Britannia English Slice Cake
Red flags
- −Red flag: Contains TBHQ
- −Red flag: High added sugar (24.3g per 100g)
- −Red flag: High saturated fat (10.6g)
- −Red flag: Refined flour (maida) base
Green flags
- +Green flag: Source of protein (6.4g)
Ingredients, decoded
18 listed- Refined Wheat Flour (Maida)
- Egg
- Sugar
- Refined Vegetable Fat (Interesterified Vegetable Fat, Sesame Oil, Emulsifier (471), Antioxidant (319) & Vitamin A)
- Humectants [422, 420(Ii)]
- Butter
- Refined Palmolein Oil
- High Maltose Syrup
- Liquid Glucose
- Milk Solids
- Cake Gel (Emulsifiers And Stabilizers (471 &477), Humectant [420(Ii)])
- Artificial (Vanilla & Butter) Flavouring Substances
- Iodised Salt
- Invert Sugar Syrup
- Acidity Regulators [330,341(I)]
- Raising Agents [500(Ii),450(I)]
- Preservatives (202,282)
- Baking Powder And Stabilizer (415)
EC4
Our take
CleanPlate reviewEgg and butter cake with TBHQ and two preservatives
Britannia English Slice Cake is maida, egg, sugar and a refined vegetable fat blend (interesterified fat, sesame oil, emulsifier 471, TBHQ 319 and vitamin A), with butter, palmolein, high maltose syrup, liquid glucose, milk solids and cake gel.
CleanPlate scores it EC4. The E for nutrition is low: almost no credited protein, fibre or micronutrients per 100 g; its 6.4 g of protein earns no credit because it is under 2.75 g per 100 kcal. The C for ingredients reflects mostly refined or industrial ingredients (led by refined wheat flour, egg and sugar), with additives that cost points: calcium phosphates, diphosphates, TBHQ and flavouring. The 4 for risk comes mainly from saturated fat (10.6 g per 100 g) and free sugar (24.3 g per 100 g).
How EC4 breaks down
Each grade is scored on its own. Here are the label numbers behind each one, per 100 g.
Very low nutrient density
- Protein
- 6.4 g
- Fibre
- Not declared
- Vitamins and minerals
- None declared
- Energy
- 422 kcal
Scored on protein, fibre and twelve vitamins and minerals, against the Codex and FSSAI "source" and "high" levels, per 100 g and per 100 kcal.
Mixed processing and additives
- Base
- Refined Wheat Flour
- Main fat
- Refined Vegetable Fat,...
- Sweeteners
- 4 types
- Additives
- 11
- Flagged
- 3 ingredients
- Artificial flavour or colour
- Yes
Scored on how processed the ingredients are, which additives are used and why, and whether the label keeps its promises.
High risk
- Added sugar
- 24.3 g
- Sodium
- 253.2 mg
- Saturated fat
- 10.6 g
- Trans fat
- 0 g
Scored on free sugar, sodium, saturated fat and trans fat, each weighed by how strong the evidence of harm is.
A closer look
Does the label add up?
Maida, egg, sugar, refined vegetable fat (interesterified fat, sesame oil, emulsifier 471, TBHQ 319, vitamin A), humectants (422, 420ii), butter, palmolein, high maltose syrup, liquid glucose, milk solids, cake gel, artificial vanilla and butter flavours, invert syrup, acidity regulators, raising agents, preservatives (202, 282) and stabiliser (415).
Per 100 g: 422 kcal, 20 g fat of which 10.6 g saturated, 26.2 g sugar of which 24.3 g added, 6.4 g protein, 253 mg sodium. Contains egg. Cholesterol is 105.5 mg per 100 g. Monounsaturated 6.9 g and polyunsaturated 1.6 g are printed but not stored. No fibre line.
Ingredients to watch
- Added sugarConcern
24.3 g per 100 g, with sugar, high maltose syrup, liquid glucose and invert syrup all listed.
- Preservatives and TBHQWorth watching
Potassium sorbate (202), calcium propionate (282) and TBHQ (319) are all listed.
- Long additive listWorth watching
Phosphates, humectants, emulsifiers, a stabiliser, raising agents and flavours.
- Real egg and butterFine
Egg is the second ingredient and butter is listed.
Common misconceptions
Myth: "A cake with egg is nutritious"
Egg is second on the list, but the cake still has 24.3 g of added sugar per 100 g.
Myth: "Packaged cakes keep because they are natural"
Two preservatives, potassium sorbate and calcium propionate, are listed.
How often, and how
- Healthy adultsOccasionally
- ChildrenRarely
- Diabetes or prediabetesLimit
Smarter ways to eat it
One slice
Treat it as an occasional sweet; the whole pack is about 591 kcal.
Fruit and curd
A fruit with curd gives sweetness with fibre and protein.
Common questions
Is Britannia English Slice Cake healthy?
Britannia English Slice Cake scores EC4 (Poor) on CleanPlate, which makes it best kept as a rare treat rather than a regular buy. The main concerns are: Contains TBHQ; High added sugar (24.3g per 100g); High saturated fat (10.6g); Refined flour (maida) base. On the plus side: Source of protein (6.4g).
What does the EC4 score mean?
The first letter (E) grades nutritional value: very low nutrient density. The second letter (C) grades ingredient and label integrity: mixed processing and additives. The number (4) grades risk nutrients (sugar, sodium, saturated fat): high risk.
Which ingredients in Britannia English Slice Cake should I watch?
Refined Wheat Flour (Maida) (Maida), Refined Vegetable Fat (Interesterified Vegetable Fat, Sesame Oil, Emulsifier (471), Antioxidant (319) & Vitamin A) (TBHQ), Refined Palmolein Oil (Palmolein).
Last reviewed October 10, 2026. Scored with the CleanPlate method from the published label.