The effects of using molasses as a sugar substitute on physicochemical and sensory properties of shortened cake

In recent years application of different ingredients has been considered to improve cake quality and its nutritional properties. The effects of using different sweeteners as a sugar replacer have been evaluated in cakes and many other bread formulas, although there has not been extensive research about the usage of sugar factory's by-products such as molasses in the cake formulations. In this research, the effects of substituting 25, 50, 75 and 100% of sugar with molasses, on some cake properties, such as weight loss, moisture, water activity, texture, staling, color and sensory evaluation of final cake were studied. The results of these experiments showed that by increasing the level of substitution, firmness and staling increased and volume, weight loss, moisture and water activity decreased significantly (p≤0.05). Evaluating the color of crumb and crust showed that most of samples were darker than control, which is desirable in most cakes. According to the results, in order to increase the shelf life and improve the quality and nutritional values of industrial cakes, applying proper dosage of molasses in the formulation might be recommended.