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12.1: Muffin and Shortened Cake Introduction

  • Page ID
    43562
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    Before You Come to Lab

    Name: _________________________________

    Read the “Serious Eats Types of Flour: A Guide” article posted on Canvas. The article has a lot of great information in it, but focus on the four flours below.

    1. Describe the characteristics, protein content, and uses for the following types of flour:
      • bread:
      • cake:

    Watch the “Science: What is Gluten” video posted on Canvas to learn more about gluten structure from different wheat flours.

    1. Which type of wheat flour produced a gluten ball strong enough to be blown up with an air tank?

    Examine Various Kinds of Flour and Gluten Balls

    Characteristics of Various Kinds of Flour
    Type of Flour Volume of Gluten Ball Explanation
    Whole Grain Flours
    Whole Wheat    
    Refined Wheat Flours
    Bread    
    All-Purpose    
    Cake    

    Comparing Muffins and Shortened Cake

    The lab will compare and contrast the ingredients and methods of making muffins and shortened cakes. It is easier to start with muffins because there are fewer ingredients and fewer steps to prepare them.

    Ingredients and Functions in Muffins

    Ingredients Function
    All-purpose flour Structure
    Milk Hydration
    Oil Tenderization
    Egg Structure, flavor
    Sugar Sweetness, tenderization
    Baking powder Leavening
    Salt Taste

    Basic Steps of the Muffin Method

    1. Stir dry ingredients together.
    2. Mix wet ingredients together.
    3. Blend wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir briefly.
    4. Fill greased muffin tins 2/3 full of batter and bake.

    Ingredients and Functions in Shortened Cake

    Ingredients Function
    Cake flour Structure
    Milk Hydration
    Egg Structure, emulsification, leavening
    Butter Tenderization (creaming air)
    Shortening Tenderization (creaming air)
    Sugar Tenderization, sweetness
    Baking powder Leavening
    Salt Taste
    Vanilla Flavor

    Basic Steps of the Shortened Cake or Conventional Cake Method

    1. Sift dry ingredients and set aside.
    2. Cream fat and sugar.
    3. Beat the egg. Then add the foamed egg to creamed mixture.
    4. Alternate adding dry ingredients and milk (start and end with flour).
    5. Mix an additional 100 strokes after all of the flour has been incorporated.
    6. Fill the greased and lined pan, snap once, and bake.

    This page titled 12.1: Muffin and Shortened Cake Introduction is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Erica Beirman and Kate Gilbert (Iowa State University Digital Press) .

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