Valentine’s day is around the corner! No plans for your other half yet? Why not bake him/ her a cake? It’s the thought and heart that counts ;)
Ever wondered why sometimes you get a denser cake? Why does it rise sometimes but not the other time? Tired of failed cakes? Understanding the science behind some baking ingredients would yield better results, which means, NO MORE FAILED CAKES PLEASE!
One tiny ingredient change could lead to a major change in mouthfeel, texture, taste, flavor…..
Let’s talk about the staple ingredients in cake baking:
1. Flour
Flour is made up mostly of starch granules and proteins. Starch granules basically gelatinize in the presence of water and heat, providing the cake structure. As a liquid is mixed into flour, the tightly coiled proteins Glutenin and Gliadin loosens up, forming a network of new protein known as gluten. It should also be noted that higher protein flour absorbs more water. Upon mixing, this network of gluten stretches as more air is incorporated within the rising dough. To conclude: Longer Mixing= Stronger Gluten Network=Rising dough! Depending on the type of flour, each has different protein contents.
2. Fat/ Oil
Fat/ oil being hydrophobic (“water-hating”), acts to shorten the formation of gluten, activating Glutenin and Gliadin.The fat coats the starch and protein of the flour thus retardingthe formation of gluten, resulting in a softer and more tender final product. Butter (fat) results in a less height and more compact cake while oil results in a moist, tall & light cake. This is because oil coats flour better than butter. Butter contains moisture while oil is 100% fat. The moisture in butter turns into steam upon heating, causing the cake batter to rise.
Bonus: Check out the types of gluten free floursin baking!
3. Eggs/ egg replacer
Eggs play multiple roles in baked goods. First, it acts as a leavening agent and binder. The protein in the eggs forms a layer around the air bubble covered with oil/ fats, preventing it from collapsing while baking in the oven. Next, it provides moisture and third, it gives provides hint of yellow to the baked good. Egg whites provides moisture while egg yolk (contains lecithin which acts as an emulsifier) contributes more on the texture component of the cake.
Egg substitutes are commonly polysaccharides, that are made up of long chains of sugar molecules which forms extensive networks when mixed with water. They somehow resemble denatured egg proteins, by entrapping moisture thus keeping the other ingredients evenly dispersed. This prevents the cake from falling apart. Apple cider vinegar is a good example and also a magic ingredient in baking. It does not only act as an egg replacer to provide texture and lift, it could also act as a natural preservative to lengthen shelf life! (1tnsp vinegar/ egg).
4. Leavening agents
Two most common leavening agents in cake baking are baking soda (an alkali) and baking powder. The only difference is that baking powder consists of a blend of acid in addition of baking soda. Acid reacts with alkali producing carbon dioxide gas which producing air pockets and making dough rice. Only have baking soda? Don’t worry! Adding something acidic like vinegar/ lemons could neutralize it and would work the same as baking powders!
5. Sugars
Sugars does more than just making your cake sweet. In the presence of heat (>350°), sugars are broken down releasing a toasty, nutty and caramel flavor. This process is known as caramelization. The reason your cake batter turns brown upon baking is due to sugars binding to amino acids. This is known as browning, which also enhances the flavor. In addition, sugar also provides moisture, which explains why cakes are tender compared to pastries.
6. Salt
Its cake. It is supposed to be sweet. So, WHY ADD SALT? Salt is believed to play an important role in enhancing the sweetness and helps remove any bitter tastes. In addition, the ions from salts binds with the charged amino acids (from the protein in flour) providing a better texture and more elastic batter = as the gluten lines up more orderly.
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Written by: Estee Ngew, U2 Food Science Student