Exploration of the functionality of sugars in cake-baking, and effects on cake quality

Abstract

This review paper describes our exploratory experimental studies on the functionality of sucrose and other sugars in cake-baking, and effects on cake quality. We have used the American Association of Cereal Chemists Method 10-90.01 as a base cake-baking method, and have applied Differential Scanning Calorimetry, Rapid Visco-Analyzer, and time-lapse photography analyses in experimental design studies of the effects of the following ingredient and formulation variables on cake quality (e.g. texture, color, moisture content) and other finished-product properties (e.g. shape, dimensions): (a) cake formula levels of sucrose and water, in terms of %Sucrose and Total Solvent; (b) concentration of sucrose or other sugars (e.g. xylose, ribose, fructose, glucose, maltose, polydextrose) vs. wheat flour starch gelatinization temperature and starch pasting during baking and gluten development during mixing; (c) unchlorinated flour vs. chlorinated flours (of varying pH); (d) cake formula %Sucrose and TS vs. cake color, shape, and dimensions; (e) cakes formulated with sucrose or other sugars (i.e. xylose, fructose, glucose), and variable %S and TS, and unchlorinated or chlorinated flour (pH 4.6), vs. cake color, shape, and dimensions.

Keywords:

• Cake-baking
• cake formula
• cake quality
• cake properties
• DSC
• sucrose/sugars functionality
• RVA; time-lapse photography; starch gelatinization; chlorinated/unchlorinated flours

Acknowledgements

We wish to thank the following: (a) Prof. Jan Delcour and Dr. Kristof Brijs, of KU Leuven in Belgium, for organizing the two Cake Symposia, at which L.S. was originally invited to present the technical material upon which this review is based; (b) the USDA-ARS Soft Wheat Quality Lab in Wooster, OH, at which M.K. carried out all of the experimental cake-baking studies described in this review; (c) the Toledo OH Flour Mill of Nabisco/Mondelez and the Mennel Milling Company (Fostoria, OH) for providing the non-chlorinated and chlorinated wheat flour samples, respectively, used in the cake-baking studies; (d) BENEO-Palatinit GmbH (Mannheim, Germany) for providing the sample of isomaltulose, and Tereos Syral (Belgium) for providing the samples of Mylose syrup and Glucodry powder, used in the cake-baking studies.