The Effect of Various Types of Sugar on the Rise and Sensory Acceptability of Cake

Trisha GarciaKrystle Dixon

PURPOSE OF EXPERIMENT

Replacement of white granulated sugar in cake with 3 different types of sugars to observe differences in texture, height, and taste.

o Demerara o Corn syrupo Organic coconut palm

BACKGROUNDC12H22O11

Sugar is made from:• Sugarcane• Beets

Effects of sugar on baked goods:o Stabilizero Textureo Leavenso Coloro Flavor

HYPOTHESIS

The cake prepared white granulated sugar (control) will have the largest rise, will be most tender, and will be the most acceptable compared to the cakes prepared with demerara, corn syrup, and coconut palm sugar.

METHODSPrepared and baked 4 different cakes using the same basic yellow cake recipe.o One cake baked with white sugar

(control)o Three cakes baked with either

demerara sugar, corn syrup, or coconut palm sugar

WHITE SUGAR (CONTROL)Ingredients:• 1 cup cake flour• 1 tsp baking powder• ¼ tsp salt• ¼ cup softened butter• ½ cup white granulated sugar• 1 ½ eggs at room temperature• 1 tsp vanilla• ¾ cup milk

Preparation:1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Put

parchment paper in a 20.5 cm round pan2. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in

a bowl and sift3. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat

in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and mix until combined

4. Slowly add flour alternately with milk. Batter should be smooth.

5. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Leave 5 minutes in pan

Corn SyrupIngredients:• 1 cup cake flour• 1 tsp baking powder• ¼ tsp salt• ¼ cup unsalted,

softened butter• ½ cup corn syrup• 1 ½ eggs at room

temperature• 1 tsp vanilla• ½ cup milk

Demerara SugarIngredients:• 1 cup cake flour• 1 tsp baking powder• ¼ tsp salt• ¼ cup softened

butter• ½ cup raw sugar• 1 ½ eggs at room

temperature• 1 tsp vanilla• ¾ cup milk

Coconut Palm SugarIngredients:• 1 cup, 2 tbsp cake flour• ½ tsp baking powder• ¼ tsp salt• ½ cup softened butter• ½ cup packed coconut

palm sugar• 2 eggs at room

temperature• 1 tsp vanilla• 1 cup milk

White sugar (control) Coconut palm sugar

Demerara sugar Corn syrup

OBJECTIVE TESTING

• Toothpick and ruler: measure height

• Penetrometer : measure tendrness

SUBJECTIVE TESTING

• Describe:Taste, Texture, Appearance,

& Tendereness• Rate the acceptability: 1 being the worst – 4 being the best

RESULTS – HEIGHT OF CAKES

• Control Cake (446)• Increase of 1.75 cm• 93.33% difference

• Demerara Cake (947)• Increase of 1.67 cm• 71.52% difference

Variation Before baking (cm)

After baking (cm)

Control   

  

1  3, 2.75, 2.50

Average 

2.75Demerara sugar   

 

1.5 

3, 3, 3.5  3.17

Corn syrup   

 

1.25 

3.5, 3.5, 3

 

3.33

Coconut palm sugar   

 

1.5 

2, 2.5, 2 

2.17

HEIGHT, CONT.

• Corn Syrup Cake (205)• Increase of 2.08 cm• 90.83% difference

• Coconut Palm Sugar Cake (017)• Increase of 0.67 cm• 36.51% difference

Control

Demerara

Corn Syrup

CPS

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5

Height of Cakes Before and After Baking

Before Baking (cm) After Baking (cm)

RESULTS - PENETROMETRY

• Control – 54.5 mm• Demerara Sugar – 65 mm• Corn Syrup – 48 mm• Coconut Palm Sugar – 57.5 mm

Penetrometer (mm)010203040506070

Penetrometry of Cakes

Control Demerara Corn Syrup CPS

FINDINGS – RISE AND TENDERNESS

• CS cake rose the mosto Air into batter

• CPS cake rose the leasto Too much liquid?

• RS cake the most tendero Absorption of liquido Prevention of gluten

production• CS cake the least tender

o More moisture taken up by the sugar

SENSORY EVALUATION

• 27 testers• Control cake rated as the most popular• Coconut Palm Sugar cake rated as least

popular• Most all cakes evaluated as being moist

and tender• CPS cake too dense and wet• Some thought CS cake chewy

• RS and CPS cakes took on the color of the sugars used

CS Cake11%

CPS Cake9%

Raw Sugar Cake21%

Control Cake38%

Acceptability Rating of Different Sugars in Cakes

CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS

• Coconut Palm Sugar – mostly sucrose (some glucose, fructose)

• Granulated sugar – sucrose• Demerara Sugar – mostly sucrose (some

glucose, fructose)• Corn Syrup – glucose

• Combinations of different types of sugars to improve cakes• Liquid vs. crystalline sugar

• Largest rise = Corn syrup cake

• Most tender = Demerara cake

• Most acceptable = White sugar cake (control)

REFERENCES

• www.finecooking.com/articles/how-sugar-affects-baking.aspx• www.bakersjournal.com/content/view/967/38/• http://www.sugar.org/images/docs/sugar-functional-roles.pdf