Lesson 1Eggs and egg replacers: structure, foaming, colour, lecithin functionality and alternativesWe break down whole eggs, yolks, and whites, their jobs in foaming, mixing fats, colour, and structure, and compare shop-bought egg substitutes, plant proteins, and lecithin options for cost, labels, and performance.
Whole egg, yolk, and white functional rolesFoam formation, stability, and overrunEgg lipids and lecithin in emulsificationPasteurized and dried egg product handlingPlant-based egg replacers and labelingLesson 2How to interpret industrial ingredient labels and use 2–3 published formulas/labels to justify ingredient choicesWe teach reading factory ingredient labels and matching them to published sponge cake recipes, using 2-3 real cases to back up each ingredient pick, amount, and its tech or reg role.
Reading ingredient lists and order of predominanceLinking label items to functional rolesComparing two commercial sponge cake labelsMatching labels to baker’s percentage formulasRegulatory and clean-label declaration issuesLesson 3Stabilisers and hydrocolloids: roles of starches, gelatinised starch, modified starch, pectin, locust bean gum, methylcelluloseWe look at starches and gums like pre-cooked starch, modified types, pectin, locust bean gum, and methylcellulose, explaining water control, structure stability, and benefits for freeze-thaw and shelf-life.
Native vs pregelatinized starch in battersModified starches for freeze–thaw stabilityPectin and locust bean gum for moistureMethylcellulose and thermal gelationOptimizing levels to avoid gumminessLesson 4Sugars and humectants: sucrose, invert sugars, sorbitol/glycerol — roles in sweetness, moisture retention, and awWe check out sucrose, invert sugars, glucose syrups, and polyols like sorbitol and glycerol, their parts in sweet taste, moisture hold, freeze point drop, water activity, and effects on texture, browning, shelf-life.
Comparing sucrose, invert sugar, and glucose syrupHumectancy and softness over shelf lifeWater activity targets for safe sponge cakesEffects on Maillard browning and crust colorPolyols for reduced-sugar and diet productsLesson 5Wheat flour: grades, protein content, enzyme activity and effects on structureWe detail wheat flour sorts for cakes, ash and protein levels, gluten quality, natural enzymes, and how they affect batter thickness, gas hold, crumb fineness, cake volume, and softness.
Cake vs all-purpose vs bread flour selectionProtein quality, gluten strength, and tendernessDamaged starch and water absorption in battersAmylase activity, sugar release, and browningFlour testing data and supplier specificationsLesson 6Preservatives and clean-label alternatives: sorbates, propionates vs. low-additive strategies (acidity, humectants, packaging)We compare sorbates and propionates with simple strategies like pH tweak, humectants, packaging, hygiene, to build preservative setups balancing safety, shelf-life, clean labels for local preferences.
Sorbates and propionates: modes of actionpH, aw, and hurdle technology in cakesRole of humectants in mold controlPackaging, MAP, and oxygen managementDesigning clean-label preservation plansLesson 7Example sponge cake formula in baker's percentages with rationale for each levelWe create a full sponge cake recipe in baker’s percentages, explaining quality goals, ingredient amounts chosen, and tweaks for textures, lines, shelf-life in Namibian production.
Target product profile and quality attributesBase flour, sugar, fat, and egg percentage rangesAdjusting water and liquids for batter viscosityBalancing leavening with batter strengthScaling formulas and checking baker’s mathLesson 8Leavening systems: chemical (sodium bicarbonate/acidulants), aeration strategies, and gas retentionWe explore chemical raising for sponge cakes, bicarb and acids, and how aeration and batter flow control gas release, pH, colour, volume.
Sodium bicarbonate and choice of acidulantsSingle-acting vs double-acting systemspH control, color, and flavor side effectsMechanical aeration and batter overrunGas retention and collapse preventionLesson 9Salt, flavours, and optional inclusions: salt function, vanilla and natural flavours, inclusions impact on shelf lifeWe explain salt, vanilla, natural flavours, inclusions like choc chips, nuts, fruits, focusing on taste balance, water activity, structure, microbial stability.
Salt levels, flavor enhancement, and structureNatural and artificial vanilla optionsAlcohol-based and water-based flavor carriersInclusions and their water activity impactPre-treating fruits and nuts for stabilityLesson 10Fats and emulsifiers: choices (butter, shortenings, mono-/di-glycerides, DATEM, SSL) and their technological rolesWe cover butter, oils, shortenings, emulsifiers like mono-diglycerides, DATEM, SSL, their effects on aeration, crumb softness, fat mixing, flavour release, mixing-freeze tolerance.
Butter vs shortening vs liquid oil in cakesPlasticity, melting profile, and crumb softnessEmulsifiers for aeration and fine crumbEmulsifier systems for fat and egg reductionOxidation stability and flavor protection
