Comparison of the Quality of Freshly Baked Cakes, Thawed Frozen Baked Cakes, and Cakes Prepared From Batters Which Had Been Frozen

Abstract

The increased production arid use of home freezing units have aroused interest in the freezing of baked products, batters, and doughs. Because of the convenience, many homemakers are freezing and storing these foods for short periods. This investigation was undertaken to study the effect of freezing on the quality of plain shortened cakes, and to determine whether cakes baked before freezing differed from those prepared from batter which had been frozen. Freshly baked cakes, cakes baked from frozen or thawed frozen batter, and reheated frozen cakes were compared on the bases of volume, compressibility, and palatability. These comparisons were made after one, four, eight, 12, and 16 weeks of freezer storage. Tests were made two and 48 hours after baking or reheating. The cakes were tested after 48 hours, to learn whether those which had been frozen, or prepared from batters which had been frozen, retained their freshness as well as standard products after 48 hours. REVIEW OF LITERATURENumerous recommendations have been made concerning the freezing of cake batters and baked cakes, but there are few reports of controlled experiments. Graul and Lowe (1947) prepared shortened cakes and batters, using either a hydrogenated lard o r butter, and compared the quality of the thawed cakes and of cakes baked from the batters after storage a t -18 and -23"C.(O and -10°F.) for two, four, six, and eight months. After two months noticeable flavor, aroma, and color changes were observed in cakes o r cake batters held a t --18'C.(O0F.), while products stored a t -23"C. (-10°F.) did not differ significantly from fresh cakes. Volume decreased in all frozen products, the mean volume of cakes stored at -l8"C.(OoF.) being smaller than that of cakes held at the lower temperature. Frozen baked cakes had better volume and were considered more palatable than cakes baked from frozen batters. These workers found that when synthetic vanilla was added to the mix, a n unpalatable flavor developed at both storage temperatures. This flavor was not present when no vanilla was used.Meyer, Buckley, and Moore (1949) compared the volume and palatability of sponge and butter cakes frozen after baking and prepared from frozen batter and thawed frozen batter. Butter cakes baked before freezing maintained good quality throughout the nine-month test period, while the ones baked from thawed batter were equivalent to fresh in all respects during six months of freezer storage, after which a slight offflavor was noted. Those prepared from frozen batter at intervals during seven months of freezer storage were considered to be of good quality, 169

EFFECT OF FREEZING and FREEZER STORAGE ON CAKE QUALITY. I. BAKED SPICE CAKES and CAKES BAKED FROM FROZEN BATTERS

“…Cakes tasted after 4 weeks of freezer storage had developed an off-flavor, most frequently described as "fishy, " which persisted in all cakes baked from frozen batters after the remaining storage periods. Owen and Van Duyne (9) observed a similar flavor in 3 cakes baked from frozen batters after 12 and 16 weeks of storage but, since these batters had been prepared on one day, it was felt that the eggs or milk may have been of poor quality on that particular day. O r a d and Lowe (2), Meyer, Buckley, and Moore (6) and Mackey,Jones,and Dunn (5) have reported off-flavor development usually after longer storage periods in plain, butter, and white cakes, respectively, baked from frozen batters.…”

“…Graul and Lowe (2) and Mackey, Jones, and Dunn ( 5 ) have also observed that cakes baked from frozen batters were smaller in volume than standard and frozen baked cakes. On the other hand, Owen and Van Duyne (9) and Zaehringer and Mayfield (13) reported that plain cakes baked from batters frozen in cartons had slightly greater volumes and specific volumes, respectively, than frozen baked cakes. The standard cakes had mean compressibility values ranging from 51 to 61 g., the thawed frozen baked cakes from 46 to 73 g. and the cakes baked from frozen batters from 63 to 81 g. The means for the cakes baked from frozen batters were significantly higher than those for the standard oakes or for the thawed frozen baked cakes with one exception.…”

“…When sodium-aluminum-sulfate baking powder was used in batters, Zaehringer and Mayfield (13) found no significant changes in compressibility of frozen baked cakes and cakes baked from batters frozen in cartons or pans during 4 months of freezer storage. Owen and Van Duyne (9) reported that the mean compressibility value of cakes baked from batters frozen in the pans and thawed before baking was significantly higher than the value for standard cakes.…”

“…All of these cakes were thawed at room temperature. The frozen baked cakes in the studies of Owen and Van Duyne (9) and Zaehringer and Mayfield (13) were thawed in a 300°F. oven for 30 and 15 minutes, respectively.…”

“…Index to volume and compressibility determinations and palatability ratings were made on halves of all cakes. Objective and subjective measurements were carried out as described by Owen and Van Duyne (9). To determine index to volume, the area of the cut surface of a cake a t the center is measured while the compressibility values represent the force required to compress slices of cake .75 inch in thickness t o 5 0 inch a t a uniform rate.…”