Changing The Recipe

In the 2nd unit of food, our class focused mainly on the science behind cooking .Throughout this unit we studied chemical changes that occur when ingredients mix with each other. For our field experience we went to a private home that belonged to a friend of our school for a cooking demo with her son and a pastry chef. During the cooking demo, we learned more in depth about acid base reactions and leavening agents. For the action project we had to make cupcakes that were controlled and one that was experimented. For the experiment we left out a key ingredient (leavening agent) and replaced it with an acid and a base, the two compounds that make up baking powder.Our goal was to see if we can leave out the leavening agent and still have our cupcakes rise. I will also go more in depth about that in my lab report. Overall I thought that this action project was very interesting because we got to taste the outcomes of our different cupcakes. I also think its cool how science has a big impact in cooking

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1. Introduction

For the cupcake experiment, I chose to substitute baking powder with egg whites and molasses because baking powder is made up of cream of tartar, a pH level of 5(acidic) and baking soda a pH level of 8.3 (basic) . Egg whites has a PH of 9 and molasses has a pH of 6. By combining these two ingredients my goal is to create an acid base reaction. We talked about chemical reactions and leavening agents. Leavening agents such as yeast, baking powder, and baking soda are key ingredients in baking because they help the baked good rise. When we were baking the experimented cupcakes we were told to pick out the best cupcake and have it used in a magazine  for Passover. Passover symbolizes a time when Jews could not eat certain foods including leavening agents.The reason why leavening agents helps the cupcakes rise is that an acid base reaction occurs when baking powder is exposed to heat. It releases carbon dioxide, bubbles that make the cupcake rise. We also learned more in depth about proportions, ratios, pH levels, and conversations to help us get a better understanding of cooking. We learned about chemical reactions and what leavening agents have to do with baking. Our class decided to make cupcakes. We had one batch of cupcakes that were called the controlled group, the cupcakes that followed the recipe.The experimental group, cupcakes that followed the same recipe but having the leavening agent substituted with ingredients that are that was acidic and basic.

2. Research Question:
Can I create the effects of a leavening agent using an acid and base?

3. Hypothesis:
If I mix egg whites and molasses into my cupcakes instead of baking powder, then my cupcakes will not rise as high as the original recipe.

4. Materials:

1/12 cup of sugar

¼ cups of butter

⅙ tsp of vanilla

3/24 cups all purpose flour

1/24 cups of milk

1/6 egg

1/3 tsp of baking powder
(Acid and base for each of the experimented cupcakes are below.)

5. Procedure:

For Control Group:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Grease 9×9 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.

Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well.

Finally stir in the milk until batter is smooth.

Pour or spoon batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven.

let the cupcakes cool for five minutes

For Experimental Group:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Grease and flour a 9×9 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray

3. In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter.

4. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.

5. Combine flour, add to the creamed mixture and mix well.

6. Finally stir in the milk until batter is smooth.

7. spoon batter into the prepared pan.

8. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven.

9.let cupcakes cool for five minutes.



6. Data

	Amount of molasses substitute cups/tsp	Amount of egg whites substitute  cups/tsp	Height(in cm)
Cupcake 1	1/16	1/16	3.7
cupcake 2	1/32	3/32	3.4
cupcake 3	3/32	1/32	3.5
cupcake 4	0	1/8	3.7
cupcake 5	1/8	0	3.3
cupcake 6	2/48	4/48	3.1
controlled cupcakes	(With baking powder): 4.15 cm	__	__

7. Graph


This chart shows how high each of the experimented cupcakes rose to.

8. Recipe in Metric

Ingredients	Amount in cups/tsp	Amount in ML
sugar	1/12 cups	20ml
butter	1/24 cups	20ml
vanilla	1/6 tsp	0.83 ml
all purpose flour	3/24 cups	30ml
milk	1/24 cups	20ml
egg	1/ 6 tsp	0.83 ml
molasses	1/8 tsp	0.625 ml
egg whites	0	0

9. Conclusion

For this experiment I learned that, substituting a leavening agent (baking powder) for an acidic compound and a basic compound can make a cupcake rise. My hypothesis was correct, my cupcakes did rise and ended up tasting decent. My hypothesis was correct because, I predicted that my cupcakes will rise by substituting the leavening agent . Although I didn't add the base my cupcakes still turned out well. I will be putting the fifth cupcake into the magazine. The fifth cupcake only had molasses as a substitute . This cupcake turned out to be very sweet yet smooth and warm. I like this cupcake the best. Although my cupcakes did not rise as high as my controlled cupcakes, I think the cupcake turned out the way it did because molasses is an acid and for the fifth cupcake it did not contain the base, egg whites. Therefore an acid-base reaction did not occur within the fifth cupcake.



These pictures are the controlled cupcakes we baked. They turned out pretty good. They tasted moist and similar to cornbread. Overall I think the outcome was good.