Effect of different amounts of date syrup powder on shelf life and quantitative and qualitative properties of sponge cake

Effect of sucrose replacement with date syrup powder on physiochemical properties of sponge cake such as specific gravity, volume, apparent density, solid density, porosity, symmetry, moisture content, water activity, crust color and textural firmness was studied. Batter specific gravity of the control sample was higher than that of other samples. Sucrose replacement with 100% of date syrup powder gave lower cake volume, porosity and solid density and higher apparent density. Samples containing 25% date syrup powder were more symmetric than control. Increasing the amount of date syrup powder gave increased moisture content and water activity. Cakes containing different amounts of date syrup powder had similar firmness as control. The highest firmness was observed in sample with 100% of powder substitution. The samples of 75 and 100% powder showed the highest firmness after 7, 14 and 21 days of storage in room temperature. The samples containing 100% of date syrup powder had darker crust color than the control.