Cereal Chem 40:466 - 481.  |  VIEW ARTICLE

Studies on the Dynamics of Cake-Baking. I. The Role of Water in Formation of Layer Cake Structure.

J. T. Wilson and D. H. Donelson. Copyright 1963 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

A study was made of the effect of liquid level in the batter on the volume, crumb structure, and top contour of layer cake, using 1) a standard white layer recipe and 2) a simplified formula which omits milk solids and egg protein. The quantitative data for each response was fitted to a second-degree polynomial. Water concentration had a critical effect on the extent of starch gelatinization during baking, which in turn determined the type of crumb structure found. With either formula, maximum volume was obtained at the liquid level where layer contour was rounded, but the structure score was highest at a slightly higher liquid level. The optimum level was consistently higher for the full formula than for the simplified one. The change in volume and contour with liquid level was much more abrupt and was greater with the simplified formula. The increased amount of water needed for the full formula demonstrated that milk solids and egg protein have definite absorption requirements, and indicated that water bound by them is not available for starch gelatinization.