Elite Butter Cup Cake
Red flags
- −Red flag: Contains BHA
- −Red flag: High added sugar (26g per 100g)
- −Red flag: High saturated fat (5.9g)
- −Red flag: Refined flour (maida) base
Green flags
- +Green flag: Low sodium
Ingredients, decoded
30 listed- Refined Wheat Flour (Maida)
- Sugar
- Liquid Egg
- Edible Vegetable Oil (Rice Bran)
- Butter (2.9%)
- Liquid Glucose
- Leavening Agent (INS 500(ii))
- Leavening Agent (INS 341(i))
- Leavening Agent (INS 450(ii))
- Thickener (INS 466)
- Thickener (INS 415)
- Emulsifier (INS 481(i))
- Interesterified Edible Oils
- Emulsifier (INS 471)
- Emulsifier (INS 435)
- Emulsifier (INS 322)
- Preservative (INS 202)
- Antioxidant (INS 330)
- Antioxidant (INS 320)
- Sesame Oil
- Vitamin A
- Humectant (INS 420)
- Flavouring Substances (Vanilla, Natural/Nature Identical/Artificial)
- Flavouring Substances (Butter, Natural/Nature Identical/Artificial)
- Baking Powder
- Preservative (INS 282)
- Corn Starch
- Acidity Regulator (INS 260)
- Acidity Regulator (INS 330)
- Emulsifier (INS 477)
DD3
Our take
CleanPlate reviewA small cake with a very long list.
Elite Butter Cup Cake is a maida, sugar and egg sponge with rice bran oil and 2.9% butter, plus around sixteen additives.
CleanPlate scores it [L]DD3. The D for nutrition reflects little protein or fibre. The D for ingredients and label reflects a very long additive list and a "butter" name where butter is 2.9% and a butter flavouring carries the taste. The 3 for risk comes from added sugar and energy.
Claims vs reality
What the pack says, checked against the ingredient list and nutrition panel.
- Product nameMisleading
“Butter Cup Cake”
Real butter is 2.9%, and a butter flavouring is added to carry the taste; the name does not say "flavour".
How DD3 breaks down
Each grade is scored on its own. Here are the label numbers behind each one, per 100 g.
Low nutrient density
- Protein
- 4.7 g
- Fibre
- 0.66 g
- Vitamins and minerals
- Iron, Calcium
- Energy
- 361 kcal
Scored on eight nutrients (protein, fibre, calcium, iron, vitamins A, C, D and zinc), per 100 g and per 100 kcal.
Heavily processed or flagged substances
- Base
- Refined Wheat Flour
- Main fat
- Edible Vegetable Oil
- Sweeteners
- Sugar, Liquid Glucose
- Additives
- 16
- Flagged
- 4 ingredients
- Artificial flavour or colour
- Yes
Scored on six things: base processing, fat quality, sweeteners, additives, colours and flavours.
Moderate risk
- Added sugar
- 26 g
- Sodium
- 60.2 mg
- Saturated fat
- 5.9 g
- Trans fat
- 0.02 g
Scored on added sugar, sodium and saturated fat, with a penalty for trans fat.
[L] The name or pack claims promise more than the ingredient list delivers. See Claims vs reality.
A closer look
Does the label add up?
The list starts with maida, sugar, liquid egg, rice bran oil and butter (2.9%). Additives include thickeners 466 and 415, emulsifiers 481(i), 471, 435, 322 and 477, preservatives 202 and 282, and antioxidant 320 (BHA).
Per 100 g: 361 kcal, 26 g added sugar, 18.8 g fat (5.9 g saturated), 4.7 g protein and 60 mg sodium.
Ingredients to watch
- Additive loadConcern
Around sixteen functional additives, including BHA (320) and polysorbate (435).
- Added sugarConcern
26 g per 100 g.
- Mixed flavouringsWorth watching
Vanilla and butter flavours are a mix of natural, nature-identical and artificial.
Common misconceptions
Myth: "Butter cake is made with butter"
Butter is 2.9%. Most of the fat is rice bran oil and interesterified oil.
Myth: "A cup cake is a small treat"
Small, but still sugary and heavily processed.
How often, and how
- ChildrenOccasional treat
- AdultsOccasional
- DiabeticsAvoid
Smarter ways to eat it
Bake at home
A simple sponge needs flour, egg, sugar, butter and baking powder, with no preservatives.
Share it
Half a cake with tea is plenty.
Common questions
Is Elite Butter Cup Cake healthy?
Elite Butter Cup Cake scores DD3 (Poor) on CleanPlate, which makes it best kept as a rare treat rather than a regular buy. The main concerns are: Contains BHA; High added sugar (26g per 100g); High saturated fat (5.9g); Refined flour (maida) base. On the plus side: Low sodium.
What does the DD3 score mean?
The first letter (D) grades nutritional value: low nutrient density. The second letter (D) grades ingredient and label integrity: heavily processed or flagged substances. The number (3) grades risk nutrients (sugar, sodium, saturated fat): moderate risk.
Which ingredients in Elite Butter Cup Cake should I watch?
Refined Wheat Flour (Maida) (Maida), Preservative (INS 202) (Potassium Sorbate), Antioxidant (INS 320) (BHA), Preservative (INS 282) (Calcium Propionate).
Last reviewed September 26, 2026. Scored with the CleanPlate method from the published label.