Secrets of emulsifiers for cake manufacturers

Palsgaard is showcasing the power of its whipping-active emulsifiers to reduce the egg content of cake recipes at the International Baking Industry Expo (IBIE) from 16–21 September in Las Vegas.

Earlier this year, wholesale egg prices across the globe have soared as a result of numerous factors such as high grain costs, Avian flu outbreaks and the rise in consumer demand for free-range eggs.

As eggs account for as much as 30% of cake recipes, industrial bakers are looking more closely at alternative emulsifiers.

The amount of egg needed in a cake recipe can depend largely on the choice of emulsifier.

Traditional cake gels or hydrates are typically based on monoglycerides, which can perform poorly on stability, meaning that more egg is required.

Palsgaard SA’s powdered emulsifiers for industrial baking are based on polyglycerol esters (PGEs) of fatty acids, which can help to overcome this challenge. These emulsifers can provide aeration but also stability due to their hydrophilic properties. Thus they can take on most of the functional properties of eggs in cakes, which allows for an approximate 5% reduction in recipes costs due to the reduction in eggs required.

At IBIE, Palsgaard will demonstrate its whipping-active emulsifiers, including the Emulpals series for cake premixes. Visitors will be shown how the ingredients can help achieve a good shape, volume and crumb structure in cakes, as well as simplifying production and accelerating output.

The emulsifiers and cake premixes are plant-based, sustainably sourced and produced in CO₂-neutral factories. They are also free from trans fats so can allow a shift from saturated to unsaturated oils.

Senior Application Specialist Leif Jakobsen will host a series of knowledge-sharing sessions at Palsgaard’s booth at the IBIE.

Sheila Rice, Business Development Manager at Palsgaard, said: “We’ve got decades of experience in the use of emulsifiers in baking — and we love sharing our knowledge. The beautiful thing about our whipping-active emulsifiers is that they solve such a wide range of challenges in cake production. Lower costs through reduced egg use is an obvious advantage, but there are so many performance benefits too. The proper emulsifier can be the key to the desired structure, volume and appearance of your cake, as well as providing the opportunity to create better-for-you recipes.”

Images supplied by Palsgaard.