A dried orange peel ginger juice jujube mud cake with the functions of regulating qi and invigorating the spleen and a preparation method thereof

Abstract

The application discloses a dried orange peel ginger juice jujube mud cake with the functions of regulating qi and invigorating the spleen and a preparation method thereof, and belongs to the technical field of food processing. The cake comprises 120-180 parts of red dates, 3-8 parts of dried orange peel, 80-120 parts of butter, 60-100 parts of brown sugar, 80-120 parts of whole egg liquid, 80-120 parts of low-gluten flour, 2-5 parts of baking powder and 10-20 parts of ginger juice. The application effectively solves the technical problem of the traditional red date cake that is good for the stomach. In the formula, the dried orange peel and the ginger are scientifically matched under the guidance of the traditional Chinese medicine theory, the dried orange peel is used to regulate qi and invigorate the spleen, the ginger is used to warm the middle and stop vomiting, and the red dates are precisely restricted to be greasy, so that the medicinal food functions of invigorating the spleen without stagnating qi and warming and nourishing without assisting dampness are realized. Through the unique "dual-phase batter physical layering" process, the sensory limitations of traditional medicinal baked food, such as mixed medicine flavor and rough taste, are broken through.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of food processing technology, specifically to a medicinal food baked product based on the concept of food and medicine sharing the same origin and its preparation method, and more particularly to a date paste cake that combines tangerine peel, ginger and red dates and has the function of regulating qi and strengthening the spleen, and its preparation method. Background Technology

[0002] With the deepening understanding of traditional Chinese medicine's health preservation concepts, baked goods that combine food and medicine are occupying an increasingly important position in the market. Red dates (jujubes), as a traditional tonic ingredient, are sweet and warm in nature, and enter the spleen and stomach meridians. They have significant effects in tonifying the middle energizer, nourishing blood, and calming the mind, and are often used as a core ingredient in various pastries. However, in current food processing technology and TCM clinical nutrition practice, baked products that solely use red dates as the main ingredient have obvious theoretical flaws in their formulation. According to the TCM theory that "sweetness can promote dampness and cause fullness in the middle energizer," red dates are moist and juicy, sweet and warm in nature. If consumed for a long time or in large quantities, they can easily produce a cloying effect in the body, leading to obstructed spleen and stomach function, resulting in side effects such as abdominal distension, loss of appetite, and even phlegm production and dampness accumulation. Especially for the "spleen deficiency and dampness excess" constitution commonly found among modern urban populations, existing red date pastries often only emphasize "tonification" while neglecting "digestion," resulting in products that are "tonifying but not absorbed," making it difficult to achieve true health and wellness goals. For example, the mulberry and red date cake with publication numbers CN102987252A or the compound red date cake with publication number CN109874830A mainly focuses on the simple physical stacking of various nourishing ingredients (such as mulberry, lotus seeds, and lily bulbs). This "multiple-ingredient" approach, while increasing the product's nutritional density, further burdens the spleen and stomach, lacking the wisdom of traditional Chinese medicine's principle of "combining tonification and purgation, and regulating ascending and descending functions." Specifically, it lacks "adjuvant" herbs that guide the absorption of the red date's nourishing properties by the spleen and stomach and prevent stagnation. Similarly, publication numbers CN103518815A and CN103704305A attempt to add extracts of traditional Chinese medicine such as agastache, chuanxiong, and cordyceps to cakes to enhance their health benefits. However, such solutions have serious sensory defects: on the one hand, the addition of a large amount of compound Chinese medicine introduces a strong medicinal taste, which seriously masks the natural aroma of the ingredients, making the food taste bitter and strange, and consumers have low acceptance; on the other hand, this "large compound, full mixing" process fails to treat the volatility and thermal stability of different medicinal materials in layers, resulting in serious loss of effective ingredients under high baking temperature.

[0003] Furthermore, although some technologies (such as CN112931631A) have attempted to incorporate ginger into cake making, they mostly employ cold food processing methods such as mousse or rely on complex nanoliposome technology. Cold food formulations themselves are inherently cooling, which contradicts the original intention of ginger and red dates to "warm the middle and strengthen the spleen"; while the high technical threshold of nanotechnology limits its widespread application in conventional hospital nutrition departments and home baking scenarios.

[0004] At the level of specific food processing technology, existing technologies generally adopt a "one-pot" mixing process, which directly mixes tangerine peel powder, ginger juice, batter, and jujube paste evenly. This homogenization process brings two irreconcilable technical contradictions: First, the spiciness of ginger and the bitterness of tangerine peel are indiscriminately distributed in the batter, resulting in a lack of layering in the finished product's taste, with an abrupt spiciness that is difficult for the general public to accept; second, the volatile oils (such as limonene) abundant in tangerine peel and the gingerol in ginger are easily volatilized or oxidized during long-term homogenization baking, which not only loses the medicinal value of "aromatic and invigorating the spleen" but also makes the finished product lack a unique complex aroma.

[0005] In conclusion, the food processing industry urgently needs a method for preparing a tangerine peel, ginger juice, and jujube paste cake that can both address the side effects of jujube's richness through scientific formulation based on the traditional Chinese medicine theory of "regulating qi and strengthening the spleen" and solve the problem of blending the three flavors of spiciness, bitterness, and sweetness through innovative layered baking technology, thereby achieving a dual improvement in taste and efficacy. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This invention proposes a tangerine peel, ginger, and jujube paste cake with qi-regulating and spleen-strengthening functions, aiming to overcome the technical defects of existing jujube-based baked goods, which are generally characterized by being "sweet, warm, and greasy, nourishing but not digestive." It addresses the problem that traditional jujube pastries, in their formulations, simply pursue nourishment while neglecting the digestive capacity of the consumer's spleen and stomach, easily leading to side effects such as abdominal distension and dampness obstructing the middle jiao (middle burner).

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention is implemented through the following technical solution: The first objective of this invention is to provide a tangerine peel, ginger juice, and jujube paste cake with the function of regulating qi and strengthening the spleen, comprising the following components in parts by weight: 120-180 parts of jujubes, 3-8 parts of tangerine peel, 80-120 parts of butter, 60-100 parts of brown sugar, 80-120 parts of whole egg liquid, 80-120 parts of low-gluten flour, 2-5 parts of baking powder, and 10-20 parts of ginger juice.

[0008] Furthermore, in order to obtain the best medicinal efficacy and taste experience, the raw materials are preferably authentic medicinal and edible ingredients: the dried tangerine peel is preferably Xinhui dried tangerine peel or sun-dried Sichuan dried tangerine peel, preferably aged for more than 3 years; the ginger is preferably Jianwei Sichuan ginger, which is used for its spicy and rich juice and strong warming effect; the red dates are preferably Ruoergai red dates, which are thick and sweet.

[0009] The second objective of this invention is to provide a method for preparing a tangerine peel, ginger, and jujube paste cake with qi-regulating and spleen-strengthening functions. This method addresses the problems of abrupt medicinal flavors, rough textures, and loss of volatile active ingredients caused by the "one-pot" full-mixing process in traditional medicinal pastries. In existing technologies, directly mixing ginger, tangerine peel, and jujube batter often results in a conflict between the spiciness of ginger, the bitterness of tangerine peel, and the sweetness of jujubes, and the volatile oil components are easily lost during high-temperature baking.

[0010] A method for preparing a tangerine peel, ginger, and jujube paste cake with qi-regulating and spleen-strengthening functions includes the following steps: (1) Raw material pretreatment and preparation of functional excipients: Clean the red dates, remove the pits and steam them at high temperature until the red date flesh is completely soft. Add water to the steamed red dates and use a homogenizer or food processor to make a smooth date paste for later use; at the same time, wash the dried tangerine peel with warm water, drain it and cut it into tangerine peel cubes with a diameter of 1-2mm; wash the ginger, peel it, press to extract the juice, filter out the ginger residue and keep the ginger juice for later use; (2) Emulsification and aeration of the base batter: Add sifted brown sugar to softened butter at room temperature and beat at high speed until the butter volume expands, the color lightens and the texture becomes feathery; add room temperature whole egg liquid in 3-4 batches, and beat thoroughly after each addition until the egg liquid and butter are completely emulsified; finally, sift together low-gluten flour and baking powder, add to the beaten butter and egg liquid, and use a spatula to mix with a "cutting" or "folding" technique until there is no dry powder, thus obtaining the base batter; (3) Differentiated preparation of two-phase batter: Divide the matrix batter described in step (2) into two equal parts, which are defined as phase A batter and phase B batter respectively; add the jujube paste and diced tangerine peel from step (1) to phase A batter, stir evenly, and set aside; add the ginger juice prepared in step (1) to phase B batter, stir evenly, and set aside. (4) Alternating pouring and texture construction: The pouring is done by “alternating stacking”: First, a layer of A phase batter obtained in step (3) is poured into the bottom of the mold, and then a layer of B phase batter obtained in step (3) is poured on top of it. This process is repeated until the batter is used up. (5) Baking and ripening: Place the mold in the middle rack of the oven preheated to 170℃-180℃ and bake for 10-15 minutes. After the cake surface forms a crust, take it out and quickly make a vertical cut in the middle of the surface. Then quickly put it back in the oven and continue baking for 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven, unmold and cool.

[0011] Furthermore, in step (1), the amount of water added is 5-10% of the weight of the jujubes.

[0012] Furthermore, the high-temperature steaming in step (1) is: steaming at 100°C or above for 20-30 minutes.

[0013] Furthermore, in step (4), the thickness of each layer of phase A batter is 1-5 mm; the thickness of each layer of phase B batter is 1-5 mm.

[0014] Furthermore, in step (4), after the A-phase batter and B-phase batter are used up, texture construction is performed. The texture construction involves inserting a slender tool vertically into the bottom of the batter and swiping it in an "S" or spiral shape 2-3 times to produce irregular physical textures.

[0015] The present invention relates to a tangerine peel, ginger juice, and jujube paste cake with qi-regulating and spleen-strengthening functions, and its preparation method. The beneficial effects are as follows: (1) This invention effectively solves the technical problem of traditional jujube pastries being "nourishing but hindering the stomach". In the formula of this invention, under the guidance of traditional Chinese medicine theory, Sichuan tangerine peel and ginger are scientifically combined. The qi-regulating and spleen-strengthening properties of tangerine peel and the warming and nausea-relieving properties of ginger are used to precisely control the greasiness of jujubes, thereby achieving the medicinal effect of "nourishing the spleen without stagnation of qi and warming without promoting dampness". In the clinical nutrition of traditional Chinese medicine, although jujubes are a good tonic, they are sweet, warm and moist. If there is no reasonable combination and adjuvant, they are very easy to cause "sweetness to promote dampness", causing abdominal distension in the consumer. Existing technologies often simply pursue the accumulation of nourishing ingredients, ignoring the spleen deficiency and dampness constitution that is common in modern people. This invention creatively applies the traditional Chinese medicine theories of "counteracting adjuvant" and "pungent opening and bitter descending", and through process control, Sichuan tangerine peel with qi-regulating and dampness-drying effects is specifically distributed in the jujube paste phase. The pungent and warm properties of ginger juice are used to stimulate the rising qi of the original flavor paste. This precise "medicinal property balancing" mechanism allows the product to retain the blood-nourishing and calming effects of jujubes while using dried tangerine peel and ginger to neutralize their cloying nature, truly achieving "tonifying the spleen without causing stagnation of qi, and warming without promoting dampness".

[0016] (2) In the preparation method of this invention, the unique "two-phase batter physical layering" process breaks through the sensory limitations of traditional medicinal food baking products, which are characterized by "mixed medicinal flavors and rough texture". The traditional "one-pot" mixing process results in the indiscriminate mixing of the spiciness of ginger, the bitterness of tangerine peel, and the sweetness of red dates, leading to obvious flavor conflicts. The alternating structure of "tangerine peel-date paste" and "ginger juice-original flavor" constructed in this invention establishes a taste buffer at the microscopic level. When the consumer chews, the flavor presents a segmented release characteristic of "first spicy and fragrant, then sweet and mellow". The bitter and spicy flavor of tangerine peel is used to counteract the sweetness of the date paste, and the pungent and warm flavor of ginger is used to activate the aroma of the original flavor batter, achieving precise control of medicinal properties and flavor. This not only effectively masks the off-flavor of Chinese medicinal materials, but also gives the product a visual aesthetic like marble texture and a rich layered taste. Through physical layering, a dual batter system of "tangerine peel-date paste" and "ginger-original flavor" is constructed. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0018] Example 1

[0019] A tangerine peel, ginger, and jujube paste cake with qi-regulating and spleen-strengthening functions includes the following ingredients: 150g of pitted Ruoergai jujubes, 4g of Sichuan tangerine peel, 100g of butter, 80g of brown sugar, 100g of egg liquid (about 2 eggs), 100g of low-gluten flour, 3g of baking powder, and 15ml of Jianwei ginger juice.

[0020] The preparation method of the tangerine peel, ginger juice, and jujube paste cake in this embodiment is as follows: (1) Raw material pretreatment and preparation of functional excipients: Wash the red dates thoroughly, remove the pits, and steam them at high temperature for 20-30 minutes until the red date flesh is completely soft. Add 5%-10% of the weight of water to the steamed red dates and blend them into a smooth date paste using a homogenizer or food processor. Meanwhile, rinse the dried tangerine peel quickly with warm water to remove dust, drain, and cut into 1-2mm diameter pieces. The dried tangerine peel should not be ground into powder; it should retain its granular texture to release the volatile oil aroma when chewed. When preparing ginger juice, wash and peel the ginger, press to extract the juice, filter to remove the ginger residue, and keep the pure ginger juice for later use.

[0021] (2) Emulsification and aeration of the base batter: Add brown sugar to softened butter at room temperature. The brown sugar should be sifted beforehand to prevent lumps. Use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to beat the mixture of butter and brown sugar until the butter increases in volume, lightens in color, and shows feather-like texture. This process takes about 3-5 minutes. Then, add room temperature whole egg liquid in 3-4 batches. After each addition, beat thoroughly until the egg liquid and butter are completely emulsified to avoid oil and water separation. Finally, sift the cake flour and baking powder together and add them to the beaten butter and egg mixture. Use a spatula to mix using a "cutting" or "folding" technique until there is no dry flour left to make the base batter.

[0022] (3) Differentiated preparation of the two-phase batter (core step): Divide the base batter in step (2) into two equal parts, which are defined as phase A batter and phase B batter respectively. Add 150g of jujube paste and 4g of diced dried tangerine peel to phase A batter and stir evenly. At this time, the diced dried tangerine peel is evenly distributed in the high-concentration jujube paste batter. The qi-regulating and dampness-drying properties of dried tangerine peel directly counteract the greasy nature of jujube to form the "spleen-strengthening and stagnation-relieving phase". Add 15ml of ginger juice to phase B batter and stir evenly. The ginger juice penetrates into the oil and starch structure of the original flavor batter. The pungent and warm properties of ginger enhance the aroma of the batter and form the "warming and spleen-awakening phase".

[0023] (4) Alternating pouring and texture construction: Use a long, rectangular pound cake mold, greased or lined with parchment paper. Pour the batter into the mold using an alternating stacking method: first, place a layer of phase A batter (date paste and tangerine peel phase) at the bottom of the mold, then place a layer of phase B batter (ginger juice original flavor phase) on top, repeating this alternating method, with each layer only 2-3mm high, until all the batter is used up. After pouring, use chopsticks or a thin, long tool to vertically insert into the bottom of the batter and stir in an "S" or spiral shape 2-3 times to create irregular physical textures at the interface between the two phases, forming a marble-like mixing effect. However, avoid over-stirring to prevent the two phases from completely merging.

[0024] (5) Baking and ripening: Place the mold in the middle rack of a preheated oven at 170℃. Bake for 10 minutes until a crust forms on the surface of the cake. Remove the cake and quickly make a vertical cut in the center of the surface (to guide the expansion cracks). Return the cake to the oven immediately. Continue baking for 35 minutes. After baking, insert a bamboo skewer into the center of the cake to check. If no wet batter comes out, the cake is cooked through. Remove the cake from the oven, unmold it, and place it on a cooling rack to cool.

[0025] Example 2

[0026] A tangerine peel, ginger, and jujube paste cake with the function of regulating qi and strengthening the spleen includes the following ingredients: 120g pitted jujubes, 6g diced tangerine peel, 90g butter, 70g brown sugar, 90g egg liquid, 90g low-gluten flour, 2.5g baking powder, and 20ml ginger juice.

[0027] This embodiment of the formula increases the proportion of dried tangerine peel and ginger juice, and appropriately reduces the amount of red dates to enhance its effects of warming the middle jiao, dispelling cold, resolving phlegm, and drying dampness. It emphasizes warming yang and dispelling cold, and is suitable for people with severe cold and dampness.

[0028] The preparation method of the tangerine peel, ginger juice, and jujube paste cake in this embodiment is as follows: (1) Raw material pretreatment and preparation of functional excipients: Wash the red dates thoroughly, remove the pits, and steam them at high temperature for 20-30 minutes until the red date flesh is completely soft. Add 5%-10% of the weight of water to the steamed red dates and blend them into a smooth date paste using a homogenizer or food processor. Meanwhile, rinse the dried tangerine peel quickly with warm water to remove dust, drain, and cut into 1-2mm diameter pieces. The dried tangerine peel should not be ground into powder; it should retain its granular texture to release the volatile oil aroma when chewed. When preparing ginger juice, wash and peel the ginger, press to extract the juice, filter to remove the ginger residue, and keep the pure ginger juice for later use.

[0029] (2) Emulsification and aeration of the base batter: Add brown sugar to softened butter at room temperature. The brown sugar should be sifted beforehand to prevent lumps. Use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to beat the mixture of butter and brown sugar until the butter increases in volume, lightens in color, and shows feather-like texture. This process takes about 3-5 minutes. Then, add room temperature whole egg liquid in 3-4 batches. After each addition, beat thoroughly until the egg liquid and butter are completely emulsified to avoid oil and water separation. Finally, sift the cake flour and baking powder together and add them to the beaten butter and egg mixture. Use a spatula to mix using a "cutting" or "folding" technique until there is no dry flour left to make the base batter.

[0030] (3) Differentiated preparation of the two-phase batter (core step): Divide the base batter in step (2) into two equal parts, which are defined as phase A batter and phase B batter respectively. Add 120g of jujube paste and 6g of diced dried tangerine peel to phase A batter and stir evenly. At this time, the diced dried tangerine peel is evenly distributed in the high-concentration jujube paste batter. The qi-regulating and dampness-drying properties of dried tangerine peel directly counteract the greasy nature of jujube to form the "spleen-strengthening and stagnation-relieving phase". Add 20ml of ginger juice to phase B batter and stir evenly. The ginger juice penetrates into the oil and starch structure of the original flavor batter. The pungent and warm properties of ginger enhance the aroma of the batter and form the "warming and spleen-awakening phase".

[0031] (4) Alternating pouring and texture construction: Use a long, rectangular pound cake mold, greased or lined with parchment paper. Pour the batter into the mold using an alternating stacking method: first, place a layer of phase A batter (date paste and tangerine peel phase) at the bottom of the mold, then place a layer of phase B batter (ginger juice original flavor phase) on top, repeating this alternating method, with each layer only 2-3mm high, until all the batter is used up. After pouring, use chopsticks or a thin, long tool to vertically insert into the bottom of the batter and stir in an "S" or spiral shape 2-3 times to create irregular physical textures at the interface between the two phases, forming a marble-like mixing effect. However, avoid over-stirring to prevent the two phases from completely merging.

[0032] (5) Baking and ripening: Place the mold in the middle rack of a preheated oven at 170℃. Bake for 10 minutes until a crust forms on the surface of the cake. Remove the cake and quickly make a vertical cut in the center of the surface (to guide the expansion cracks). Return the cake to the oven immediately. Continue baking for 35 minutes. After baking, insert a bamboo skewer into the center of the cake to check. If no wet batter comes out, the cake is cooked through. Remove the cake from the oven, unmold it, and place it on a cooling rack to cool.

[0033] Example 3

[0034] A tangerine peel, ginger, and jujube paste cake with the function of regulating qi and strengthening the spleen includes the following ingredients: 180g pitted jujubes, 3g diced tangerine peel, 110g butter, 90g brown sugar, 110g egg liquid, 110g low-gluten flour, 3.5g baking powder, and 10ml ginger juice.

[0035] This recipe increases the ratio of red dates to flour matrix and reduces the amount of ginger juice, resulting in a milder taste and a focus on gently tonifying the spleen. It emphasizes strengthening the spleen and replenishing qi, making it suitable for people with spleen deficiency and weak qi.

[0036] The preparation method of the tangerine peel, ginger juice, and jujube paste cake in this embodiment is as follows: (1) Raw material pretreatment and preparation of functional excipients: Wash the red dates thoroughly, remove the pits, and steam them at high temperature for 20-30 minutes until the red date flesh is completely soft. Add 5%-10% of the weight of water to the steamed red dates and blend them into a smooth date paste using a homogenizer or food processor. Meanwhile, rinse the dried tangerine peel quickly with warm water to remove dust, drain, and cut into 1-2mm diameter pieces. The dried tangerine peel should not be ground into powder; it should retain its granular texture to release the volatile oil aroma when chewed. When preparing ginger juice, wash and peel the ginger, press to extract the juice, filter to remove the ginger residue, and keep the pure ginger juice for later use.

[0037] (2) Emulsification and aeration of the base batter: Add brown sugar to softened butter at room temperature. The brown sugar should be sifted beforehand to prevent lumps. Use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to beat the mixture of butter and brown sugar until the butter increases in volume, lightens in color, and shows feather-like texture. This process takes about 3-5 minutes. Then, add room temperature whole egg liquid in 3-4 batches. After each addition, beat thoroughly until the egg liquid and butter are completely emulsified to avoid oil and water separation. Finally, sift the cake flour and baking powder together and add them to the beaten butter and egg mixture. Use a spatula to mix using a "cutting" or "folding" technique until there is no dry flour left to make the base batter.

[0038] (3) Differentiated preparation of the two-phase batter: Divide the base batter in step (2) into two equal parts, which are defined as phase A batter and phase B batter respectively. Add 180g of jujube paste and 3g of diced dried tangerine peel to phase A batter and stir well. At this time, the diced dried tangerine peel is evenly distributed in the high-concentration jujube paste batter. The qi-regulating and dampness-drying properties of dried tangerine peel directly counteract the greasy nature of jujube, forming the "spleen-strengthening and stagnation-relieving phase". Add 10ml of ginger juice to phase B batter and stir well. The ginger juice penetrates into the oil and starch structure of the original flavor batter. The pungent and warm properties of ginger enhance the aroma of the batter, forming the "warming and spleen-awakening phase".

[0039] (4) Alternating pouring and texture construction: Use a long, rectangular pound cake mold, greased or lined with parchment paper. Pour the batter into the mold using an alternating stacking method: first, place a layer of phase A batter (date paste and tangerine peel phase) at the bottom of the mold, then place a layer of phase B batter (ginger juice original flavor phase) on top, repeating this alternating method, with each layer only 2-3mm high, until all the batter is used up. After pouring, use chopsticks or a thin, long tool to vertically insert into the bottom of the batter and stir in an "S" or spiral shape 2-3 times to create irregular physical textures at the interface between the two phases, forming a marble-like mixing effect. However, avoid over-stirring to prevent the two phases from completely merging.

[0040] (5) Baking and ripening: Place the mold in the middle rack of a preheated oven at 170℃. Bake for 10 minutes until a crust forms on the surface of the cake. Remove the cake and quickly make a vertical cut in the center of the surface (to guide the expansion cracks). Return the cake to the oven immediately. Continue baking for 35 minutes. After baking, insert a bamboo skewer into the center of the cake to check. If no wet batter comes out, the cake is cooked through. Remove the cake from the oven, unmold it, and place it on a cooling rack to cool.

[0041] Comparative Example 1 The recipe and preparation method of the tangerine peel, ginger juice and jujube paste cake are the same as those in Example 1. The difference is that in step (3), the base batter obtained in step (2) is directly mixed with jujube paste, tangerine peel cubes and ginger juice and then poured into the mold.

[0042] Sensory evaluation and post-meal subjective feedback comparison test Eighty subjects aged 24-63 years were randomly selected and divided into an experimental group and a control group, with 20 subjects in each group, using an independent parallel group design. The experimental group consumed the tangerine peel, ginger juice, and jujube paste cake of Examples 1-3 of this invention, while the control group consumed the tangerine peel, ginger juice, and jujube paste cake of Comparative Example 1. Each subject consumed only one sample and completed the evaluation independently. After consuming equal amounts of the sample in a fasting state, the subjects evaluated the appearance, flavor profile, sweetness palatability, overall taste, and subjective post-eating experience. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0043] Table 1. Comparison data of sensory and post-meal subjective feedback between Examples 1-3 and Comparative Example 1 Sample size (people) 20 20 20 20 Appearance rating (1-10 points) 9.3 ± 0.2 9.0 ± 0.2 8.9 ± 0.3 7.3 ± 0.2 Flavor profile rating (1-10 points) 9.3 ± 0.3 9.1 ± 0.3 8.6 ± 0.3 6.2 ± 0.3 Sweetness rating (1-10 points) 9.1 ± 0.2 8.7 ± 0.2 9.0 ± 0.2 7.0 ± 0.2 Overall likability (1-10 points) 9.4 ± 0.3 8.9 ± 0.3 8.8 ± 0.3 6.9 ± 0.3 Subjective feedback of feeling slightly full or noticeably bloated 0.0% (0 / 20) 0.0% (0 / 20) 0.0% (0 / 20) 60.0% (12 / 20) As shown in Table 1, the sensory evaluation results from diners indicate that, under the independent parallel rating settings of 20 diners each for Examples 1, 2, 3, and Comparative Example 1, the overall likability scores for Examples 1, 2, and 3 were 9.4±0.3, 8.9±0.3, and 8.8±0.3, respectively, all higher than the 6.9±0.3 score for Comparative Example 1. Regarding flavor profile ratings, the scores for Examples 1, 2, and 3 were 9.3±0.3, 9.1±0.3, and 8.6±0.3, respectively, higher than the 6.2±0.3 score for Comparative Example 1. In terms of appearance ratings, the scores for the three examples were 9.3±0.2, 9.0±0.2, and 8.9±0.3, respectively, while the score for Comparative Example 1 was 7.3±0.2. In Example 2, the proportion of tangerine peel and ginger juice was relatively increased, resulting in a richer flavor profile, but the sweetness score was slightly lower than that of Example 1. In Example 3, the proportion of jujube paste was relatively increased and the proportion of ginger juice was decreased, resulting in a milder jujube aroma and better sweetness, but the flavor profile was slightly lower than that of Examples 1 and 2.

[0044] In the post-eating subjective feedback experiment, no feedback of "slight satiety" or "significant bloating" was observed in Examples 1, 2, and 3, while 60.0% (12 / 20) of diners in Comparative Example 1 reported such feedback. When comparing Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 independently, the differences in overall likability and flavor profile scores were both P<0.001. These results suggest that the biphasic layering process and the proportions of dried tangerine peel, ginger juice, and jujube paste may affect the sensory profile, overall acceptability, and post-eating subjective experience of the product.

[0045] This invention pioneers a medicinal cake system with a "two-phase heterogeneous" structure. Its core feature is that the cake body is not a homogeneous mixture, but rather composed of alternating layers of two physically distinct batters: a "tangerine peel and jujube paste phase (phase A)" and a "ginger original flavor phase (phase B)." The innovation lies in the microscopic construction of an oil-starch separation layer through this physical layering structure, successfully separating the opposing medicinal materials (pungent ginger and bitter-warm tangerine peel) in an orderly spatial manner. This structural feature distinguishes it from existing jujube cakes or ginger cakes that employ a "one-pot" fully mixed process. It not only solves the technical challenge of the abrupt taste difference between the bitterness of tangerine peel and the spiciness of ginger after mixing, but also endows the product with a unique marble-like texture, achieving a qualitative leap in the sensory quality of medicinal food. This invention also proposes a "differentiated modulation and lipid encapsulation" preparation process for heat-sensitive medicinal and edible ingredients. Its innovation lies in changing the traditional method of directly mixing medicinal powder into flour. Instead, it uses a phase-separation process based on the physicochemical properties of the medicinal materials: In the preparation of phase B batter, a "water-in-oil" or "oil-in-water" emulsion system formed by whipping butter is used to pre-disperse and encapsulate ginger juice in fat globules, forming a lipid protective film, which significantly reduces the thermal degradation and volatilization loss of gingerol during subsequent high-temperature baking; in phase A batter, a high concentration of jujube paste colloid is used to encapsulate tangerine peel particles, and the viscosity of the jujube paste locks in the volatile oils of the tangerine peel. This innovative process significantly improves the retention rate of effective components in the finished product, solving the technical pain point of "smells medicinal but has no medicinal effect" in traditional baking processes. In terms of formulation design, this invention innovatively applies the theories of "counteracting the medicinal properties" and "pungent-opening and bitter-descending" from traditional Chinese medicine to modern baked goods. Unlike existing technologies that simply pursue "synergistic tonifying" formulations (such as red dates with longan and mulberries), this invention addresses the side effects of red dates being "sweet, warm, and greasy, and causing stomach upset with prolonged consumption." It innovatively introduces "Sichuan tangerine peel" and "ginger" as adjuvant herbs. Through precise proportions, the bitter, warm, and drying properties of tangerine peel counteract the greasiness of the date paste, while the pungent, warm, and dispersing properties of ginger invigorate the spleen and stomach's digestive function. This achieves a synergistic pharmacological effect of "tonifying the spleen without causing stagnation of qi, and warming without promoting dampness" within the food carrier, filling the technological gap in the market for warming and tonifying red date baked products specifically for people with "spleen deficiency and dampness."

[0046] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the embodiments of the present invention. The descriptions of the embodiments above are only for helping to understand the principles of the embodiments of the present invention. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope based on the embodiments of the present invention. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention.

Claims

1. A tangerine peel, ginger juice, and jujube paste cake with qi-regulating and spleen-strengthening functions, characterized in that: The following ingredients are included by weight: 120-180 parts red dates, 3-8 parts dried tangerine peel, 80-120 parts butter, 60-100 parts brown sugar, 80-120 parts whole egg liquid, 80-120 parts low-gluten flour, 2-5 parts baking powder, and 10-20 parts ginger juice.

2. The tangerine peel, ginger juice, and jujube paste cake with qi-regulating and spleen-strengthening functions according to claim 1, characterized in that: The tangerine peel mentioned is Xinhui tangerine peel or Sichuan tangerine peel aged for more than 3 years.

3. A method for preparing a tangerine peel, ginger juice, and jujube paste cake with qi-regulating and spleen-strengthening functions according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: Includes the following steps: (1) Raw material pretreatment and preparation of functional excipients: Clean the red dates, remove the pits and steam them at high temperature until the red date flesh is completely soft. Add water to the steamed red dates and use a homogenizer or food processor to make a smooth date paste for later use; at the same time, wash the dried tangerine peel with warm water, drain it and cut it into tangerine peel cubes with a diameter of 1-2mm; wash the ginger, peel it, press to extract the juice, filter out the ginger residue and keep the ginger juice for later use; (2) Emulsification and aeration of the base batter: Add sifted brown sugar to softened butter at room temperature and beat at high speed until the butter volume expands, the color lightens and the texture becomes feathery; add room temperature whole egg liquid in 3-4 batches, and beat thoroughly after each addition until the egg liquid and butter are completely emulsified; finally, sift together low-gluten flour and baking powder, add to the beaten butter and egg liquid, and use a spatula to mix with a "cutting" or "folding" technique until there is no dry powder, thus obtaining the base batter; (3) Differentiated preparation of two-phase batter: Divide the matrix batter described in step (2) into two equal parts, which are defined as phase A batter and phase B batter respectively; add the jujube paste and diced tangerine peel from step (1) to phase A batter, stir evenly, and set aside; add the ginger juice prepared in step (1) to phase B batter, stir evenly, and set aside. (4) Alternating pouring and texture construction: The pouring is done by alternating stacking: first, a layer of A phase batter obtained in step (3) is poured into the bottom of the mold, and then a layer of B phase batter obtained in step (3) is poured on top of it. This process is repeated until the batter is used up. (5) Baking and ripening: Place the mold in the middle rack of the oven preheated to 170℃-180℃ and bake for 10-15 minutes. After the cake surface forms a crust, take it out and quickly make a vertical cut in the middle of the surface. Then quickly put it back in the oven and continue baking for 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven, unmold and cool.

4. The method for preparing the tangerine peel, ginger juice, and jujube paste cake with qi-regulating and spleen-strengthening functions according to claim 3, characterized in that: In step (1), the amount of water added is 5-10% of the weight of the red dates.

5. The method for preparing the tangerine peel, ginger juice, and jujube paste cake with qi-regulating and spleen-strengthening functions according to claim 3, characterized in that: The high-temperature steaming mentioned in step (1) is: steaming at 100℃ or above for 20-30 minutes.

6. The method for preparing the tangerine peel, ginger juice, and jujube paste cake with qi-regulating and spleen-strengthening functions according to claim 3, characterized in that: In step (4), the thickness of each layer of phase A batter is 1-5 mm; the thickness of each layer of phase B batter is 1-5 mm.

7. The preparation method of the tangerine peel, ginger juice, and jujube paste cake with qi-regulating and spleen-strengthening functions according to claim 3, characterized in that: In step (4), after the A-phase batter and B-phase batter are used up, texture construction is performed. The texture construction involves inserting a thin, long tool vertically into the bottom of the batter and moving it in an "S" or spiral shape 2-3 times to produce irregular physical textures.