Waitrose Sicilian lemon cheesecake tops supermarket taste test ratings

Traditional recipes differ from store versions

Homemade lemon cheesecake typically uses eight ingredients or fewer, while average store-bought versions contain about 24. Most supermarket cakes fall into the ultra-processed food category and include additives not found in domestic kitchens. Although real lemon juice appears in every product tested, manufacturers also use lemon oil and acidity regulators to ensure tart flavour.

Waitrose cake wins on taste and texture

The Waitrose No 1 Sicilian lemon and mascarpone cheesecake received the highest rating for its pale colour and crumbly base. Reviewers described it as dangerously moreish with a wonderful fattiness and a bitter lemon edge. This product contains seven additives including certified sustainable palm oil but lacks emulsifiers, preservatives or artificial colours.

Other cakes show varying quality levels

Every cheesecake in the test was edible yet the quality of taste and texture differed greatly between products. The worst options tasted of stale biscuits and plastic packaging rather than fresh fruit. Quality depends on the ratio of biscuit to topping and the balance of salt, sugar and fat.