What are Jaffa Cakes?

I never know when I will encounter something that quickly becomes a mini-obsession. This weeks mini-obsession is...Jaffa Cakes. It all started as I was watching an episode of Buffy The Vampire Slayer from the seventh season (I have them all on DVD). On the second to last episode of the show the characters raid an abandoned grocery store for food. Rupert Giles, the British Watcher, was elated to see that among the random goods they took was a box of Jaffa Cakes. If fact he consumed the soft choco-covered little cake with such ecstasy that I was immediately intrigued.

I had never heard of these things, let alone ever eaten any. And so I made it my business to seek out said treats with the fervor of a blood hound. Come with me now as I uncover the mysteries of Jaffa Cakes.

So what are Jaffa Cakes? I quickly entered into research mode to find out. When I am under the control of a mini-obsession I find it helpful to follow the scientific method. My first goal was to gather more information. I googled the hell out of the name and found all kinda neat stuff! I soon learned that Jaffa Cakes are British in origin. Having been born in the USA that's why I'd never heard of them. Jaffa Cakes are about the size of a cookie (biscuit) and consist of a soft spongy cake topped with an orange cream that is then covered in chocolate.

You'll never guess what dirt I found about these unassuming tiny cakes. Little did I know that a tea time treat could have a history full of intrigue, lawsuits and violence. Okay so I don't think there was any wars fought over them, but there was a rather nasty court case.

Apparently, the original makers of Jaffa Cakes, McVitie's, had to defend the treats status as cakes and not biscuits. They did this in order to avoid a 15% luxury tax being added because they have chocolate on them. The funny part is how the defending McVitie's had to prove that they are cakes. To demonstrate they made a 12 inch version of the cake. I imagine the judge taking it into his chambers for deliberation only to return to the courtroom empty handed because exhibit A was in his belly.

The McVitie's company also made an ingenious distinction about cakes and biscuits based on how they become stale. Stale cakes become hard while stale biscuits become soft. So they showed the Tribunal a sampling of rock hard Jaffa disks as proof positive. Hockey anyone? Finally the Tribunal decided that Jaffa Cakes are indubidebly cakes not biscuits and the company avoided the %15 luxury tax. Way to dodge that bullet McVitie's!

The fact that these delectable num nums are from the UK explained how good ol' Rubert Giles from Buffy was privy to their existence. However, this realization had the potential to put a wicked kink in my quest to get my greedly little paws on some sweet sweet Jaffa Cakes. Buying a ticket to the Mother Country just to track down a rare spongy confection seemed a bit crazy. I'm crazy but not that crazy. 'Course in this modern age we have the internet and I could easily order some and have them arrive at my door within days. But I am American dammit! I don't want to wait for anything. I needed immediate gratification. So I brazenly decided to hunt every grocery store in the tri-state area until I was munching on Jaffa Cakes.

Continue to part 2 of this saga to see if I found sweet Jaffa ecstasy