The Science Of Baking: The Things You Should “Lab” About Baking

Whoever said baking is a science understood the precision required to bake the perfect cake. But it isn’t just precision. Baking requires scientific knowledge to rationalize the chemical necessity of every ingredient. Bakers and pastry chefs, whether or not they’re fully aware of it, work like scientists when they bake, ensuring every ingredient is measured accurately and that the conditions are ideal for baking. It may sound complex, but we’ll break it into parts easy to understand. So put your imaginary coat on, and let’s head for the lab. 

Scientific Facts You Should Know About Baking

The ingredients in baking are specifically designed to perform a task. They’re necessary for the results, so substituting ingredients for healthier alternatives yields a significantly different texture and taste. 

The Truth About Eggs

Eggs are such an important part of baking, and they serve 5 purposes: 

1. Eggs form a layer around buttered-up air bubbles to prevent collapse in an oven. 
2. Eggs are an excellent source of water for batter. 
3. Eggs give your pastries a tinge of natural color that looks appetizing. 
4. Eggs serve as an emulsifier, allowing the ingredients to maintain a stable state. 
5. Eggs serve as a binder, which helps with texture. 

Flour Brings Ingredients Together  

Flour, especially wheat flour, interacts with water and forms gluten. The resulting elasticity in gluten contains expanding gases that aid in rising, and results vary depending on the flour you choose. Here’s a breakdown: 

• White flour has less protein and less gluten content, which means the dough isn’t as strong. 

• All-purpose flour can make various pastries, but it doesn’t yield the fluff you need in cakes. 

• Self-raising flour is a baking shortcut and is used by vegans. 

Water Does More Than Add Moisture

You may think adding water is what it is, but the science is never just what it seems in baking. Your ingredients react to water differently, and when you pour it into your dry mixture, they fight for it. Mixing your ingredients the right way and in the right order allows proper water absorption. 

Sugar Binds To Water

Now that we’re talking about water, sugar binds with water, so it stays away from the other ingredients, making the cake moist. And in an ironic twist, sugar-free confections trigger gluten production resulting in high amounts of sugar. 

Baking Powder vs. Baking Soda

These leavening agents help your baked goods rise in the oven, and it can be one of these two distinct things: 

• Baking powder has tartaric acid and is used for ingredients with sweet components. Sometimes they’re double-acting since they release gases when stirred and again when in the oven.

• Baking soda is an acid-free agent used for pastries with acidic ingredients like citrus or sour cream. It’s stronger than baking powder and can leave a metallic taste in the mouth when some leftover baking soda doesn’t react with the acidic ingredients in your mixture. 

Magic happens in the Oven

The real magic happens inside the oven. You place the gooey batter and you get from it firm, browny and bouncy cake.

The process that happens inside the oven can be broken down into three steps namely rising, firming up, and coloring.

During the expansion stage the heat from the oven causes the trapped air to expand in volume, and also the water molecules start to evaporate and create steam, which also helps in the batter attaining full volume.

During the firming stage, the egg and flour come together to give the cake its shape. The protein molecules start to denature and coagulate or firm up. The starch molecules absorb water and swell up. The combination of coagulated protein and starch molecules gives the cake its final spongy structure.

In the final stage, that is the coloring stage,  the proteins and sugars react on the surface of the bake, to give it a beautiful brown crust interlaced with wonderful flavor. The chemists call it the Maillard reaction. Depending on the conditions and ingredients you have set, the maillard reaction will bring out different flavors and color variations, which ultimately gives the cake its distinct look and aroma.

Conclusion

The only difference between a scientist and a baker is that you get to enjoy a lot of tasting and eating as a baker. Besides that, the ingredients are your chemicals, and the kitchen is your lab. It’s safe to say that an excellent baker is a scientist in disguise.

Know the latest trends in the baking world and learn from the experts at Bella Cupcake Couture. Visit www.bellacupcakecouture.com.  

Happy Baking and Wishing you all a fun filled holidays with family !