A sweet baked confection made from grains that have not been abraded to remove the bran is known as whole grain cake. The majority of these cakes are made with wheat flour, but some also contain rice flour, buckwheat, or other grains. Whole grain flours produce a slightly tougher, denser result than refined flour, and quality cakes may necessitate special handling or additional ingredients.
A bran outer skin, a germ embryo, and a starchy endosperm are all natural features of grains. Parts or all of the bran and germ are removed in refined grains, leaving the fluffier but less nutritious endosperm. Enriching refined flour replaces some of the nutrients lost during the refining process, but it is not the same as whole grain flour and will not provide the same nutrition in baking. Instead of grinding the grain in one step, many companies add bran and germ back into refined flour after processing. In many countries, the flour must have roughly the same proportion of germ, bran, and endosperm as the original grain to be labeled “whole grain.”
The extra bran in whole grain cake can result in a denser, drier, and less-fluffy product, even though it comes in the same basic flavors as its refined-flour cousins. Because it’s difficult to grind the bran to the same fineness as the endosperm, cakes made with whole grain flour may have a coarser texture. Cakes that are already dense and moist, such as fruit-based cakes, heavy chocolate cakes, and spice cakes, work best with whole grain flours. Light baked goods, such as angel food cake, white cake, or sponge cake, do not work well with them.
Sour cream, yogurt, and bananas, as well as recipes high in butter, eggs, or oil, can help keep a whole grain cake moist and rich-tasting. Bakers can also use whole grain flour to replace part of the refined flour in a cake recipe, resulting in a lighter cake with more protein and vitamins. Leaving half or more of the refined flour in a recipe reduces the likelihood of an unappealing result.
The success of whole grain cakes is also influenced by the quality of the flour. Whole grain cake or pastry flour, which contains less gluten and has a lower risk of toughness, should be used by bakers. Because white whole wheat flour contains fewer tannins than red whole wheat flour, it has a lighter flavor and texture. Fresh flour should be kept in the freezer to prevent rancidity and the development of an unpleasant musty or earthy flavor.