Faux cake-ability / cakeability tested - results are in!

[Aromagal]

I scoured the internet for all the info I could find on the "replacement" recipes for this product. It interested me tremendously and I couldn't help myself, I *HAD* to know how it turns out.... as most of the info on the internet is posted and reposted by people who hadn't actually tried it.

So, I started out with the "Classic Almond Flour Pound Cake" recipe. The original recipe makes a goopy stiff mixture and it did bake up ok without additional liquid, but.....I tweaked this recipe by adding some additional liquid (carb countdown milk is what I used this time) until the batter was actually "cake batter like".

Ok so Faux cakeability test 1:
1 can (3 oz) Just Whites
4 tsp xanthan
4 Tbsp baking soda
3 tsp cream of tartar
I used 1/2 cup of this mix and I wish I had not made this much at one time without testing it.

Test 2:
1/2 cup Dried egg white powder
2 tsp Xanthan gum
2 tsp Baking Soda
2 Tbsp Vinegar

Test 3:
1/2 cup Dried egg white powder
2 tsp Xanthan gum
2 tsp Baking Soda
2 tsp Cream of Tartar

Test 4:
1/2 cup Dried egg white powder
2 tsp Xanthan gum
2 tsp baking powder

They all baked up nice and tall and the texture was just fine. There were three fails though! And the winner is Test 4!
The other three all have a funky mediciney smell and taste bitter and soapy. My husband thought test 3 was passable. I found all but test 4 inedible.

So, for those of you who have to know..... the recipe that works well is:
1/2 cup Dried egg white powder
2 tsp Xanthan gum
2 tsp baking powder

So now you know And hopefully won't waste ingredients trying to figure it out too. Hope that helps someone else out there.

Happy baking!

[RVcook]

From my recipe archives:

Faux Cake-ability

1/4 C. egg white powder
1 tsp. xanthan gum
1 TB baking soda
1 tsp. vitamin c powder

Use 1/4 C. per cup of ground nuts in baking.

I've used this in various applications and as I recall, it is almost a dead-on replacement for the "now defunct" Expert Foods Wise CHOice Cake-Ability Baking Aid. The stuff really improves the texture of almond flour baking.

[PaminKY]

Interesting.


Aromagal's successful mixture calls for baking powder where the others used baking soda which may have caused the funky taste but then Rvcook's recipe calls for baking soda, Maybe the vitamin c powder offsets the taste of the baking soda.

[Aromagal]

I didn't want to fiddle with the Vit C powder. It seemed too much of a "Wild card" as no one actually ever said (that I could find) what strength of pills to grind up etc etc. Then Scott123 and others suggested the Cream of Tartar or citric acid... but it was all speculation, thoughts and uncertainties. I wanted it to be simple and easy..... but most of all to work and taste good I managed to figure it out for me. If others have recipes that work for them too, that's great. No judgement there

This way of eating is what works for me and I love to bake and I love to eat, so I'm always looking for new things to try. This cake-ability stuff seemed very interesting to me. It was fun.

[PaminKY]

Originally Posted by Aromagal

I didn't want to fiddle with the Vit C powder. It seemed too much of a "Wild card" as no one actually ever said (that I could find) what strength of pills to grind up etc etc. Then Scott123 and others suggested the Cream of Tartar or citric acid... but it was all speculation, thoughts and uncertainties. I wanted it to be simple and easy..... but most of all to work and taste good I managed to figure it out for me. If others have recipes that work for them too, that's great. No judgement there

This way of eating is what works for me and I love to bake and I love to eat, so I'm always looking for new things to try. This cake-ability stuff seemed very interesting to me. It was fun.

I appreciate you're work and for sharing your results with us. One question please, do you use the same measure as Rvcook, 1/4 cup to each cup of almond or nut flour?

[Aromagal]

Yes, absolutely. I used 1/4 cup per cup of nut flour.

[Soobee]

Aromagal, if a recipe calls for 2 cups of almond flour, you would use 2 cups almond flour + 1/2 cup of cakeability?

[Aromagal]

Soobee, that is correct. You have got the idea

[Nigel]

I'm out of the loop. What does the cake-ability do for baked goods?

[Aromagal]

No, problem. I'll try to explain. Cake-ability is a product that used to be manufactured by Expert Foods.... but has been discontinued (for some time now). It gives baked goods made with nut flours a more "traditional" texture and crumb that one would find in high carb baking It's an add-on that is nice when a cake (or muffins or whatever) is baked and you want it to seem "normal" and not a funky-low-carb-thing.

[jbatchelor]

thanks for all your research into this--I have heard about this product in the past---is there a particular brand of egg white powder that you used--I see several listed at netrition and would like to order one that is that right one for this use...tia

[Aromagal]

I have seen people talk about using Deb El brand. I personally used whatever the local health food store had. It came in a clear plastic pouch and said "dried egg white powder/albumin" on the front. I live in Canada, near the border with Washington State, and wanted to test it to see if I wanted to use/persue this in my baking. I'll probably order the big can from Honeyvillegrain the next time I order a bulk box of Almond flour to be shipped to my US addy.

[CarolynF]

Thanks for all your experiments..Dried egg white powder is Just Whites, isn't it?
So, you are saying that if a recipe calls for 2 1/2 cups of almond flour..Just do 2 cups of almond flour and 1/2 cup of your magic recipe???

[Aromagal]

You're right about the Just Whites.

If I was making a recipe with 2 1/2 cups of almond flour, I would do as you suggested and use 1/2 cup of the faux cake-ability.

I hope it turns out beautifully for you!

[crazywoman-n-wy]

Originally Posted by RVcook

From my recipe archives:

Faux Cake-ability

1/4 C. egg white powder
1 tsp. xanthan gum
1 TB baking soda
1 tsp. vitamin c powder

Use 1/4 C. per cup of ground nuts in baking.

I've used this in various applications and as I recall, it is almost a dead-on replacement for the "now defunct" Expert Foods Wise CHOice Cake-Ability Baking Aid. The stuff really improves the texture of almond flour baking.

That's the recipe I've always used. But I ran out, and haven't made up another batch in a while. Been thinking about making more up.

Originally Posted by Aromagal

I didn't want to fiddle with the Vit C powder. It seemed too much of a "Wild card" as no one actually ever said (that I could find) what strength of pills to grind up etc etc. Then Scott123 and others suggested the Cream of Tartar or citric acid... but it was all speculation, thoughts and uncertainties. I wanted it to be simple and easy..... but most of all to work and taste good I managed to figure it out for me. If others have recipes that work for them too, that's great. No judgement there

This way of eating is what works for me and I love to bake and I love to eat, so I'm always looking for new things to try. This cake-ability stuff seemed very interesting to me. It was fun.

That's what's great, is that we can find something that works for US! We have a great group of experimenters here, and I'm so glad they will share their findings with us!!!
Thank you for sharing what worked, and what didn't work for you!!

Oh, and any egg white powder (sometimes called egg white protein) will work.

And correct me if I'm wrong someone, but Carolyn, I don't think you leave any of the almond flour/meal out, just add the "Fakeability" to the recipe.

Here is a link to the original product at Netrition. It is no longer manufactured (nor carried by Netrition), but the description (sans nutrition info) is still there (as of now). It says for 2 cups ground nuts add 1/2 Cake-ability (not replace 1/2 cup of nuts).

[RVcook]

Yes Billie...you are correct, you don't adjust the amount of flour to accommodate the Cake-Ability, you only add it. Funny...I haven't made this up in years either, but I was just reminiscing about how things were back in 2003 and 2004 when you and I were first members. WOW...how things have changed! Remember when everyone was complaining of about the lack of pre-packaged low carb foods? I could go on and on about all the doorstops I made masquerading as "bread"...

You can purchase powdered Vitamin C at any health food store...like I did when I made this. But before I was able to purchase it (and it's really inexpensive), I just took a 500mg. tablet of Vit C and crushed it. The results were identical either way.

If you look at the original formulation for the Cake-Ability, the ingredients are (taken directly from the old label): Pasteurized egg whites, vegetable gum blend (carob, guar, acacia, xanthan), baking soda, ascorbic acid (vitamin C). (Emphasis mine.) The faux formulation was modeled directly after the original and that is why it uses baking soda and vitamin C. I'm not saying this is the only way to formulate a clone, just that this is the way it was done back in the "old" days of LC.

And I do remember a distinct, almost 'ammonia' smell and taste now that you mention it Pam...I think it came from the powdered egg whites taken from eggs produced by hens in commercial facilities. If you've ever visited a chicken coop, you know exactly what I'm talking about... Perhaps Aromagal's formulation doesn't have that taste, but I remember that when I used it for anything chocolate, I couldn't really detect it.

If using the one I posted, I would use 4 TB per cup of flour, so for 2 1/2 cups, the amount to use would be 10 TB (or a scant 2/3 cup).

[RVcook]

Originally Posted by CarolynF

Thanks for all your experiments..Dried egg white powder is Just Whites, isn't it?
So, you are saying that if a recipe calls for 2 1/2 cups of almond flour..Just do 2 cups of almond flour and 1/2 cup of your magic recipe???

I use Deb-el Just Whites, but haven't tried the egg white protein powder as Billie suggested.

[crazywoman-n-wy]

Originally Posted by RVcook

Yes Billie...you are correct, you don't adjust the amount of flour to accommodate the Cake-Ability, you only add it. Funny...I haven't made this up in years either, but I was just reminiscing about how things were back in 2003 and 2004 when you and I were first members. WOW...how things have changed! Remember when everyone was complaining of about the lack of pre-packaged low carb foods? I could go on and on about all the doorstops I made masquerading as "bread"...

You can purchase powdered Vitamin C at any health food store...like I did when I made this. But before I was able to purchase it (and it's really inexpensive), I just took a 500mg. tablet of Vit C and crushed it. The results were identical either way.

If you look at the original formulation for the Cake-Ability, the ingredients are (taken directly from the old label): Pasteurized egg whites, vegetable gum blend (carob, guar, acacia, xanthan), baking soda, ascorbic acid (vitamin C). (Emphasis mine.) The faux formulation was modeled directly after the original and that is why it uses baking soda and vitamin C. I'm not saying this is the only way to formulate a clone, just that this is the way it was done back in the "old" days of LC.

And I do remember a distinct, almost 'ammonia' smell and taste now that you mention it Pam...I think it came from the powdered egg whites taken from eggs produced by hens in commercial facilities. If you've ever visited a chicken coop, you know exactly what I'm talking about... Perhaps Aromagal's formulation doesn't have that taste, but I remember that when I used it for anything chocolate, I couldn't really detect it.

If using the one I posted, I would use 4 TB per cup of flour, so for 2 1/2 cups, the amount to use would be 10 TB (or a scant 2/3 cup).

Yes Donna, I remember those days!!! And those breads!
We've been here a long time girl (and many have been here even longer)!!
I don't remember it having an ammonia smell. Maybe my egg whites don't have it, or I just can't smell it. I don't smell a lot of things that others talk about. (Sometime this is a very good thing!) OH, and I have been around chicken coops!!! And those I do smell.

Since Aromagal's recipe uses baking powder, it wouldn't need the citric or ascorbic acid. It already contains the acid. But yes, back then we (or whoever was brave enough, not usually me back then) tried to replicate the original as closely as we/they could figure out how. I personally wasn't too good at figuring that out, and relied on others.

I think when I make this up again, I'll use Thick It Up instead of the xanthan gum. Closer to the original. (Still not IT, but close enough.) I keep it on hand. And since I do have the Vitamin C pwd, I'll use the baking soda & that. (IF I didn't have it already, I'd probably go with the baking powder instead.)

Funny, before low carb, I could barely cook anything without an exact recipe. Very few if any alterations. Now I tweak all the time!!

[RVcook]

Originally Posted by crazywoman-n-wy

Yes Donna, I remember those days!!! And those breads!
We've been here a long time girl (and many have been here even longer)!!
I don't remember it having an ammonia smell. Maybe my egg whites don't have it, or I just can't smell it. I don't smell a lot of things that others talk about. (Sometime this is a very good thing!) OH, and I have been around chicken coops!!! And those I do smell.

Since Aromagal's recipe uses baking powder, it wouldn't need the citric or ascorbic acid. It already contains the acid. But yes, back then we (or whoever was brave enough, not usually me back then) tried to replicate the original as closely as we/they could figure out how. I personally wasn't too good at figuring that out, and relied on others.

I think when I make this up again, I'll use Thick It Up instead of the xanthan gum. Closer to the original. (Still not IT, but close enough.) I keep it on hand. And since I do have the Vitamin C pwd, I'll use the baking soda & that. (IF I didn't have it already, I'd probably go with the baking powder instead.)

Funny, before low carb, I could barely cook anything without an exact recipe. Very few if any alterations. Now I tweak all the time!!

But that's exactly what makes you such an awesome cook! You (and I) have definitely learned a thing or two around here during the last 9 years!...

[jbatchelor]

I am just thankful you all are still here and still sharing!!!

[CarolynF]

I get it now... I'm anxious to try this the next time I make something sweet..

1/4 cup to one cup of nut flour..Got it..

[crazywoman-n-wy]

Originally Posted by RVcook

But that's exactly what makes you such an awesome cook! You (and I) have definitely learned a thing or two around here during the last 9 years!...

Originally Posted by jbatchelor

I am just thankful you all are still here and still sharing!!!

Originally Posted by CarolynF

I get it now... I'm anxious to try this the next time I make something sweet..

1/4 cup to one cup of nut flour..Got it..

You betcha Donna!!!! (Now I don't know about the awesome cook part tho.) LOL

[Nigel]

Originally Posted by Aromagal

No, problem. I'll try to explain. Cake-ability is a product that used to be manufactured by Expert Foods.... but has been discontinued (for some time now). It gives baked goods made with nut flours a more "traditional" texture and crumb that one would find in high carb baking It's an add-on that is nice when a cake (or muffins or whatever) is baked and you want it to seem "normal" and not a funky-low-carb-thing.

Thank you for explaining.

Billie, Thanks for the link too.
I couldn't find it there, but that's okay, I got the jist of it.

[crazywoman-n-wy]

Originally Posted by Nigel

Thank you for explaining.

Billie, Thanks for the link too.
I couldn't find it there, but that's okay, I got the jist of it.

That is odd. I went to that very link, and tho it wasn't available to buy, and didn't have the nutritional info listed anymore, it was still there for the description. Sorry it didn't work, but glad you got the jest of it!
I actually have the info from that page copied into a word document if anyone would like it. But it has been explained here pretty well.
Just looked at my other post. It didn't post the link that it should have. Maybe this one will work: http://www.netrition.com/expert_fo...lity_page.htm

[Nigel]

Yes, that link worked great. Thank you for letting me know.

[crazywoman-n-wy]

Originally Posted by Nigel

Yes, that link worked great. Thank you for letting me know.

Great! You're welcome! Not sure what I had done wrong with the first one. Thought I had put that same link in, but...... Anyway, glad it worked this time. There is some pretty good info there on it. (At least for now.)

[drjlocarb]

Question..

If a recipe already calls for eggs and soda or powder, do you still add them, or is the "mix" adequate?

[Aromagal]

I made the recipe I was using exactly as stated, except for adding 1/4 cup of the mix per cup of nut flour and adding a little bit of extra liquid to make the batter the correct consistency.

That's it. Good luck with your baking adventure.

[Tilly]

subbing

[Criosa]

I may be totally off here, but would this be like adding a little protein powder, xanthan (or maybe glucomannon), and a little extra baking powder? Just curious.