2370: Cakes & Biscuits: Legal Classification Jun 14, 2021

Cakes and biscuits might sound like sweet and easy-going treat, but there is a legal and effectively molecular distinction drawn between these in the UK which has led to actual court hearings. Particularly, the Jaffa Cake was subject to this dispute because the two classes of food are taxed differently, and Jaffa Cakes had to be proven to be cakes to avoid a tax specifically on chocolate-covered biscuits. The government tried to base its case on how it was produced like a biscuit, but as had been established in a previous case cakes harden when stale, and biscuits become limp when stale. Since Jaffa Cakes are tall, spongey, and will lose moisture when stale, these were legally proven to be cakes.

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