National Biscuit Day – 29th May

What is National Biscuit Day?

National Biscuit Day is celebrated on 29th May to honour the rich history and cultural significance of the humble biscuit. It is a day to appreciate biscuits as a staple food that originated as an essential, long-lasting source of sustenance for ancient civilizations and sailors.

And the age-old question – is a Jaffa cake, a cake or a biscuit?

In a famous 1991 UK court case, manufacturer McVitie’s successfully proved it is a….

CAKE

The distinction is crucial for tax laws; in the UK, cakes are zero-rated for VAT, whereas chocolate-covered biscuits are subject to standard tax rates. Here is how the judge and the public view the treats:

Why it is a cake (Legally)

The Stale Test: The primary argument in court was that biscuits go soft when they go stale, whereas cakes go hard. When a Jaffa Cake is left exposed to the air, it hardens. The Sponge Base: The base of a Jaffa Cake is a thin, aerated sponge mixture rather than traditional biscuit dough.

Today we learnt some interesting facts whilst sampling some lovely biscuits – what a great day