Grain, flour, and batter properties estimating cake baking potential of wheat flour.

Background and Objectives: The experimental baking test is lengthy, low in throughput and not appropriate for evaluating the large number of wheat flours for baking cakes. To explore effective and efficient tools for the estimation of wheat grain and flour quality for making cakes, grain, flour, and batter characteristics were analyzed and their relationships with cake quality parameters were determined. Findings: Kernel hardness and solvent retention capacities (SRCs) exhibited negative relationships with cake volume. The flow distances and rapid visco analyzer viscosities of flour–water and flour–sucrose batters effectively differentiated wheat flour of varying characteristics, and showed significant relationships with cake volume. Conclusions: SRCs and flour–water and flour–sucrose batter viscosities are associated with cake volume and could effectively estimate flour quality for baking cakes. Low kernel hardness and low solvent absorption/retention of flour are desirable for baking cakes. Flour–water and flour–sucrose batters that are less viscous and more fluid produce cakes with higher volumes. Significance and Novelty: The identification of grain, flour, and batter characteristics as effective estimates of cake baking quality would greatly benefit breeders in the screening of breeding lines and millers and bakers in the selection of wheat grain flour for baking cakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]