How do I make my modified carrot cake less "chewy"?

March 24, 2019 11:01 PM

My carrot cake is a bit dense/chewy. Any suggestions to remedy this?

I am currently modifying this recipe for carrot cake to reduce the cake's energy and saturated fat content as well as increase its overall nutrient density. I am fairly happy with the test cake I made the other day, but it has a slightly elastic/chewy texture, which I'm pretty sure is not found in standard carrot cake!

My modifications to the original recipe include:
- reducing the brown sugar by half (80g to 40g)
- substituting 140ml of unsweetened applesauce for the olive oil
- reducing the golden syrup by half
- only using 1 egg instead of 3 and adding 2Tbsp applesauce to compensate
- using half white/half wholemeal self-raising flour (75g each) and ALL plain wholemeal flour (75g)

Does anyone have any ideas as to what might be causing the texture issue? I have already considered that I may have over-stirred the mix, and I will be mindful of that next time I make it. Thanks, everyone!

posted by Defying Gravity to Food & Drink (11 answers total)

With all those substitutions, I would expect a very different texture to full sugar full fat cake. You will have to adjust your expectations if you take out the fat. I would try adding back in an egg and a little oil, and adding some baking powder. Also over-stirring will develop the gluten in the flour and make it more chewy and dense so that should be avoided. I'd try baking in smaller portions, muffins or cupcakes, to avoid overcooking the mixture too.
posted by Sar at 11:59 PM on March 24, 2019 [5 favorites]

You made substitutions of drastic ratio within every single parameter responsible for cake texture, so this was bound to happen. Prioritize one or two areas (such as sugar and flour, but keep fat as is, etc). Also, the cake in the recipe is already pretty light compared to other carrot cake recipes.
posted by SkinsOfCoconut at 12:17 AM on March 25, 2019 [12 favorites]

I often substitute applesauce for part of sugar and fat in various recipes. It results in a denser product. Reducing eggs will also do that.
I would if you are concerned re fat in the yolks use only the whites, beat them fluffy and fold in last and very gently, stp while you still see white streaks to maintain the added air.
Alternatively add more baking powder or other rising agent.
If you want no eggs, beat aquafaba (the liqid from a can oc chick peas) until white and fluffy.
posted by 15L06 at 12:19 AM on March 25, 2019 [2 favorites]

This won't help re nutrition, but using cake flour may help with the texture.

Fyi, I've found that a diy "cake flour" mixture of regular flour and cornstarch (google for proportions) works just fine.
posted by she's not there at 12:48 AM on March 25, 2019 [1 favorite]

Wholemeal flour creates a much denser product typically, as it contains more fibre and less gluten. Plus you've removed eggs, which can act as a leavener, and have probably drastically changed the overall pH of the cake by adding lots of apple sauce and removing other stuff so it's possible the baking soda isn't doing what it should. It sounds like you've got more of a 'quickbread' or loaf texture than a cake.

I think whipped eggs whites as mentioned above is a good idea, and maybe a teaspoon or so of baking powder.
posted by BeeJiddy at 3:04 AM on March 25, 2019

Sugar in cakes is often part of the structure, which is why you can't just add sweetener instead - you have to use the special baking version which mimics the form of sugar. Halving the sugar is likely not helping the texture (but you're adding applesauce, which even unsweetened has quite a lot of sugar in it? I would add some oil or eggs back in personally)

You've made so many changes that this is essentially a new recipe so I'm not sure anyone can pinpoint an easy fix. I would try doing fewer changes at a time to see which ones really affect the texture.
posted by stillnocturnal at 3:21 AM on March 25, 2019 [3 favorites]

I just checked my copy of red velvet chocolate heartache (which is all about cakes that use vegetables as a structural base) and fwiw the carrot cake contains carrots, no oil or fat, rice flour, ground almonds, a full 3 eggs and a 160g wack of sugar (but I reckon you could substitute applesauce here more effectively).

I don't know what your exact goals are but if the recipe would be useful I can pm you. I'm afraid I haven't tested this particular recipe, although some other cakes from the book have turned out well for me.
posted by stillnocturnal at 3:34 AM on March 25, 2019 [1 favorite]

Taking away 2 eggs has taken away a lot of the structure. Applesauce egg replacement seems counterproductive here. You could try using 3 egg whites, whipped to soft peak, and folding that into the batter as the final step -- it may give the cake more lightness and rise.
posted by ourobouros at 4:36 AM on March 25, 2019 [4 favorites]

Those are a lot of changes to a recipe. You might be better off looking for a low fat, low calorie recipe. This one uses less sugar and oil and no eggs and includes applesauce. I haven't made it, so I can't vouch for it, but it may be easier to adapt further if necessary.
posted by carrioncomfort at 6:13 AM on March 25, 2019 [3 favorites]

Add back some sweetener, eggs, fat. Beating the egg whites will add lift. Mixing the egg yolks into the fat will increase the richness. Increasing the baking powder may help, but don't go too far, as it affects flavor.

I make muffins, which are basically sweet, quick cakes in a muffin shape, from Mark Bittman's recipe, which has guidelines for flexibility. I add 1/2 can pumpkin, bran, chopped nuts and dried apricots, flaxseed, whole wheat.
posted by theora55 at 8:54 AM on March 25, 2019

Still a lot of sugar - if not from the brown sugar than from the golden syrup and also from the addition of the no sugar added applesauce. Sugar softens the gluten, elongated them and makes them pliable. It makes dough bendy, makes a smooth texture, but doesn't necessarily create crumb. The bananas I used in my banana bread this weekend were a little too past, and as a result, I could see the effects after cooking made the bottom, while not outright soggy, a slightly striated formation. Good mind you - other than me noticing - it was gone before 8:00PM that day... so, no real complaints.

As far as baking powder, baking soda leveners... and whatnot, - you've added a ton of acid with that applesauce, so this is a call for soda usage and ratios - not baking powder. General ratios are 1tsp powder to 1c flour... make note of how your flour content has changed since you started. Next, since this has added acid from your changes, you probably want to up the soda and or reframe. 1/4-ish tsp soda per cup instead of soda...

So if your recipe calls for 3c flour and 1tsp powder and 1/2tsp soda, you may want to go 3/4tsp soda... remember, this is science, and I'm diagnosing over the internet...
posted by Nanukthedog at 4:29 PM on March 25, 2019