Jaffa Cakes facts for kids
A Jaffa Cake cut in half
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| Alternative names | Jaffa |
|---|---|
| Type | Cake |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Region or state | All Regions |
| Created by | McVitie and Price |
| Main ingredients | Sponge cake, orange-flavoured jam, chocolate |
| Variations | Various limited edition flavours (Lemon and lime, strawberry, black currant) |
Jaffa Cakes are yummy, biscuit-sized treats first made by McVitie and Price in the UK in 1927. They got their name from Jaffa oranges, which give them their famous orange flavour!
Most Jaffa Cakes are round, about 2 inches (54 mm) wide. They have three tasty layers: a soft sponge cake base, a layer of orange jam, and a coating of chocolate. Each Jaffa Cake has about 46 calories. You can find them in different sizes and packs, like 10, 20, 30, or 40 cakes per pack.
Since McVitie's didn't trademark the name "Jaffa Cakes," other companies also make similar treats using the same name. In 1991, there was a big debate about whether Jaffa Cakes were cakes or biscuits for tax reasons. A court decided they were cakes, which was good news for McVitie's! By 2012, Jaffa Cakes were the best-selling cake or biscuit in the United Kingdom.
Contents
How Jaffa Cakes Are Made
All McVitie's Jaffa Cakes are made in the United Kingdom at their factory in Stockport. The area where Jaffa Cakes are produced is huge, covering about one acre (4,047 m²). It has a production line that's over a mile (1.6 km) long!
Making Jaffa Cakes is a bit tricky because they have three different parts: cake, jam, and chocolate. Special machines are used to check 20 Jaffa Cakes every second to make sure they are perfect.
Fun Flavours to Try
While the classic Jaffa Cake is orange, McVitie's has released special limited-edition flavours over the years. Some past flavours include lemon-and-lime, strawberry, and blackcurrant.
In early 2020, they launched a limited-edition pineapple flavour. Then, in early 2021, new cherry and passionfruit flavours were introduced, giving fans more choices to enjoy!
Are Jaffa Cakes Cakes or Biscuits? The Big Debate!
In the United Kingdom, there's a tax called Value Added Tax (VAT). You have to pay VAT on chocolate-covered biscuits, but not on chocolate-covered cakes. This led to a famous court case in 1991 about Jaffa Cakes.
McVitie's argued that Jaffa Cakes were cakes, not biscuits. The court looked at several things to decide:
- Ingredients: The ingredients were more like those used for cakes, making a thin, cake-like mix.
- Texture: The texture felt like a sponge cake.
- How they go stale: Jaffa Cakes get hard when they're old, just like cakes do. Biscuits usually go soft.
- Main part: A big part of a Jaffa Cake is the sponge cake.
- Size: They are small, more like biscuits in size.
- Where they are sold: They were often sold next to biscuits in shops.
- How they are eaten: People usually eat them with their fingers as a snack, like a biscuit.
After looking at all the facts, the court decided that Jaffa Cakes should be considered cakes. This meant that VAT is not added to Jaffa Cakes in the UK. So, legally, Jaffa Cakes are cakes!
Recent Advertisements
On February 26, 2021, McVitie's launched a new TV advert that brought back the old debate: are Jaffa Cakes cakes or biscuits? The advert showed a man thinking about this question, then deciding he could be anything he wanted to be.
This advert was part of a big £4.7 million plan to promote Jaffa Cakes. This plan also included working with social media, creating fun digital experiences, and doing public relations. It was the first time Jaffa Cakes had their own standalone TV advert since 2006!
See also
In Spanish: Galleta Jaffa para niños
