Introduction and Other Variations

Basic Rich Cake (Creaming Method)




Cake is a food. It is a kind of dessert that mostly taste sweet. The most common and basic ingredients to make a cake are flour, sugar (sweetening agent), egg (binding agent) and fat. In the making of rich cake the ratio of sugar and fat is the same. It is also essential for big occasions such as birthday and wedding celebration.


CHEESECAKE


SWIZZ ROLL

It is rolled up from a rectangular shape to circular shape.

References,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_roll
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cake

Difference in the Chemical Changes Between the Food Products (Using White Flour and Wholemeal Flour)
Basic Rich Cake (Creaming Method)



As wrote in the previous post, wholemeal flour has more nutrients than white flour. White flour only has got endosperm and which it contains only starch and protein. Wholemeal flour has all the three which are endosperm, germ and bran that contains fiber, starch, protein and fats.

Maillard reaction will occur both in the white flour and wholemeal flour as both are heated during baking. It occurs due to the sugar and protein inside the flour when undergoes heating or stored together for some time. It is also an non-enzymatic browning.

1. CONDENSENSATION
Reducing sugar + amine ---> Glycosylamines
(The reducing sugar reacts with the amine group of an amino acids or protein to form glycosylamine.)

2. REARRANGEMENT
Glycosylamines ---> Colourless intermediates (Amadori compounds)

3. POLYMERIZATION
Colourless intermediates ---> Brown-coloured polymers (Melanoidins)
(This glycosylamine undergoes more reactions to eventually produce melanoidin pigments.

Maillard reaction is faster at food with higher content of sugar and protein. Hence, wholemeal flour resulted to be more darker in colour than white flour since it contains more sugar and protein.

Gluten traps air and allows expansion of air cells, resulting in increase in volume during baking. It denatures during baking and provides rigidity to the baked product. Wholemeal flour have more gliadins than white flour due to the presence of bran and it is absent in the white flour and also glutenin. Gliadins is a single polypeptide chain in a compactly folded globular shape (elliptical). Plus in wholemeal flour, wheat, has got high percentage of 85% gluten forming proteins.

Hence, wholemeal flour tends to have bigger air cells than plain flour and actually gives the cake a very dense volume making it difficult for the cake to rise. Resulting a wholemeal cake to be flatter, denser and bigger air cells as compared to plain flour.

References,
SFP notes
FC notes

Nutritional Comparison Between the Two Food Products (Using White Flour and Wholemeal Flour)
Basic Rich Cake (Creaming Method)





The picture shown above illustrate the structure of a wheat grain. Which it contains bran, endosperm and germ. The wheat grain has three layers after the removal of the husk. 15% of the grain contains the outer layer bran. After which the endosperm which is 82.5% of the grain and then the most inner part called the germ is 2.5%.

Generally the..
Bran=fiber
Endosperm= starch
Germ=protein


BRAN
- It is the outer covering of the grain, under the husk.
- It contains fiber as its outermost layer of cells have thick walls made mainly of cellulose and hemicellulose.
- It also contains minerals and vitamins, chiefly iron, water-soluble vitamins such as thiamin, niacin and riboflavin, together with some protein.
- A single layer of cells (aleurone) separates the bran from the rest of the grain.


ENDOSPERM
-Contains primarily starch and proteins as it is made of starch-storing parenchyma cells that are packed full of starch granules, which are embedded in a maxtrix of protein.
- It forms the major portion of the grain.


GERM
- It contains minerals (iron), B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin and niacin), oils and fats (unsaturated fat)


PLAIN FLOUR


In plain flour, the germ and bran are removed from the grain which contains all the essential fiber, B vitamins, mineral, vitamin E and antioxidants. Endosperm is left and contribute carbohydrates and protein to the grain. 70-75% of the grain are extracted to form plain flour. It is white in colour.


WHOLEMEAL FLOUR


100% of the wholemeal flour are extracted from the grain which means that nothing is removed and so no nutrients are lost. Hence, all the nutrients in the grain are retained inside the wholemeal flour and it is nutritive. It is light brown in colour.

In conclusion, wholemeal flour is a better choice in term of nutritive value as compared to plain flour. So why not consider eating wholemeal instead? :)

References,
SFP notes
http://www.isleyunruh.com/?p=686
http://www.nutrition.org.uk/home.asp?siteId=43§ionId=422&parentSection=322&which

Pictures of the Final Food Products (Using White Flour and Wholemeal Flour) and Sensory Comparison Between the Two Food Products
Basic Rich Cake (Creaming Method)






On the right: Wholemeal flour
On the left: Plain flour





PLAIN FLOUR


Appearance: Air cells can be seen. However, there are only a few bigger ones and majority are considered to be normal. There is a height change in the cake. After baking the cake actually rises.

Texture: The moistly effects make the cake look dense. It is mouth feeling as much butter was used. Easier to swallow.

Colour: Inner part of the cake is yellowish and the outer layer is light brown in colour.

Aroma: Strong buttery smell. A little vanilla essence smell.

Flavor: The cake taste sweet and also buttery vanilla essence enhances the flavor.






WHOLEMEAL FLOUR


Appearance: Air cells are huge and coarse. The cake has a little height change after baking. It rises a little but not much difference. As compared to plain flour, it do not have the height rising effect.

Texture: As wholemeal flour was used, it provides the grainy texture. It is not as mouth feeling compared to plain flour due to the coarsely and roughly of wheat. However, it will allow me to chew more. Quite difficult to swallow as it is too dry.

Colour: Inner part of the cake is light brown and the outer layer is dark brown in colour.

Aroma: Buttery smells not as strong as plain flour. On the other hand it produces a wheat smell.

Flavor: It has a very bland taste but sweet. Butter taste is covered by the wheat taste.

Pictorial/ Explanation of the Selected Food Product
Basic Rich Cake (Creaming Method)



Get all the ingredients ready and set it aside for easy peparation of recipe. Also, not to forget to preheat the oven.




Weigh the ingredients before creaming sugar and butter together. Remember to set the weighing machine to zero before weighing and avoid parallex error.







Level 1 teaspoon of baking powder.




Sift the baking powder and flour together into a plate and leave aside for later use.




Sifted flour


non-sifted flour



Beat the 2 eggs and leave it aside for later use.




Pour in the sugar follow by butter into a big bowl. Mix and beat them together by the electric beater to light and creamy.




It should look like this.




Gradually pour in the beaten eggs into mixture bit by bit. It helps to prevent curdling.





Fold in the sifted flour and baking powder into the mixture until the flour has a dropping consistency that look like this.




Add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla essence into the mixture.




Grease the tin to prevent sticking of the cake to the tin and allows easy removal after baking.




Pour in the mixture into a tin and ready to bake.

Standard Recipe of the Selected Food Product
Basic Rich Cake (Creaming Method)

Ingredients

100g butter/margarine
75g castor sugar
2 eggs, beaten
100g plain flour
1 level teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/4 cup raisins (optional)


Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degree celsius.

2. Cream the butter/ margarine and sugar with a wooden spoon or a hand-held electric beater until light and creamy.

3. Add the egg gradually to the creamed mixture. beating with each addition until all the eggs are added. This will help to prevent the eggs from curdling.

4. Sift the flour and baking powder together into a clean and dry bowl.

5. Fold in the flour mixture with a metal spoon until the cake mixture achieves a dropping consistency.

6. Add the vanilla essence and raisins to the mixture and mix well.

7. Pour the cake mixture into a greased cake tin.

8. Bake for 20-25 minutes.


Tips to follow..
- The flour mixture should be folded in carefully to avoid knocking out the air incorporated into the creamed mixture.
- A greased cake tin prevents the cake from sticking to the tin and allows it to be removed easily after baking.
- The middle shelf of the oven has the best temperature for a well-risen and evenly brown cake.