For decades, Britons have been enjoying Jaffa Cakes the wrong way round, according to a grocery expert. Richard Price of Brit Superstore says that the chocolate coating is actually the base, not the topping, meaning the correct way to eat them is with the sponge side up.
Price explained that the confusion stems from the natural assumption that the chocolate should be on top. However, McVitie's, the manufacturer, has confirmed that Jaffa Cakes travel through a 'reservoir of chocolate' during production, making the chocolate the official base.
This revelation adds a new twist to the long-standing debate over whether Jaffa Cakes are cakes or biscuits. In a 1991 court case, McVitie's successfully argued that they are cakes to avoid UK tax on biscuits, as cakes become firm when stale while biscuits go soft.
The proper way to consume a Jaffa Cake is with the sponge side facing down so that the chocolate hits the tongue first. 'For years, people have debated their own complex methods, from nibbling the edges off to eating the jelly first,' Price noted.
The topic resurfaced recently after American TikToker Elizabeth Walker questioned why Jaffa Cakes are called cakes. Thousands responded, with many clarifying the legal and textural reasons. One user wrote: 'For tax reasons mostly! And they are cakey on the bottom.'
