Jaffa Cakes: Cakes or Biscuits?
Jaffa Cakes, cake, biscuit or something else? Why should Jaffa Cakes be named as they are? Well Jaffa comes from Jaffa Oranges, which are named after the Israeli city of Jaffa. But then why should they be called Jaffa Cakes when they look so much like biscuits? In fact whether Jaffa Cakes are cakes, biscuits or something else has been the subject of much controversy in the United Kingdom.
Under UK law no value added tax (VAT) is placed on biscuits or cakes. But critical to the controversial issue of Jaffa Cakes’ name, when a biscuit is covered in chocolate it becomes subject to the standard VAT rate of 17.5%. Mcvities, the market leaders for Jaffa Cakes classed them as cakes, not biscuits, but this classification was challenged by Her Majesty’s Customs and Excise in 1991.
In the end the case ended up in the courts and the court were forced to answer the question of when something should be classed as a cake and when it should be classed as a biscuit. Answering this general question would then lead easily into a decision related to ‘Jaffa Cake, cake or biscuit?’
So what happened? Is a Jaffa Cake a cake? Happily for us Jaffa Cake lovers who would not relish the prospect of having to pay another 17.5% for our Jaffa Cakes, the court ruled in favour of Mcvities. One of the critical aspects of the argument was related to what happens when biscuits or cakes go stale. The court found, as anyone who has forgotten to put the lid on their biscuit tin properly will know, that when biscuits go stale they go softer. But when cakes go stale they go harder. The test was done, and when Jaffa cakes are left exposed to the air they get harder. So Jaffa cakes are definitely cakes and not biscuits. We recommend that you do the test to see for yourself, because unlike disgusting soggy biscuits, when Jaffa cakes go stale the new harder type of Jaffa cake you get is actually still delicious.
Just one more interesting Jaffa Cake fact all about their name: During the court battle between Mcvities and Her Majesty’s Customs and Excise, Mcvities baked a giant Jaffa Cake to prove that Jaffa cakes were really cakes and not biscuits. I don’t know what you think, but our taste buds are definitely watering thinking about a giant Jaffa Cake!
31 Responses to “Jaffa Cakes: Cakes or Biscuits?”
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August 8th, 2008 at 5:14 am
Um, Biscuit?
August 17th, 2008 at 3:35 am
Your blog is interesting!
Keep up the good work!
February 1st, 2010 at 4:14 pm
its a biscuit!
March 4th, 2010 at 9:01 pm
Call it a cookie, it will be even, lol!
April 3rd, 2010 at 12:50 pm
cake definately
May 12th, 2010 at 3:36 pm
IT IT A CAKE< END OF!!!!!!!!!!!
June 2nd, 2010 at 2:34 pm
[...] can’t really compare them to Hob Nobs. (Whatever shelf you find them on in the supermarket!) Are Jaffa Cakes A Biscuit Or A Cake? (I don’t agree with that [...]
June 21st, 2010 at 6:16 pm
biscuit
June 22nd, 2010 at 2:39 pm
Giant Jaffa cake??!! WOW…The very idea elates me!
Well done McVities - Nice to see the VAT man losing once in a while!
September 24th, 2010 at 3:38 pm
biscuit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 3rd, 2010 at 2:22 pm
seriously how much time do people have on there hands no one cares mate lol
November 15th, 2010 at 12:47 am
i like jaffa cakes.
November 17th, 2010 at 5:03 am
All you losers who say they are cakes clearly got a jaffa cake for their birthday and tried to convince themselves that it’s a cake.. where as the rest of us get served one with a cup of tea like a BISCUIT!.. served as a biscuit.. eaten like a biscuit.. NOT A CAKE.. it’s in the biscuit aisle of tesco!!.. and may I add… made in a biscuit (NOT CAKE) factory..
I stand by it.. BISCUIT!
December 17th, 2010 at 5:37 pm
great post, thanks for sharing
January 14th, 2011 at 3:53 pm
Its made of sponge so therefore it a cake. Biscuits are hard and soften when stale, cakes are soft/spongey and harden when stale. Jaffa CAKE harden when stale. IT’s A CAKE!!!
January 14th, 2011 at 5:29 pm
Spot on Jo!
March 5th, 2011 at 5:43 am
Does it really matter if they are a cake or a biscuit…they are awesome and I can buy them in Canada!!
March 19th, 2011 at 2:21 pm
BISCUIT
CAKE
BISCUIT
March 19th, 2011 at 2:21 pm
CAKE! DUH!
March 19th, 2011 at 2:21 pm
cake! its in the name ‘jaffa CAKE!’
March 24th, 2011 at 2:04 pm
i love jaffa cakes and it is a cake because it has cake in the name so therfore it is a cake not a biscuit a cake okay? Good now that thats settled….I LOVE YOU JAFFA CAKE!! <3<3<3
April 28th, 2011 at 1:24 pm
My friend Megan is amazing. She has concluded our dilemma for Jaffa Cakes. As stated above, Jaffa Cakes go hard therefore a cake!:):)
May 19th, 2011 at 11:48 am
We are having a debate about a Jaffa cake at school. lol
May 23rd, 2011 at 1:53 pm
hey i love eating jaffa cakes that is why i am so fat but i cant decide wheather to eat them anymore as i hate buiscuitsa dn everyone says they are busicuits
June 8th, 2011 at 5:56 pm
I love jaffa cakes so does my friend amy francis. we eat them all the time and there for we found out the answer and they are cakes because that is the name JAFFA CAKES. me and my friend always go hyper when we eat them LOL :D.
June 17th, 2011 at 10:09 am
biscuit
June 17th, 2011 at 10:13 am
biscuit!
August 5th, 2011 at 2:41 pm
Want to have your cake n eat it too? Make a cupcake! Lemon flavored!
September 24th, 2011 at 6:59 pm
jaffas are blates cake. deal with it?
October 2nd, 2011 at 6:44 pm
Why does it matter so much?? xPP
December 14th, 2011 at 9:51 pm
I love Jaffa cakes and eat around 100 a day. Tonight I ate a massive Jaffa cake sponge cake. Yum yum in my tum! Keep up the good work Jaffa cake men and women. I salute you!!!