Baking Chemistry

 Even if you might not consider chemistry when baking a cake, the procedure is undoubtedly founded in chemistry. Regardless of the type of food you bake, the basic ingredients are involved in a number of chemical processes that combine various materials to create the finished product.

Baking is undoubtedly a more specialized kind of food manufacturing than other, more well-known ones. However, 82% of all meals in the United States are prepared at home, and a sizable proportion of these necessitate the use of an oven or other dry heating gear, according to data by the National Purchase Diary Panel (NPD). This routine cooking technique takes a lot of effort and preparation to carry out.

Baking is chemically based since it depends on the interactions of different chemicals in ingredients. The science of baking can be reduced to a series of chemical processes. The definition of a chemical reaction, also known as a chemical change, is "a process in which one or more chemicals transform into new substances" (Buthelezi 1010). Protein binding, leavening, Maillard reactions, and caramelization are the four main reactions in baking (Baker).

Maillard Reactions

When proteins and carbohydrates are broken down and rearranged by high temperatures, Maillard reactions take place. These proteins and sugars can be obtained from flour alone or can be improved by adding eggs and sweets. The processes generate organic chemicals in the form of rings, which darken the surface of baked dough. Toasty and savory smells and flavor chemicals are also produced via Maillard reactions. Additionally, these substances interact with one another, creating even more intricate flavors and fragrances.

Agent of leavening

Baking powder's primary function is as a leavening agent. To add volume and lighten the texture of baked goods, a mixture of carbonate or bicarbonate and a weak acid is utilized. A substitute that can be used similarly is baking soda, which is also known to most people. In particular, when you're prepared to start baking and discover you're out of baking powder. But the chemistry that underlies it differs. Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, combines with the acidic ingredients in batters to release carbon dioxide, which causes the batter to expand and give it its distinctive texture and grain. Sodium bicarbonate is frequently mixed with calcium acid phosphate, sodium aluminum phosphate, or cream of tartar in baking powder formulations. 

By enlarging the air bubbles introduced into batters and dough by mixing, beating, whipping, stirring, and kneading, all chemical leaveners elevate and aerate them. The gluten structure generated in the batter traps these millions of bubbles, which are then inflated by the leavener when it is either activated by moisture or heat. To obtain a neutral pH, you typically want to balance the leavening system.

Protein fusion

Glutenin and gliadin, two proteins contained in flour, are used in baking to form protein bonds. When water is added to flour, as when forming the dough, these two proteins unite to form a link. Gluten is created when these two proteins bind to one another (Baker). Gluten will change into a thick, gooey, and elastic substance when used to make dough from wheat flour and water. As a result, the dough will be able to rise to many times its initial height and develop a light texture. So gluten is a key ingredient in baked goods because it gives the proper structure.

Caramelization flavors

The final chemical reaction to take place during baking is caramelization, which happens at around 356 degrees Fahrenheit. High heat triggers the reaction, which results in the release of water that condenses into steam as sugar molecules disintegrate. The early phases of caramelization result in the production of diacetyl, which gives butterscotch-flavored caramel its flavor. The next step is the production of rum-like esters and lactones. Last but not least, the creation of furan molecules results in a nutty flavor, while the creation of the molecule maltol results in a toasted flavor.