Breakfast cake! Yum!
Once you’ve tasted fresh, moist Dutch breakfast cake, you won’t want anything else. Breakfast cake or gingerbread is called ontbijtkoek in Dutch, or peperkoek in Belgium and southern Netherlands. It is a beloved treat in the Netherlands, often eaten for breakfast or as a snack with coffee. This delicious, spicy cake has a rich history and a unique flavor that makes it a favorite among young and old.
Breakfast cake comes in various types. Read more on this page about its history, ingredients, and different varieties. Also, check out fun commercials from three well-known breakfast cake brands.
Buy breakfast cake online at Mr. Dutch Food
Have you emigrated from the Netherlands? Or do you live and/or work in another European country and miss the real Dutch breakfast cake? Can’t find breakfast cake in your country? Do you want these products where you now live? You can! You can order these products through Mr. Dutch Food.
You can order all kinds of Dutch breakfast cake, in large or take-away packaging, as well as other Dutch products through Mr. Dutch Food. The range is enormous. You make the choices in groceries and other products on the website of the Dutch store(s) where they are available. We will pick up the products for you from the chosen store(s) and ship them carefully packaged to you, anywhere in the EU.
Want to know how it works?
Visit the website of the Dutch store from which you want to buy breakfast cake. Fill your shopping cart on that website with breakfast cake and other groceries of your choice. Share your shopping cart with us via the order form on the order page. Read the order instructions page how to do this. Here you will find instructional videos to make it as easy as possible for you. After submitting the order form with your shared shopping cart, you will receive a quote from us. If you agree, you pay via the sent payment link. Then we will buy the delicious breakfast cake and other products for you in the store and send them to your address in the EU!
Mr. Dutch Food supplies Dutch products to individuals and companies.
History of breakfast cake
The origin of breakfast cake dates back to the Middle Ages. At that time, spices such as cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg were imported from the Far East. The combination of these spices with rye or wheat flour led to the creation of breakfast cake. Initially, it was a luxury product mainly eaten by the wealthier people.
In Belgium and South Netherlands, breakfast cake is especially known as gingerbread. From the thirteenth century, Flanders was famous for delicious gingerbread with honey. Sometimes extra decorations such as almond slivers or candied orange peel were added.
From the fifteenth century, breakfast cake was made in the Netherlands. After beekeeping rose in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, honey became more accessible, and gingerbread became more available to ordinary people. From the nineteenth century, various large bakeries began producing it, including the market leader Koninklijke Peijnenburg B.V. This brand, founded in 1883, is one of the most well-known producers of breakfast cake in the Netherlands. Peijnenburg has introduced multiple varieties, from traditional recipes to modern versions with extra additions such as nuts and fruit.
Ingredients
The basis of breakfast cake consists of rye flour, glucose-fructose syrup, or honey, and a blend of cake spices such as cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Modern versions may also contain wheat flour. The secret to the unique flavor lies in the specific mix of spices used, including cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Variants of breakfast or gingerbread may include additions of apple, ginger, candied sugar, nuts, raisins, and candied fruit.
Although breakfast cake contains relatively high sugar content, it is also rich in fiber due to the use of rye flour. This makes it a filling option that provides energy for a good start to the day. Nowadays, there are also versions available with less sugar or even without added sugars.
Types and variations
There are different types of breakfast cake. Here are some delicious varieties:
- Groninger koek (Groninger cake): A spiced slice cake from the province of Groningen, often eaten with coffee.
- Oudewijvenkoek (Old wives' cake): Known as "oal wief" in North Netherlands. A Groninger cake named because old women without teeth could eat it.
- Gemberkoek (Ginger cake): A variant of Groninger cake, with ginger as an important ingredient.
- Kruidkoek (Spice cake): Somewhat firm cake with a delicious spicy taste, for example Frisian spice cake.
- Kandijkoek (Candied cake): A breakfast cake with large sugar crystals on top as decoration and extra flavor.
Further variations include:
- Sliced or unsliced: To be cut yourself or already in neat slices of the right thickness
- Less sugar: Or without added sugars
- Gluten free: Gluten-free breakfast cake for people with gluten intolerance or allergy
- Whole grain: With more filbers
- As a large cake or in take-away packaging: As a large cake or per 1 or 2 pieces packed, convenient to take with you
- With candied sugar: With large candied sugar crystals on top
- With nuts: Such as almonds and peanuts
- With raisins: Our personal favorite!
Breakfast cake brands
As mentioned above, Koninklijke Peijnenburg is the market leader in the Netherlands for breakfast cake. In the Netherlands, these are the most well-known brands:
- Peijnenburg: Market leader in the Netherlands
- Bolletje: The second well-known brand, which also makes other breakfast products
- Wieger Ketellapper: Known for The Real Wieger Spice Cake and the take-away cake Snelle Jelle
- Modderman
- Jumbo: Affordable store brand
- Albert Heijn: Affordable store brand
- Plus: Affordable store brand
- Your Organic Nature: Organic
Fun breakfast cake commercials
Do you remember these fun commercials? Enjoy them!
Bolletje breakfast cake: Middle Finger
Peijnenburg breakfast cake: Soccer girl
Snelle Jelle take away breakfast cake: Cyclist
Frequently asked questions
From which stores can I order breakfast cake?
You can order breakfast cake from supermarkets such as Jumbo, Albert Heijn, or Plus, as well as the organic supermarket Ekoplaza. Click on the links below to go to the store websites, where you can fill your shopping cart. After that, you can share your cart with Mr. Dutch Food. Read the Order Instructions” page for details on how to do this.
Order breakfast cake from Jumbo
Order breakfast cake from Albert Heijn
Order breakfast cake from Plus
Order breakfast cake from Ekoplaza
Voor grotere hoeveelheden van de groothandels Sligro en Makro kunt u ook bij ons terecht. Neem contact met ons op.
Can I buy breakfast cake at a discount?
Yes, absolutely! Dutch supermarkets often have special offers. You can benefit from these promotional prices through Mr. Dutch Food. Check the Rates page to see how this works. You can also view the store’s advertising brochures to see which discounts are available now or next week.
Jazeker! Er zijn regelmatig aanbiedingen bij de Nederlandse supermarkten. U kunt profiteren van de aanbiedingsprijs bij Mr. Dutch Food. Kijk op de pagina “Tarieven” om te lezen hoe dit werkt. Bekijk de reclamefolders van de winkels welke aanbiedingen er deze of volgende week gelden.
How long does breakfast cake stay fresh?
Fresh breakfast cake from a local bakery has a relatively short shelf life, typically lasting 3-5 days, but in some cases, up to a few weeks. Pre-packaged breakfast cake from the supermarket has a much longer shelf life, usually between 1 to 3 months, depending on the brand and added preservatives.
Store breakfast cake in a dry, cool place, but not in the fridge, as it can affect the texture. After opening, it’s best to store it in an airtight container to keep it soft.
Even if the breakfast cake has passed its expiration date, you can usually still eat it. The manufacturer no longer guarantees optimal quality, but the breakfast cake may simply be a bit drier. If it looks and smells fine, it’s safe to eat. Pre-packaged breakfast cake can last up to two months beyond the expiration date.
Is there vegan breakfast cake?
Yes, vegan breakfast cake is available. Some brands in the Netherlands offer breakfast cakes without any animal ingredients, making them suitable for people following a vegan diet. These breakfast cakes are made without honey, milk, butter, or eggs, and often use plant-based alternatives.
Brands like Peijnenburg offer a few vegan-friendly breakfast cake varieties. You can also find vegan breakfast cake at organic supermarkets like Ekoplaza, which can be ordered through Mr. Dutch Food.
Always check the ingredients list to ensure that the breakfast cake is completely vegan, as some varieties may contain honey or other animal products.
Which breakfast cake is gluten-free?
Gluten-free breakfast cake is available from various brands that cater to people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. A few examples of gluten-free breakfast cake that you can order through Mr. Dutch Food include:
Jumbo Delicious Gluten Free Unsliced Breakfast Cake
Can you freeze breakfast cake?
Even though breakfast cake usually has a long shelf life, it can also be frozen. Here are some tips for freezing breakfast cake:
- Pack the breakfast cake airtight: If the original packaging is still sealed, you can place it directly in the freezer. Otherwise, cut the breakfast cake into portions and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or put it in a freezer bag to prevent freezer burn.
- Shelf life in the freezer: breakfast cake can be stored in the freezer for about 2-3 months without losing much flavor or texture.
- Defrosting: Let the breakfast cake thaw at room temperature before eating. It may feel slightly more moist after defrosting, but the taste will generally remain intact.
