McVitie's Jaffa Cakes: Cake or Biscuit, Packs and Pairings

McVitie's Jaffa Cakes Original

Jaffa Cakes are the one thing in the biscuit aisle that is officially a cake. That single fact explains how to buy them, how to store them and why they belong beside a cup rather than in it.

Published 26 Sep 2026 Curator-written, not crowdsourced

McVitie's Jaffa Cakes Original, in summary: A thin sponge, a disc of sharp orange jelly and a dark chocolate top. We stock the snack pack, the twin pack and the triple pack, and every one of them is built around keeping sponge fresh.

Last reviewed by the teas.co.uk team in September 2026.

Jaffa Cakes are the one thing in the biscuit aisle that is officially a cake. That single fact explains how to buy them, how to store them and why they belong beside a cup rather than in it.

Three layers, three jobs

Every Jaffa Cake is built the same way. The sponge base is there for lift and carries almost no flavour of its own. On top sits a disc of orange jelly, which supplies nearly all of the taste, and over that a thin layer of dark chocolate that sets firm, keeps the jelly moist and adds a bitter edge against the sugar.

The published ingredient list follows that construction: glucose-fructose syrup and dark chocolate lead it, then sugar, wheat flour, whole egg and concentrated orange juice. Egg surprises people who bought them next to the digestives, but a real sponge needs it.

Why the pack size matters

A UK tax case decided that Jaffa Cakes are cakes, and the reasoning was practical rather than legal hair-splitting: a cake goes hard as it stales, whereas a biscuit goes soft. Leave an opened sleeve on the side and by the next day or the one after the sponge has turned dry, and nothing in the wrapper closes again properly.

That is the case for the smaller formats. The 198g snack pack divides the cakes into little portions, the 220g twin pack gives two sleeves and the 363g triple pack gives three, so only one is ever open at a time. Choose the size your household finishes quickly, not simply the biggest.

Serving them well

Twenty minutes in the fridge is the one trick worth knowing. The cold firms the chocolate so it snaps cleanly, tightens the jelly and makes the orange taste sharper and less sweet. Leaving them longer adds nothing, and freezing toughens the sponge for good.

Skip the dunk. With no crisp structure to lose, the sponge gives way almost at once and the jelly slides off after it, so these are a beside-the-cup treat. They suit a strong brew: the sharp orange and the dark chocolate hold their own against a malty breakfast blend with milk, and a black coffee is just as good a partner.

The packs we stock

McVitie's Jaffa Cakes Original Biscuits Snack Pack 6x3, 198g (barcode 5000168200927)
McVitie's Jaffa Cakes Original Biscuits Twin Pack, 220g (barcode 5000168005317)
McVitie's Jaffa Cakes Original Biscuits Triple Pack, 363g (barcode 5000168040578)

What the label says

The published ingredient list for McVitie's Jaffa Cakes Original Biscuits Triple Pack, 363g (barcode 5000168040578) says it contains wheat (gluten), milk, egg and soya. Check the current UK pack before purchase; formulations and allergen advice can change.

Ingredients, as published: Glucose-Fructose Syrup, Dark Chocolate (19%) [Sugar, Cocoa Mass, Vegetable Fats (Palm, Shea), Butter Oil (Milk), Cocoa Butter, Emulsifiers (Soya Lecithin, E476), Natural Flavouring], Sugar, Flour (Wheat Flour, Calcium, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Whole Egg, Water, Dextrose, Concentrated Orange Juice, Glucose Syrup, Vegetable Oils (Sunflower, Palm), Humectant (Glycerine), Acid (Citric Acid), Gelling Agent (Pectin), Raising Agents (Disodium Diphosphate, Ammonium Bicarbonate, Sodium Bicarbonate), Dried Whole Egg, Acidity Regulator (Sodium Citrates), Natural Orange Flavouring, Colour (Curcumin), Emulsifier (Soya Lecithin).

Typical values per 100g	Per 100g
Energy	376 kcal
Fat	8.1g
of which saturates	4g
Carbohydrate	69.6g
of which sugars	50g
Fibre	2.1g
Protein	5g
Salt	0.3g

Ingredient and nutrition data for this barcode: Open Food Facts (openfoodfacts.org), ODbL. The pack in your hands is the final word.

What to drink with it

Barry's Tea Gold Blend, 80 Tea Bags 250g: a brisk, full-bodied breakfast blend that stands up to sharp orange and dark chocolate, milk in.
Twinings English Breakfast Decaffeinated 40, 109g: the same strong-cup pairing for the evening, without the caffeine.
L'Or Espresso Supremo Coffee Intensity 10, 40 Pods 208g: a short black coffee, the other classic partner, and at its best with Jaffa Cakes straight from the fridge.

Elsewhere in the McVitie's range

The full range is on the McVitie's brand page.

FAQ

Are Jaffa Cakes a cake or a biscuit? A cake. The point that settled the UK tax case was how they stale: they go hard, like a cake, rather than soft, like a biscuit.

Do Jaffa Cakes contain egg? Yes. The published ingredient list includes whole egg and dried whole egg, alongside wheat, milk and soya.

Can you dunk a Jaffa Cake? It is not worth trying. The sponge collapses in a second or so and the jelly comes away, so eat them next to the cup.

Which pack should I buy? Buy by how fast they will be eaten. An opened sleeve is best finished within a day or two, so the snack pack or twin pack suits a small household and the triple pack a bigger one.

Should Jaffa Cakes go in the fridge? Briefly. About twenty minutes firms the chocolate and sharpens the orange; do not freeze them.

Curator's note: Chill them, pour something strong and let the orange do the talking. It is the whole point of the thing and it deserves a clean run. Lee, teas.co.uk, Tunbridge Wells.

In short: McVitie's Jaffa Cakes Original

Field	Detail
Brand	McVitie's
Packs we stock	198g; 220g; 363g
Category	Chocolate Biscuits
Allergens (as published)	It contains wheat (gluten), milk, egg and soya.
Dunkable	No, the sponge gives way
Best with	A strong breakfast blend with milk, or a black coffee