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Sponginess in Cakes With Gluten and Cakes Without Gluten

Evan Lamberson

3143 Sprucewood Drive

Decatur G! 3""33

Lakeside #igh School

$enth Grade

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What constitutes the best gluten%&ree &lour substitute &or baking cakes' Gluten a

substance that is &ound in man( grains like r(e barle( and wheat )*What is Gluten'+ par, 1- has

man( uni.ue properties that man( baked goods are based o&& o&, /eople with intolerance to

gluten or a condition known as Celiac disease e0perience a negative reaction when the( eat

gluten so i& the( want to eat baked goods the( must bake them with gluten%&ree &lour, $he best

gluten%&ree &lour substitute would be one that displa(s as man( o& the uni.ue properties o& gluten

&lour and per&orms like &lour with gluten when baked into a cake or bread,

When tr(ing to &ind best gluten substitute one must know the properties o& gluten, Gluten

is a mi0ture o& two protein groups gliadins and glutenins )2ennema 1-, ! protein is a ver(

large comple0 molecule made up o& di&&erent combinations o& 1 smaller parts called amino

acids strung together like a chain )2ennema 1-, $he( can be classi&ied b( how the( are made

or b( their structure )2ennema 1-, /roteins are like the &actories o& machines o& li&e5 the(

assemble all o& the molecules that make up a cell and the( also disassemble all o& those

molecules )6cGee 7"8-, $he behavior or 9ob o& a protein changes when its conditions are

changed as well such as being e0posed to heat or air )6cGee 7"8-, Gluten is a ver( special kind

o& protein though,

Gluten is what is known as a &ood protein, 2ood proteins are proteins that are available in

abundance agriculturall( sustainable not to0ic digested easil( and nutritionall( ade.uate

)2ennema 1%"-, Gluten also has ver( uni.ue properties, $he proteins that make up gluten are

some o& the most comple0 naturall( available proteins ever discovered )81-, Gliadins and

Glutenins are both appro0imatel( 1""" amino acids in length which is incredibl( large even &or

a protein, Gluten also has special characteristics that make it so use&ul &or baking,

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:ne o& the things that is needed especiall( &or baking bread is a dough that rises, Gluten

is so important in bread dough because o& its elasticit( and plasticit( )6cGee 8-, Dough with

gluten in it will change its shape when pressure is applied )elasticit(- but will then revert back to

its original shape when pressure is relieved )plasticit(- )6cGee 8-, $his allows &or the dough

to e0pand when a leavening agent like (east creates gas but because o& the plasticit( o& gluten

the walls o& the bubble will not break when the( are placed under pressure )6cGee 8-, Gluten

also rela0es over a period o& time or when it is kneaded allowing &or the dough to be more

malleable and &orm into man( shapes )6cGee 83-, ;nlike bread bene&itting &rom a more elastic

gluten dough cakes bene&it &rom a less elastic gluten dough )6cGee 83-, $he elasticit( o&

gluten can be decreased b( slowing the development o& protein bonds with sugar and salt )88-,

Gluten also has interesting properties that are based on its interaction with water,

Gluten<s interaction with water is one o& the other reasons that it is so important in

 baking, !ll proteins hold and absorb water although some dissolve in water and some do not

)6cGee 7"7-, Gluten is special in that it absorbs large amounts o& water but does not dissolve

which e0plains wh( a well%baked cake is moist and spong( )6cGee 7"7-, :bviousl( baked

goods without gluten in them must account &or the lack o& the uni.ue properties in some wa(,

Gluten%&ree &lours work similarl( but not the same as &lours with gluten which is wh(

gluten%&ree cakes and breads are generall( tougher drier and sti&&er, Cakes and breads made with

gluten%&ree &lower cannot bene&it &rom the elasticit( and plasticit( o& gluten so the( must

substitute in other components )6cGee 84=-, >anthan gum is generall( used in gluten%&ree &lours

to provide elasticit( but the elasticit( 0anthan gum o&&ers is much milder than gluten )6cGee

84=-, >anthan gum also doesn<t rela0 like gluten )6cGee 84=-, $o account &or the plasticit( o&

gluten emulsi&iers are added to stabili?e gas bubbles produced b( (east )6cGee 84=-, @ecause

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Works Cited

2ennema :wen, Food Chemistry, 6iami CBC /ress ""7, /rint,

6cGee #arold, On Food and Cooking. ew Fork Scribner ""4, /rint,

*What is Gluten'+ UVM Dining. ;niversit( o& ermont n,d, Web, 11 Sep "14,

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