Reduce saturated fat – Go liquid
Saturated fats, commonly in the form of shortening or margarine, remain a common ingredient in cake mixes, but they tend to raise levels of LDL cholesterol in the blood, increasing the risk of conditions like heart disease and strokes. Swapping them out in favour of polyunsaturated liquid oils like rapeseed and sunflower is one of the best strategies for creating better-for-you products.
“Cakes are typically high in fat, but they don’t have to contain the unhealthiest fats” Rikke says. “Switching from margarine to liquid oil is one of the best places to start if you want a healthier cake mix, because something that’s low in saturated fat is going to be much better for the heart.”
In order to highlight the ways cake mix manufacturers can respond to the better-for-you trend, Palsgaard has created four new recipe concepts. Designed with the needs of home bakers in mind, they can also be used by craft bakers. Alongside liquid oil, they feature Emulpals® 115 – a whipping emulsifier which provides efficient aeration and builds a uniform crumb structure – and Palsgaard® OilBinder 01 – a stabiliser which reduces oil leakage. As well as being low in saturated fat, the recipes offer additional health benefits.
“We wanted to show how innovative you can be when it comes to creating cake mixes with liquid oil.” Rikke says. “But you can’t do it without a good emulsifier.”