I tried out original, Aldi and Bahlsen's Jaffa Cakes

Due to the original creators McVitie's not registering the name "Jaffa Cakes" as a trademark, various brands and supermarkets also have their own version, meaning shoppers have an abundance of choice for the product.

Despite their overall prominence as a brand, Jaffa Cakes from McVitie's have actually shown a decline in sales.

The Grocer reported in December 2023 that it had suffered a decline of 1.9 million kilos in sales from the previous year, which was 18% lower than in 2022.

Own-label cakes were instead bought in greater volume, with the cost-of-living crisis being stated as a reason.

Due to the choice of Jaffa Cakes from various supermarkets and brands being so vast it got me thinking what the best version might be, and if shoppers were right to start looking for alternatives to the original snack.

Therefore, I decided to buy Aldi's version of Jaffa Cakes alongside the original McVitie's to see which one would emerge victorious.

McVitie's, Aldi and Bahlsen were selected for the comparison (Image: Newsquest)

To add a further point of comparison I thought it might be useful to try a more 'high-end' version of a Jaffa Cake as well, so I went for Bahlsen's one.

I tried original, cheap and high-end Jaffa Cakes

Original McVitie's Jaffa Cakes

McVitie's Jaffa Cakes offered their distinctive great taste (Image: Newsquest)

Weight: 110g

Number of cakes: 10

Price: £1.25 (£1.14 per 100g)

I tried the original McVitie's first to see how it held up, as I actually hadn't had one in quite a long time.

Whilst they have fallen victim to shrinkflation (reducing by a tenth in size last year, according to The Sun) thankfully the taste was on point.

The tangy orange jelly circle was delicious and combined well with the chocolate and sponge to create that distinctive taste many people love.

Score: 4/5

Aldi's Belmont Jaffa Cakes

Aldi's Jaffa Cakes offered the best value by far (Image: Newsquest)

Weight: 300g

Number of cakes: 24

Price: £1.15 (38p per 100g)

By far the best in terms of value, Aldi's Belmont Jaffa Cakes offered 24 in a pack which was more than double in the other two.

However, the taste of the cake is certainly a bit different to McVitie's original, and sadly not for the better.

It's a slightly more bland blend of ingredients that doesn't really reach the same heights, but it still works on its own to recommend.

Score: 3/5

Bahlsen Messino Luxury Dark Chocolate Orange Jaffa Cakes

Bahlsen's Jaffa Cakes tasted nice but were very thin (Image: Newsquest)

Weight: 125g

Number of cakes: 10

Price: £2 (£1.60 per 100g)

Bahlsen's slightly fancier reworking of  Jaffa Cake was definitely costly, with it being £2 a pack, but the effect on the tastebuds was certainly tantalising.

It almost manages to replicate the taste of the original but its main difference comes in its shape.

The Messino Luxury Dark Chocolate Orange Jaffa Cakes are rectangular in their disposition, with the only issue being that they are so thin.

One really isn't enough and I could imagine you could go through the whole pack without feeling very full.

Score: 4/5

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The verdict

Whilst the taste of McVitie's Jaffa Cakes and the Bahlsen's version are very close, the original comes up trumps for me.

The Bahlsen's version being so thin did swing the balance back in favour of McVitie's as you do get a bit more out of it that way.

However, if you're looking for pure value then Aldi's is absolutely the one to go for.

At a cost of just 38p per 100g it certainly makes the argument about supermarket-own brands that much more compelling.