Characterization of baru nut (Dipteryx alata Vog) flour and its application in reduced-fat cupcakes

Baru is a native specie from the Brazilian “cerrado” with interesting nutritional and sensory characteristics. The aim of our study was to characterize baru nut flour (BF) and to explore the possibility of producing reduced-fat baru cupcakes. Four different cupcake formulations were produced wheat flour (WF) containing 30% BF with reductions of 50 (F1), 75 (F2) and 100% (F3) margarine, compared to a control with 100% WF and 100% margarine (FC). BF showed 2.76% moisture, 19.2% proteins, 40.8% lipids, 3.05% ash and 18.51% dietary fiber. The substitution of wheat flour with 30% BF increased the mixing tolerance index and resistance to extension in the rheological analyses; however, these changes did not greatly influence cupcake quality. Firmness was the parameter most affected during shelf life, with statistically significant differences between the formulations. The cupcakes prepared with the blend of 70% WF + 30% BF and with fat reductions (F2 and F3) can be considered “light”, with the reduction of more than 30% margarine and a significant reduction of trans fatty acids. In the sensory analysis, formulation F2 obtained good acceptance scores.