg variety, on the other hand, is labelled as potentially containing milk. This wording indicates possible cross-contact, not milk as an ingredient.
Check the vegan label, ingredients and information about possible cross-contact on the packaging you buy.
A description such as ‘white and wholegrain mix’ doesn’t tell you which rye ingredients a particular Dutch spiced cake contains. The product name also says nothing about whether baker’s salt has been used.
Use the ingredients list to check what it contains, and compare the fibre per 100 g if wholegrain content matters to you. Check the label separately for baker’s salt if you want to know whether it’s included.
These examples show the differences you may find between varieties; a label for one brand doesn’t automatically apply to its entire range.
Peijnenburg offers, among other options, individually wrapped plain slices and a plain variety with no added sugars.
PLUS Ontbijtkoek Zero is an example for anyone looking for a variety that is explicitly labelled vegan and has no added sugars.
The Zero 4-pack described by PLUS is an example of individually wrapped spiced cake where the sweeteners are worth checking.
This Dutch spiced cake could suit you if you’re looking for something to take with you. For a vegan option and to check the sugar content, always read the information on the packaging for this variety.
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If you want to take Dutch spiced cake with you and shop vegan, check the current vegan label, ingredients and information about possible contact with milk.
Pack size: 250 g. Compare the sugars and any polyols in the nutritional information; the variety name alone doesn’t tell you what those values are.
No, check the exact variety. PLUS explicitly labels its Ontbijtkoek Zero as vegan, while product information says that a regular Peijnenburg variety may contain milk. A ‘may contain’ statement doesn’t mean milk is an ingredient, but it may matter if you want to avoid cross-contact.
That doesn’t follow from the label. The Peijnenburg and Snelle Jelle varieties described contain xylitol; PLUS lists E967 and 21.7 g of polyols per 100 g for Ontbijtkoek Zero. As well as checking the sugars in the nutritional information, read the ingredients and check the polyol content.
No, check the ingredients for the specific cake. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, using baker’s salt isn’t even compulsory in bread. So the name Dutch spiced cake doesn’t confirm whether baker’s salt has been used in that product.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging for your variety. PLUS recommends storing its Ontbijtkoek Zero in a cool, dry place away from light; after opening, check the label for any additional instructions.
