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Is it a biscuit or cake?

(44 Posts)
gransruleok Thu 11-Jun-26 14:04:02

My recent purchase of these once favoured treats tasted like a dollop of orange on cardboard with chocolate flavouring on top, yuk - last time I buy Jaffa cakes.

Fallingstar Thu 11-Jun-26 14:10:04

I was also disappointed. Remembered really loving them many moons ago, now they taste cheap and nasty.

Oreo Thu 11-Jun-26 14:12:31

I agree with you both, they used to be delish but no longer.

Gracey Thu 11-Jun-26 14:23:02

I'd say it's a cake, but I'm not very fond of the chocolate/orange combo, so I didn't have many. Last time I tried one it wasn't as thick, and the orange and the chocolate topping tasted very synthetic.

NotSpaghetti Thu 11-Jun-26 14:25:03

I never liked these! They were always a bit odd to me.
I know some people did really enjoy them.

snoopy57 Thu 11-Jun-26 14:25:18

Cake or Biscuit, the children will love it.

Aely Thu 11-Jun-26 14:30:48

Officially it is cake. There was a court decision a number of years ago. A lot of "chocolate" goodies have lost their appeal lately with the switch to cheaper "chocolate flavour" gunge. It was bad enough when companies started using Palm products. Nothing tastes the same. Anybody tried Paterson's "original with a twist" shortbread fingers recently? Nothing original about them and quite awful.

BoggledMind Thu 11-Jun-26 14:35:36

The cake or biscuit debate will probably go on forever, but McVities call them a cake and a judge agreed.

In 1991 HMRC wanted to charge vat on them because that's what happens with biscuits, but not cakes. It went to court and the judge saw both sides of the cake or biscuit argument but ultimately sided with McVities and said they were cakes (for the purpose of vat).

We recently had the limited edition Zuzu Lemon Jaffa Cakes and they were quite nice.

BoggledMind Thu 11-Jun-26 14:36:30

Sorry Aely, I posted before seeing your comment.

HappyBumbleBee Thu 11-Jun-26 15:05:25

Honestly if you like to bake try making them - it’s literally thin sponge, orange jelly and melted chocolate and the bonus? You can make them whatever size (huge) you like 😅
I don’t have a recipe I just use my normal sponge recipe but bake a thin layer!

M0nica Thu 11-Jun-26 15:41:08

Why do they constantly adulterate food and reduce the size in packets. The number of products, once coated in chocolate, noow covered in chocolate flavoured icing are too innumerable to count.

OK, keeping the quality may add £1 to the price of somethimg and I may then eat it once a fortnight,rather than once a week, but adulterate the product and cut its size and I simply stop buying it and I am not likely to change my mind.

Sago Thu 11-Jun-26 15:49:02

The M&S version is good, I think they do/did a lime one.

Patsy70 Thu 11-Jun-26 15:53:54

I’ve never liked Jaffa Cakes.

Oreo Thu 11-Jun-26 19:14:49

Sago

The M&S version is good, I think they do/did a lime one.

Really? Must try them😋

JaneJudge Thu 11-Jun-26 19:18:08

i prefer them hard

AGAA4 Thu 11-Jun-26 19:22:52

I haven't had a Jaffa cake for years. Sounds like I'm not missing much. I remember when Cadbury's actually was chocolate. It changed and become quite nasty now.

crazyH Thu 11-Jun-26 19:25:30

Never liked Jaffa Cakes, but the kids liked them

Delila Thu 11-Jun-26 19:25:35

If my sister makes it and it’s meant to be a cake, it will be a biscuit.
(Sorry, as soon as I saw that title I thought of my sister).

But yes, M&S version of Jaffa cakes is much better.

Fallingstar Thu 11-Jun-26 19:28:49

Sago

The M&S version is good, I think they do/did a lime one.

I imagine their version of Jaffa cakes is good. I also love their extra chocolatey biscuits, bought two packets, milk and white chocolate last week. None left 😬

Witzend Thu 11-Jun-26 19:29:22

M&S do something virtually the same, only better. I have been known to make a complete 🐷 of myself on their dark chocolate ‘Jaffa’ cakes.

Fallingstar Thu 11-Jun-26 19:30:45

Try Aldi or Lidl chocolate, I believe is German, and it is real grown up chocolate. Feeling hungry now 🫣

pably15 Thu 11-Jun-26 19:38:23

I haven't tasted one for years, but now I'll have to add a packet to my Tesco order.

MissAdventure Thu 11-Jun-26 21:18:30

When my grandson was little, we'd realise he'd been quiet for a while, go into the kitchen, and he'd be smothered head to toe in jaffa cake chocolate and orange jelly sticky stuff. smile

MT62 Thu 11-Jun-26 21:29:04

I believe most chocolate biscuits are just covered in a chocolate flavoured substance nowadays.
I think it’s hard to get a decent biscuit, unless you pay top notch for them.

Bukkie Thu 11-Jun-26 21:29:50

I don't like Jaffa Cakes but my brother loves them. My baker friend once told me to tell the difference between biscuits and cakes to remember biscuits go soft and cakes go hard when not in an airtight container.