Heavy, dense, and thick, poffert is a Groningen specialty cake consisting of flour, eggs, milk, and butter. It is typically stuffed with raisins, apricots, figs, and preserved ginger. The cake is meant to be consumed as a meal in itself, not as a dessert, and especially not as a coffee cake.

Although there is no sugar in the batter, when sliced, the cake is sometimes served with sweet syrup or butter. It is said that poffert tastes even better when consumed the next day.