Influence of acylglycerol emulsifier structure and composition on the function of shortening in layer cake

The effect of the structure and composition of acylglycerol emulsifiers on the functionality of a palm-based shortening and quality of layer cake was investigated. The emulsifiers evaluated were distilled monoacylglycerol (DMG) and four acylglycerols (40% monoacylglycerol content) of octanoic acid (8:0), palmitic acid (16:0), stearic acid (18:0), and linoleic acid (18:2), designated as GMOct40, GMP40, GMS40, and GML40, respectively. The addition of GMP40 and GMS40 led to shortening with a higher solid fat content, finer crystals, and higher proportion of β’ form. These changes enhanced shortening’s function in aiding air incorporation and retention in cake batter, which improved the cake’s volume and crumb structure. However, the high monoacylglycerol content in DMG did not improve the properties of shortening and cake as compared to GMP40. In contrast, GML40 and GMOct40 had adverse effects on the functionality of shortening, which generated cakes with inferior crumb structure.