A method of making a sponge cake with an oil gel instead of butter

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of baking food processing technology, and discloses a method for preparing sponge cake using an oil gel as a substitute for butter. The method includes heating and stirring refined rapeseed oil and food-grade candelilla wax to obtain a lipid eutectic; after cooling, adding food-grade soybean lecithin and shearing and mixing; mechanically shearing and cooling to 45°C to obtain a microcrystalline network primary material; obtaining a modified oil gel through low-speed stirring, slow rewarming and constant temperature, and then cooling to 25°C and holding at that temperature; using this oil gel to replace butter and mixing with baking ingredients at low speed and forced shearing and whipping to obtain a batter; continuously baking in molds and naturally cooling and demolding to obtain a sponge cake. This invention utilizes lecithin and wax crystals to synergistically construct a three-dimensional network framework with thixotropic recovery capabilities, solving the defects of conventional oil gel networks that are fragile and easily damaged by shearing. It effectively traps air bubbles and prevents oil precipitation during the batter whipping stage, reducing saturated fat intake while resulting in a soft, porous sponge cake with no residual wax.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of baking food processing technology, specifically to a method for preparing sponge cake using oil gel instead of butter. Background Technology

[0002] Sponge cake, a common baked good, traditionally relies on solid fats rich in saturated fatty acids, such as butter, to provide the necessary aeration and structural support for the batter. In recent years, with increasing public awareness of health, reducing the intake of saturated fatty acids in baked goods has become a key technical challenge in this field. Among various fat-reduction solutions, oleogel technology, by using a specific ratio of structuring agents to transform liquid vegetable oils into a gel system with physical properties similar to solid fats, offers a technical approach to replacing butter and reducing saturated fatty acids.

[0003] While oleogels demonstrate some potential as a substitute, existing conventional oleogels have limitations in sponge cake preparation. Specifically, conventional wax-based oleogels typically form a brittle crystalline network, which is prone to irreversible mechanical damage during the high-shear whipping of sponge cake batter. Once the network framework is damaged, the system cannot effectively trap and stabilize incoming air during whipping. This not only reduces the batter's gas-holding capacity but also results in a lower specific volume and a lack of proper softness in the baked cake's porous structure. In addition to impaired aeration, the damaged gel network struggles to stably encapsulate the internal liquid fats during whipping and subsequent high-temperature baking. The resulting bubble coalescence and fat separation due to structural instability further degrade the cake's texture, making it difficult to maintain consistent product quality.

[0004] To address the aforementioned deficiency in network strength, the industry's conventional approach is to directly increase the amount of structuring agent added, attempting to enhance the mechanical strength of the oleogloss to resist shear failure. While simply increasing the proportion of wax-based structuring agents can increase hardness to some extent, it leads to a noticeable unpleasant waxy residue when chewing the final baked product. This texture defect introduced by excessive ingredient addition affects the chewing texture and overall eating quality of sponge cakes. Therefore, how to construct an oleogloss alternative system with good thixotropic recovery ability, low oil separation, and suitable taste while controlling the amount of wax-based structuring agents has become a key technical challenge in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the above problems, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0006] This invention provides a method for preparing sponge cake using oil gel instead of butter, employing the following technical solution:

[0007] A method for preparing sponge cake using oil gel instead of butter includes the following steps:

[0008] Refined rapeseed oil and food-grade candelilla wax were heated and stirred to obtain a transparent homogeneous lipid eutectic.

[0009] The transparent homogeneous lipid eutectic was cooled, and then food-grade soybean lecithin was added and sheared and mixed to obtain a primary lecithin-containing mixture.

[0010] The phospholipid-containing primary mixture was mechanically sheared and cooled to 45°C to obtain a microcrystalline network primary material.

[0011] The microcrystalline network primary material was stirred at low speed and slowly heated to a constant temperature. After the low-speed stirring was stopped, the temperature was lowered to 25°C and kept at a constant temperature to obtain a modified oleogel.

[0012] The modified oleogel was used to replace the butter and mixed with the baking ingredients at low speed, followed by forced shearing and whipping to obtain a uniform batter.

[0013] The uniform batter is quantitatively injected into an oiled baking mold and baked continuously. After baking, the cake is removed from the mold and allowed to cool naturally at room temperature to obtain the sponge cake.

[0014] By adopting the above technical solution, and using refined rapeseed oil, food-grade candelilla wax and food-grade soybean lecithin as the core matrix, combined with programmed shear cooling and thermomechanical ripening processes, a sponge cake with high gas retention, no oil separation in the finished product, and a soft and porous texture is obtained.

[0015] To achieve the above structural properties, the present invention involves the following reaction and reconstruction mechanisms in the construction and application of oleogel systems:

[0016] During the high-temperature melting stage, refined rapeseed oil and candelilla wax melt together, eliminating the nucleus memory effect of wax molecules and forming an isotropic thermodynamically stable liquid phase.

[0017] Subsequently, soybean lecithin was introduced into the liquid system before it cooled to the critical temperature for the main crystallization of candelilla wax, and the soybean lecithin molecules were uniformly dispersed using a high shear field. In this state, the hydrophobic tails of the soybean lecithin extended into the liquid oil medium, while the polar head groups aggregated with each other through intermolecular hydrogen bonds and van der Waals forces.

[0018] During mechanical shear cooling, the environment provides the necessary supercooling, prompting rapid nucleation and crystallization of candelilla wax molecules. Simultaneously, the externally input mechanical shear stress limits the excessive growth of crystal clusters, forcing large crystals to fragment and inducing the formation of small, uniformly distributed microcrystalline units.

[0019] After entering the warming and isothermal holding stage, the process induces Oswald ripening and rearrangement of the crystal structure. Tiny unstable crystal forms melt and transform into more thermodynamically stable crystal forms. During this process, soybean phospholipid molecules adsorb and locate on the surface of wax crystals, adjusting the steric hindrance between microcrystals, so that the tiny wax microcrystals interweave to construct a continuous three-dimensional network framework with thixotropic recovery capability. After static cooling, the crystal phase is solidified and shaped.

[0020] Finally, during the forced shearing and whipping stage of batter preparation, the network structure of the modified oleogel undergoes thixotropic shearing and thinning under external force, encapsulating air to form bubble nuclei. After the shear force is removed, the microcrystalline network mediated by soybean lecithin is rapidly reconstructed, stably anchoring the outer interface of the bubbles and liquid oil in the batter system, thereby preventing the merging of bubbles and the leakage of oil. After high-temperature baking and solidification, the uniform and delicate porous structure inside the sponge cake is finally established.

[0021] Preferably, the total mass percentage of the refined rapeseed oil, the food-grade candelilla wax, and the food-grade soybean lecithin is 100%; wherein the amount of refined rapeseed oil is 94.8-95.1 wt%, the amount of food-grade candelilla wax is 4.8-5.0 wt%, and the amount of food-grade soybean lecithin is 0.1-0.2 wt%.

[0022] By adopting the above technical solution, the ratio of structuring agent to oil matrix was standardized. This content of food-grade candelilla wax provides the basic solid crystalline mass to construct the spatial framework, while food-grade soybean lecithin acts as a crystal modifier to enhance the flexibility of the network. The two work synergistically to ensure the hardness and support of the oleogel while avoiding the unpleasant residual wax feeling when consumed due to excessive wax.

[0023] Preferably, in the process of obtaining the transparent homogeneous lipid eutectic, the refined rapeseed oil and the food-grade candelilla wax are added to a reaction vessel with a jacketed temperature control and nitrogen protection for heating and stirring; the heating temperature is 140-160°C, the stirring time is 10-15 minutes, and the stirring speed is 200 rpm.

[0024] By employing the above technical solution, nitrogen protection isolates oxygen and inhibits the oxidative rancidity of polyunsaturated fatty acids at high temperatures. Combined with heating at 140–160°C and stirring at 200 rpm, complete dissolution of high-melting-point wax molecules and uniform heat transfer are ensured.

[0025] Preferably, the transparent homogeneous lipid eutectic is cooled by introducing a cooling medium into the jacket of the reactor; when the system temperature drops to 80-85°C, the food-grade soybean lecithin is added; the shear mixing is performed by turning on an online rotor-stator type high-shear disperser connected in series with the discharge end of the reactor, and shear mixing is carried out at 3000-6000 rpm for 30-60 seconds.

[0026] By adopting the above technical solution, phospholipids are added in the range of 80-85℃, avoiding the high-speed crystallization zone of candelilla wax, maintaining the fluidity of the system, and enabling the phospholipids to achieve molecular-level dispersion in a turbulent field of 3000-6000 rpm, thus preventing the phospholipids from agglomerating.

[0027] Preferably, in the process of obtaining the microcrystalline network primary material, the phospholipid-containing primary mixture is pumped into a scraped heat exchanger, and the mechanical shearing cooling to 45°C is performed with a cooling rate of 10-15°C / min and a scraper rotation speed of 100-150 rpm.

[0028] By adopting the above technical solution, the scraper heat exchanger improves the radial heat exchange efficiency. The cooling rate of 10-15℃ / min establishes a corresponding crystallization driving force. Combined with the scraper shearing action of 100-150rpm, the primary crystals on the heat exchange surface are continuously scraped off, increasing the number of nucleation sites in the system, thereby achieving crystal micronization.

[0029] Preferably, in the process of obtaining the modified oleogel, the microcrystalline network primary material is transferred to a curing tank, the low-speed stirring is started at 30-50 rpm, the temperature for slow warming is 52-55°C, the constant temperature is maintained for 15-20 minutes, and the standing and heat preservation time is 1.5-2 hours.

[0030] By employing the above technical solution, 52–55℃ falls within the partial melting temperature range of candelilla wax. Warming back to this range and maintaining it for 15–20 minutes promotes spontaneous repair and surface remodeling of crystal defect areas. Standing and maintaining this temperature for 1.5–2 hours allows soybean phospholipid molecules to fully self-assemble at the crystal-liquid interface, endowing the olegel with high thixotropic recovery properties.

[0031] Preferably, the baking ingredients include low-gluten wheat flour, fresh milk, whole egg liquid, white sugar, and baking powder.

[0032] Preferably, in obtaining the uniform batter, the modified oleogloss and the baking ingredients are added together to a planetary mixer, mixed at low speed first, and then switched to high speed for forced shear whipping. The low-speed mixing time is set to 1 minute, and the forced shear whipping time is set to 9 minutes.

[0033] By adopting the above technical solution, the powdered auxiliary materials and liquid substances are initially hydrated by low-speed mixing to prevent dust from flying; the high-speed forced shearing and whipping in the later stage allows the egg liquid protein and the modified oil gel to exert interfacial activity together, synergistically capturing and refining air nuclei to form a uniform and stable emulsion gas phase.

[0034] Preferably, in the process of making the sponge cake, the uniform batter is quantitatively injected into the greased baking mold and placed in an oven for continuous baking; after baking, it is allowed to cool naturally at room temperature. Specifically, the amount of batter injected is 60g per portion, the diameter of the greased baking mold is 6cm, the baking temperature is 190℃, the continuous baking time is 30 minutes, and the natural cooling time is 1 hour.

[0035] By adopting the above technical solution, the standardized batter quality and mold size are matched with a 190°C thermal field distribution, which allows the processes of water evaporation, starch gelatinization and protein denaturation to proceed simultaneously, ultimately fixing the three-dimensional porous skeleton of the sponge cake. Before demolding, the internal thermal stress is released by natural cooling for 1 hour to prevent the cake from collapsing.

[0036] This invention provides a method for preparing sponge cake using oil gel instead of butter. It has the following beneficial effects:

[0037] 1. This invention introduces a synergistic gelation system of food-grade candelilla wax and soybean lecithin, combined with programmed shear cooling and thermomechanical ripening processes, to promote the formation of uniformly distributed microcrystalline units in candelilla wax. Soybean lecithin adsorbs onto the wax crystal surface, adjusting the steric hindrance between the microcrystals and constructing a continuous three-dimensional network framework with thixotropic recovery capabilities. This structure effectively traps air bubbles during high-shear whipping of the batter and rapidly reconstructs itself after the shear force is removed, improving the air-holding capacity of the batter and thus increasing the specific volume of the sponge cake, giving it a soft and porous internal structure, and solving the problem of conventional oleogel networks being fragile and easily destroyed.

[0038] 2. This invention utilizes high-shear dispersion to uniformly disperse soybean phospholipids in a lipid eutectic, combined with a warming and constant-temperature treatment to promote the repair and reorganization of crystal defect areas. Phospholipid molecules align at the crystal-liquid interface, stably anchoring the bubble periphery and liquid oil within the batter system. This physical-level structural reshaping prevents bubble coalescence and liquid oil leakage, overcoming the oil separation phenomenon that easily occurs in conventional oleogels during batter preparation and baking curing, thus ensuring the stability of the finished product's texture.

[0039] 3. This invention uses refined rapeseed oil as a base, replacing traditional butter, which is rich in saturated fatty acids, with a specific ratio of candelilla wax and soybean lecithin. This composition ratio provides the necessary solid crystalline mass to support the sponge cake while improving the flexibility of the gel network through the modifying effect of lecithin. This technical solution reduces the proportion of saturated fat intake in baked goods and avoids the residual wax feeling caused by excessive addition of structured wax, thus better maintaining the chewy texture and overall eating quality of the sponge cake. Attached Figure Description

[0040] Figure 1 The Fourier transform infrared spectra of the samples from Example 2 and Comparative Example 2 of this invention are shown below.

[0041] Figure 2 The heat flux curves of the samples from Example 2 and Comparative Example 1 of this invention are obtained by differential scanning calorimetry. Detailed Implementation

[0042] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0043] Examples 1-3:

[0044] Example 1:

[0045] This embodiment provides a method for preparing sponge cake using oil gel instead of butter, including the following steps:

[0046] 95.1 wt% refined rapeseed oil and 4.8 wt% food-grade candelilla wax were added to a reaction vessel with a jacketed temperature control and nitrogen protection, heated to 140°C and stirred at 200 rpm for 10 minutes to obtain a transparent homogeneous lipid eutectic.

[0047] Cooling medium is introduced through the jacket of the reactor to cool the transparent homogeneous lipid eutectic. When the system temperature drops to 80°C, 0.1 wt% of food-grade soybean lecithin is added immediately, and the online rotor-stator type high-shear disperser connected in series with the discharge end of the reactor is turned on. The mixture is sheared and mixed at 3000 rpm for 30 seconds to obtain a primary mixture containing phospholipids.

[0048] The phospholipid-containing primary mixture was pumped into a scraped heat exchanger, and mechanical shearing was performed at a cooling rate of 10℃ / min and a scraper speed of 100rpm to cool it to 45℃, thereby obtaining the microcrystalline network primary material.

[0049] The microcrystalline network primary material was transferred to a curing tank, stirred at a low speed of 30 rpm, and slowly warmed to 52°C and kept at that temperature for 15 minutes. After stirring was stopped, the temperature was lowered to 25°C and kept at that temperature for 1.5 hours to obtain the modified oleogel.

[0050] In this embodiment, the fat component is 210g of modified oil gel, which is a 100% replacement of butter with modified oil gel. 210g of modified oil gel, 700g of low-gluten wheat flour, 420g of fresh milk, 350g of whole egg liquid, 630g of granulated sugar, and 21g of baking powder are added to a planetary mixer. The mixture is mixed at speed 4 (low) for 1 minute, then switched to speed 6 (high) for forced shearing and whipping for 9 minutes to obtain a uniform batter.

[0051] Pour the evenly distributed batter into 60g portions into 6cm diameter greased baking molds. Bake in a preheated oven at 190℃ for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool naturally at room temperature for 1 hour before unmolding to obtain the sponge cake.

[0052] Example 2:

[0053] This embodiment provides a method for preparing sponge cake using oil gel instead of butter, including the following steps:

[0054] 94.95 wt% refined rapeseed oil and 4.9 wt% food-grade candelilla wax were added to a reaction vessel with a jacketed temperature control and nitrogen protection, heated to 150°C and stirred at 200 rpm for 12 minutes to obtain a transparent homogeneous lipid eutectic.

[0055] The transparent homogeneous lipid eutectic is cooled by introducing a cooling medium through the jacket of the reactor.

[0056] When the system temperature drops to 82℃, 0.15wt% of food-grade soybean lecithin is added immediately, and the online rotor-stator type high-shear disperser connected in series with the discharge end of the reactor is turned on. The mixture is sheared and mixed at 4500rpm for 45s to obtain a primary mixture containing lecithin.

[0057] The phospholipid-containing primary mixture was pumped into a scraped heat exchanger, and mechanical shearing was performed at a cooling rate of 12℃ / min and a scraper speed of 125rpm to cool it to 45℃, thereby obtaining the microcrystalline network primary material.

[0058] The microcrystalline network primary material was transferred to a curing tank, stirred at a low speed of 40 rpm, and slowly warmed to 53°C and kept at that temperature for 18 minutes. After stirring was stopped, the temperature was lowered to 25°C and kept at that temperature for 1.75 hours to obtain the modified oleogel.

[0059] In this embodiment, the fat component is 210g of modified oil gel, which is a 100% replacement of butter with modified oil gel. 210g of modified oil gel, 700g of low-gluten wheat flour, 420g of fresh milk, 350g of whole egg liquid, 630g of granulated sugar, and 21g of baking powder are added to a planetary mixer. The mixture is mixed at speed 4 (low) for 1 minute, then switched to speed 6 (high) for forced shearing and whipping for 9 minutes to obtain a uniform batter.

[0060] Pour the evenly distributed batter into 60g portions into 6cm diameter greased baking molds. Bake in a preheated oven at 190℃ for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool naturally at room temperature for 1 hour before unmolding to obtain the sponge cake.

[0061] Example 3:

[0062] This embodiment provides a method for preparing sponge cake using oil gel instead of butter, including the following steps:

[0063] 94.8 wt% refined rapeseed oil and 5.0 wt% food-grade candelilla wax were added to a reaction vessel with a jacketed temperature control and nitrogen protection, heated to 160°C and stirred at 200 rpm for 15 minutes to obtain a transparent homogeneous lipid eutectic.

[0064] The transparent homogeneous lipid eutectic is cooled by introducing a cooling medium through the jacket of the reactor.

[0065] When the system temperature drops to 85℃, 0.2wt% of food-grade soybean lecithin is added immediately, and the online rotor-stator type high-shear disperser connected in series with the discharge end of the reactor is turned on. The mixture is sheared and mixed at 6000rpm for 60s to obtain a primary mixture containing lecithin.

[0066] The phospholipid-containing primary mixture was pumped into a scraped heat exchanger, and mechanical shearing was performed at a cooling rate of 15℃ / min and a scraper speed of 150rpm to obtain microcrystalline network primary material.

[0067] The microcrystalline network primary material was transferred to a curing tank, stirred at a low speed of 50 rpm and slowly warmed to 55°C and kept at that temperature for 20 minutes. After stirring was stopped, the temperature was lowered to 25°C and kept at that temperature for 2 hours to obtain the modified oleogel.

[0068] In this embodiment, the fat component is 210g of modified oil gel, which is a 100% replacement of butter with modified oil gel. 210g of modified oil gel, 700g of low-gluten wheat flour, 420g of fresh milk, 350g of whole egg liquid, 630g of granulated sugar, and 21g of baking powder are added to a planetary mixer. The mixture is mixed at speed 4 (low) for 1 minute, then switched to speed 6 (high) for forced shearing and whipping for 9 minutes to obtain a uniform batter.

[0069] Pour the evenly distributed batter into 60g portions into 6cm diameter greased baking molds. Bake in a preheated oven at 190℃ for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool naturally at room temperature for 1 hour before unmolding to obtain the sponge cake.

[0070] Comparative Examples 1-6:

[0071] Comparative Example 1:

[0072] Compared with Example 2, the difference is that the eutectic heating temperature in the first step is set to 90°C (not reaching the 140-160°C range); the rest are the same.

[0073] Comparative Example 2:

[0074] Compared with Example 2, the difference is that no food-grade soybean lecithin is added, and the missing 0.15wt% mass is made up by refined rapeseed oil; all other aspects are the same.

[0075] Comparative Example 3:

[0076] Compared with Example 2, the difference lies in the timing of the addition of soybean lecithin. In the first step, it is added to the reactor along with candelilla wax and rapeseed oil and subjected to high-temperature co-melting at 150°C, eliminating the step of adding it when cooling down to 82°C; all other steps are the same.

[0077] Comparative Example 4:

[0078] Compared to Example 2, the difference lies in the absence of the SSHE rapid cooling and annealing process. After obtaining the primary phospholipid mixture, it was directly placed at 25°C for natural standing and aging for 12 hours; all other conditions were the same.

[0079] Comparative Example 5:

[0080] Compared with Example 2, the only difference is that the reheat temperature in the dynamic reheat annealing stage is set to 75°C; all other conditions are the same.

[0081] Comparative Example 6:

[0082] Compared with Example 2, the difference is that the 210g of oil mixture used in the batter preparation stage is completely replaced with 100% conventional commercially available anhydrous butter, omitting the oil gel preparation step; the rest of the batter preparation and baking processes are the same.

[0083] Test Examples 1-5:

[0084] Test Example 1:

[0085] Weigh 2.5 mg each of the modified oleogel prepared in Example 2 and the pure wax oleogel prepared in Comparative Example 2, place them in a vacuum drying oven, and dry them under vacuum at 25°C for 12 h. Turn on the Fourier transform infrared spectrometer and preheat it for 30 min, and perform the test using an attenuated total reflectance accessory.

[0086] The surface of the diamond crystal was wiped clean with anhydrous ethanol and allowed to evaporate naturally, and the background spectrum was collected. The dried sample was then applied to the surface of the attenuated total reflectance diamond crystal. The cap was unscrewed and pressure was applied to bring the sample into contact with the crystal surface. The spectrometer was set to a scanning wavenumber range of 4000 cm⁻¹. -1 Up to 400cm -1 The resolution is 4cm. -1 The cumulative number of scans for a single sample determination is 32.

[0087] The raw infrared spectral data is acquired, baseline correction and smoothing are performed, and the wavenumber positions of characteristic absorption peaks are extracted.

[0088] Table 1. Infrared characteristic absorption peak shift data of samples from Example 2 and Comparative Example 2

[0089] Sample Name <![CDATA[Hydroxyl (-OH) stretching vibration peak shift (cm -1 ).]]> <![CDATA[Carbonyl (C=O) stretching vibration peak shift (cm -1 ).]]> <![CDATA[Symmetric stretching vibration peak of methylene (-CH2-) (cm -1 ).]]> Comparative Example 2 3385.62 1738.17 2853.41 Example 2 3321.34 1734.55 2853.38

[0090] Figure 1 The solid red line represents Example 2, and the solid blue line represents Comparative Example 2.

[0091] in conclusion:

[0092] From Table 1 and Figure 1 As can be seen, the hydroxyl absorption peak of the sample in Example 2 changed from 3385.62 cm⁻¹. -1 Moved to 3321.34cm -1 The carbonyl absorption peak is at 1738.17 cm⁻¹. -1 Moved to 1734.55cm -1 The methylene symmetric stretching vibration peak remains essentially unchanged.

[0093] These results indicate that the introduction of soybean phospholipids enhances the interaction between polar groups in the system, while the main hydrocarbon chain structure remains largely unchanged. Combined with the preparation process, it can be inferred that soybean phospholipids participate in non-covalent interactions near the wax crystal interface, thereby influencing the crystallization assembly mode and providing a structural basis for subsequent rheological recovery and improved oil-holding capacity.

[0094] Test Example 2:

[0095] Weigh 5.0 mg of each of the oleogels prepared in Example 2 and Comparative Example 1, and seal them separately in aluminum crucibles.

[0096] An empty aluminum crucible was used as a reference. The sealed crucible was placed in a differential scanning calorimeter for thermodynamic testing. High-purity nitrogen was purged throughout the test at a flow rate of 50 mL / min.

[0097] Adjust the instrument's temperature control program, raise the sample temperature from 20℃ to 100℃ at a rate of 10℃ / min, and record the heating and melting curve.

[0098] The sample was held at 100℃ for 5 min, then cooled to -20℃ at a rate of 10℃ / min, and the cooling crystallization curve was recorded. The heat flow curve data were exported, and the phase transition peak was integrated to extract the crystallization initiation temperature, crystallization peak temperature, melting peak temperature, and phase transition enthalpy.

[0099] Table 2. Phase transition parameters of samples from Example 2 and Comparative Example 1 determined by differential scanning calorimetry

[0100] Sample Name Crystallization initiation temperature (°C) Peak crystallization temperature (°C) Enthalpy of crystallization (J / g) Melting initiation temperature (°C) Peak melting temperature (°C) Enthalpy of fusion (J / g) Comparative Example 1 63.42 58.71 14.28 45.16 59.34,68.22 16.53 Example 2 51.18 46.85 11.45 42.09 53.67 12.01

[0101] Figure 2 In the diagram, the solid black line represents Example 2, and the dark gray dotted line represents Comparative Example 1.

[0102] in conclusion:

[0103] From Table 2 and Figure 2 As can be seen, the sample in Comparative Example 1 exhibited two melting peaks during the heating process, while Example 2 mainly showed a single melting peak, and the crystallization peak shifted to a lower temperature range. These results indicate that increasing the eutectic temperature is beneficial for reducing residual crystal memory and improving the crystallization consistency of the system.

[0104] Furthermore, the main melting peak in Example 2 was located near 53.67°C, indicating that the reheat treatment from 52°C to 55°C was within the temperature range close to the main melting peak. Combined with subsequent rheological and oil retention results, it can be inferred that this reheating step is beneficial for adjusting some of the less stable crystals and promoting network reorganization, thereby improving the processing stability of the oleogel.

[0105] Test Example 3:

[0106] Take 3g of each of the modified oleogels prepared in Examples 1, 2, and 3, and the oleogels prepared in Comparative Examples 2, 3, and 4. Turn on the rotational rheometer and install a parallel plate fixture with a diameter of 40mm. Set the test plate spacing to 1mm and the test platform temperature to a constant 25℃.

[0107] Place the oleogel sample to be tested in the center of the lower test plate, lower the upper clamp to the set spacing, and scrape off any sample that overflows from the edges. After loading the sample, allow it to stand for 5 minutes to balance and eliminate the mechanical stress generated during sample transfer.

[0108] Start the three-zone thixotropic test procedure:

[0109] In the first interval, the shear rate is set to 0.1 s. -1 The sample was run continuously for 100 seconds, and the initial apparent viscosity was recorded when the sample was undamaged. Then, in the second interval, the shear rate was abruptly increased to 500 s. -1 The process was run continuously for 100 seconds to simulate the high-speed forced whipping environment during the preparation of sponge cake batter and to record the apparent viscosity after the network structure was destroyed.

[0110] Entering the third interval, the shear rate is restored to 0.1 s. -1 Record the viscosity continuously for 300 seconds, monitor the recovery of the sample's apparent viscosity over time, and calculate the thixotropic viscosity recovery rate using the following formula: Thixotropic viscosity recovery rate = End point viscosity of the recovery interval ÷ Average viscosity of the initial interval × 100%

[0111] Table 3. Viscosity recovery data of three-interval thixotropic tests for the examples and comparative samples.

[0112] Sample Name Initial interval average viscosity (Pa·s) Lowest viscosity in the high shear range (Pa·s) Viscosity at the end of the recovery interval (Pa·s) Thixotropic viscosity recovery rate (%) Example 1 425.13 4.62 396.22 93.20 Example 2 458.74 5.81 438.56 95.60 Example 3 481.05 7.15 443.52 92.20 Comparative Example 2 512.33 3.24 145.50 28.40 Comparative Example 3 495.61 4.88 218.06 44.00 Comparative Example 4 608.92 2.51 115.70 19.00

[0113] in conclusion:

[0114] As shown in Table 3, the thixotropic viscosity recovery rates of the samples from Examples 1 to 3 ranged from 92.20% to 95.60%, significantly higher than those of Comparative Examples 2, 3, and 4. This result indicates that the combined process of segmented feeding, SSHE rapid cooling, and reheat annealing is beneficial for improving the structural recovery ability of the oleogel after high shear.

[0115] Among them, Example 2 showed the highest recovery rate, indicating that the network obtained under this set of process parameters could recover quickly after being damaged by shear. Comparative Example 2 lacked soybean lecithin, Comparative Example 3 changed the feeding time, and Comparative Example 4 lacked rapid cooling and annealing treatment, and their recovery rates all decreased significantly, indicating that the above process steps have a synergistic effect on thixotropic recovery.

[0116] Test Example 4:

[0117] Weigh approximately 5.0g of the modified oleogel prepared in Examples 1 to 3, as well as the oleogel samples prepared in Comparative Examples 1, 4, and 5, and place them into pre-weighed 15mL centrifuge tubes. Record the total mass of the centrifuge tubes after sample loading.

[0118] Place the centrifuge tubes containing the samples into the centrifuge rotor. Set the centrifuge chamber temperature to 25℃, the operating speed to 10000 r / min, and the centrifugation time to 15 min.

[0119] After the centrifugation process is complete, remove the centrifuge tubes. Pour off the liquid grease that has separated from the top, and use filter paper to absorb any remaining grease from the tube walls until no more oil droplets remain. Weigh the cleaned centrifuge tubes.

[0120] Based on the empty tube mass, the total mass before centrifugation, and the total mass after centrifugation, the free oil mass and oil retention rate of each sample are calculated using the following formula:

[0121] Free oil mass = Initial loaded sample mass - Sample mass retained after centrifugation; Oil retention rate = (1 - Free oil mass ÷ Initial loaded sample mass) × 100%

[0122] Table 4. Centrifugal oil retention test data of the examples and comparative samples

[0123] Sample Name Initial sample mass (g) Mass of free oil after centrifugation (g) Oil retention rate (%) Example 1 5.021 0.082 98.36 Example 2 5.045 0.038 99.24 Example 3 4.987 0.053 98.93 Comparative Example 1 5.013 1.342 73.22 Comparative Example 4 5.066 1.584 68.73 Comparative Example 5 4.992 1.956 60.81

[0124] in conclusion:

[0125] As shown in Table 4, the oil retention rates of the samples from Examples 1 to 3 were all higher than 98%, significantly higher than those of Comparative Examples 1, 4, and 5. This result indicates that staged feeding, rapid cooling, and reheat annealing are beneficial for improving the binding ability of the oleogel network to liquid oil.

[0126] Among them, Comparative Example 1, prepared at a lower eutectic temperature, had an oil retention rate of 73.22%; Comparative Example 4, lacking quenching and annealing treatment, had an oil retention rate of 68.73%; and Comparative Example 5, after increasing the recovery temperature to 75℃, had an oil retention rate that further decreased to 60.81%. This indicates that eutectic temperature, quenching process, and recovery temperature all affect network stability, with excessively high recovery temperatures being detrimental to maintaining the formed oil-retaining structure.

[0127] Test Example 5:

[0128] The sponge cakes prepared in Examples 1 to 3, Comparative Example 6, and Comparative Example 4, after being baked and cooled to room temperature, were unmolded and allowed to stand for later use. The volume of the cakes was measured using the rapeseed displacement method.

[0129] Weigh the total mass of the cake sample and place the cake in a container with a known internal volume. Fill the remaining space with a standard volume of rapeseed, smooth the surface, and weigh the volume of the remaining rapeseed.

[0130] Calculate the volume of the spread rapeseed as the cake volume, and derive the specific volume data from the volume-to-mass ratio.

[0131] Remove the cake crust and cut a 20mm × 20mm × 20mm cube from the center as a test sample. Turn on the texture analyzer and install a 36mm diameter cylindrical flat-bottom probe.

[0132] The probe descent, testing, and return speeds of the test program were set to 1.0 mm / s, and the target compressibility deformation was set to 50% of the initial sample height. The interval between two compression cycles was 5 seconds, and the trigger force was set to 0.05 N. The cut sample was placed on the texture analyzer test platform, and the secondary compression test program was started.

[0133] Record the change in probe force over time, and analyze the force-time curve to extract hardness, elasticity, and chewiness parameters.

[0134] Table 5. Quality and texture parameters of sponge cakes from the examples and comparative examples.

[0135] Sample Name Specific volume (mL / g) Hardness (N) elasticity Chewing (N) Example 1 3.61 2.45 0.88 1.82 Example 2 3.68 2.38 0.91 1.76 Example 3 3.55 2.52 0.86 1.89 Comparative Example 4 2.14 5.86 0.62 4.35 Comparative Example 6 3.72 2.31 0.93 1.68

[0136] in conclusion:

[0137] As shown in Table 5, the specific volume of the sponge cakes obtained in Examples 1 to 3 was 3.55 to 3.68 mL / g, and the hardness was 2.38 to 2.52 N. Overall, they were close to the butter control group (Comparative Example 6) and significantly better than the static oil gel group (Comparative Example 4).

[0138] Among them, the specific volume of the sample in Example 2 was 3.68 mL / g, the hardness was 2.38 N, and the elasticity was 0.91, indicating that the oil gel prepared by this process has good substitution feasibility in the sponge cake system. Comparative Example 4 showed a significantly lower specific volume and significantly higher hardness and chewiness, indicating that the oil gel prepared by the static method alone is insufficient to meet the requirements of batter processing and baking.

Claims

1. A method for preparing sponge cake using oil gel instead of butter, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Refined rapeseed oil and food-grade candelilla wax were heated and stirred to obtain a transparent homogeneous lipid eutectic. The transparent homogeneous lipid eutectic was cooled, and then food-grade soybean lecithin was added and sheared and mixed to obtain a primary lecithin-containing mixture. The phospholipid-containing primary mixture was mechanically sheared and cooled to 45°C to obtain a microcrystalline network primary material. The microcrystalline network primary material is stirred at low speed and slowly heated to a constant temperature. After the low-speed stirring is stopped, the temperature is lowered to 25°C and kept at a constant temperature to obtain a modified oleogel. The modified oleogel was used to replace the butter and mixed with the baking ingredients at low speed, followed by forced shearing and whipping to obtain a uniform batter. The uniform batter is quantitatively injected into an oiled baking mold and baked continuously. After baking, the cake is removed from the mold and allowed to cool naturally at room temperature to obtain the sponge cake.

2. The method for preparing sponge cake using oil gel instead of butter according to claim 1, characterized in that, The amount of refined rapeseed oil used is 94.8-95.1 wt%, the amount of food-grade candelilla wax used is 4.8-5.0 wt%, and the amount of food-grade soybean lecithin used is 0.1-0.2 wt%.

3. The method for preparing sponge cake using oil gel as a substitute for butter according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the step of obtaining the transparent homogeneous lipid eutectic, the heating temperature is 140-160°C, and the stirring time is 10-15 minutes.

4. The method for preparing sponge cake using oil gel instead of butter according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the step of obtaining the primary phospholipid mixture, the food-grade soybean phospholipid is added when the system temperature drops to 80-85°C; the shear mixing is performed by turning on the online rotor-stator type high shear disperser connected in series with the discharge end of the reactor and shear mixing at 3000-6000 rpm for 30-60 seconds.

5. The method for preparing sponge cake using oil gel as a substitute for butter according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the step of obtaining the microcrystalline network primary material, the phospholipid-containing primary mixture is pumped into a scraped heat exchanger, and the mechanical shearing cooling to 45°C is performed with a cooling rate of 10-15°C / min and a scraper rotation speed of 100-150 rpm.

6. The method for preparing sponge cake using oil gel as a substitute for butter according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the step of obtaining the modified oleogel, the microcrystalline network primary material is transferred to a curing tank, the low-speed stirring is started at 30-50 rpm, the temperature of the slow warming is 52-55°C, the constant temperature is maintained for 15-20 minutes, and the standing and heat preservation time is 1.5-2 hours.

7. The method for preparing sponge cake using oil gel as a substitute for butter according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the step of obtaining the uniform batter, the baking ingredients include low-gluten wheat flour, fresh milk, whole egg liquid, white sugar, and baking powder.

8. The method for preparing sponge cake using oil gel instead of butter according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the step of obtaining the uniform batter, the modified oleogel and the baking ingredients are put into a planetary mixer together, and after the low-speed mixing, the mixer is switched to high speed for forced shearing and whipping.

9. The method for preparing sponge cake using oil gel instead of butter according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the step of making the sponge cake, the uniform batter is quantitatively injected into the oiled baking mold and placed in an oven for continuous baking; it is then removed from the oven and allowed to cool naturally at room temperature.

10. The method for preparing sponge cake using oil gel as a substitute for butter according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the step of obtaining the transparent homogeneous lipid eutectic, the refined rapeseed oil and the food-grade candelilla wax are added to a reaction vessel with a jacket temperature control and nitrogen protection for heating and stirring; the transparent homogeneous lipid eutectic is cooled by introducing a cooling medium into the jacket of the reaction vessel.

Images