Improving the rheological, physicochemical, textural and sensory characteristics of sponge cake contained carrot powder using Balangu seed gum

Carrot is a good source of carotene, water-soluble vitamins and amino acids. Carrot powder is used because of its high nutritional value, highly desirable flavor, sweetness and appropriate color to improve the quality of bakery products and all types of cakes. In this study, Balangu seed gum was used to improve the characteristics of carrot cake. So, firstly, the carrot cake batter containing different percentages of Balangu seed gum (at four levels 0, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5%) was prepared and their viscosity was measured. Then the cakes were cooked and their physicochemical properties including weight, ash, moisture, volume, density, crumb color and sensory characteristics were measured. Carrot cakes batter was a non-Newtonian fluid and shear-dependent and time-dependent type. With increasing Balangu seed gum percentage in carrot cake formulation, the viscosity of batter increased (P<0.05). With increasing the Balangu seed gum from 0 to 1.5 %, cakes batters viscosity at shear rate of 40 s-1 ware increased from 16.93 to 32.88 Pa.s (P<0.05). The moisture content and volume of cakes were increased with increasing gum percentage (P<0.05). With increasing Balangu gum brightness of cakes increased due to increasing volume, in addition decreased yellowing of the samples (P<0.05). The L*, a* and b* indexes for sample containing 1.5 % gum were 82.00, 4.12 and 60.24, respectively. Carrot cake containing 1.5% Balangu seed gum significantly had more acceptability than other samples (P<0.05).