The Function of Sugar in Baking | Blog | BAKERpedia (2024)

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The Function of Sugar in Baking | Blog | BAKERpedia? ›

Sugar helps to retain water, reduce gluten development and delay starch gelatinization. The setting of the structure of a cake takes place when carbon dioxide production from leavening agents is at its maximum, the gas is held in the air cells of the structure. This produces a fine, uniform, tender cake.

Sugar helps to retain water, reduce gluten development and delay starch gelatinization. The setting of the structure of a cake takes place when carbon dioxide production from leavening agents is at its maximum, the gas is held in the air cells of the structure. This produces a fine, uniform, tender cake.

Sugar Tenderizes

Because sugar grabs and holds onto moisture it leaves less moisture readily available, delaying gluten development. Additionally, because sugar holds onto moisture, it keeps baked goods tender for a longer period of time.

Sugar helps cakes stay moist after baking. A completely sugar-free cake will dry out quickly, so wrap cooled cakes in cling film to prevent moisture loss.

It keeps baked goods soft and moist.

The bond between sugar and water allows sugar to lock in moisture so that items such as cakes, muffins, brownies, and frostings don't dry out too quickly.

In some baking, such as quick breads and cake, sugar is an essential ingredient for providing the right moisture and texture. The chemistry of sugar attracts water molecules, so cutting it out can make your baked goods too tough and dry.

Granulated sugar: Derived from either sugarcane or sugar beets, this is the most commonly used sugar in baking, and for good reason. It's neutral in flavor and has medium-sized, uniform crystals that are small enough to dissolve into batters and large enough to create air pockets when creamed with butter.

While they provide a sweet taste, artificial sweeteners lack the browning, tenderizing and moisture-retaining properties of granulated sugar. Sucralose is the one sweetener than can be substituted cup-for-cup for granulated sugar in baking.

What is a good substitute for sugar in baking? ›

For every cup of sugar, you can replace it with a 1/2 cup to 2/3 cup of honey or 2/3 cup agave. If using maple syrup or molasses, 3/4 cup to 1 cup will do the trick.

It keeps baked goods moist and soft. When sugar is added to fats, it cuts into the mixture and creates thousands of tiny air bubbles and makes the batter light and fluffy. While your item is baking, these bubbles expand, which helps your item rise! Sugar adds flavor and changes color.

Sugar easily binds with water, which accomplishes two main things. 1) It locks in moisture, keeping your baked goods from drying out; and 2) It inhibits the development of gluten which keeps your cookies, cakes and sweet breads softer.

White sugar plus molasses

To make your own light brown sugar, mix 1 cup, or 200 grams (g), of granulated white sugar with 1 tablespoon (tbsp.), or 15 milliliters (mL), of molasses. If you need dark brown sugar, increase the molasses to 2 tbsp. (30 mL). And just like that, you have brown sugar.

The most important among these are that added sugar in foods acts as a sweetener, preservative, texture modifier, fermentation substrate, flavouring and colouring agent, bulking agent. The various methods of use of sugar are based on its physical and chemical properties.

You will see many recipes that add a teaspoon of sugar to help the yeast to work faster. Adding up to 5% of sugar will speed up fermentation as it will feed the yeast in the initial stages before enzymes begin to break down the complex sugar molecules in the starches into simple sugars that the yeast can eat.