Knowing that flavor, texture, moisture, stability and many other attributes contribute to cake and frosting quality, Cargill offers a variety of specialized shortening solutions. 

In cakes and frosting, shortening plays a critical role in the quality of the finished product. Frostings must be constructed so that they are capable of taking in and holding air, water, sugar syrups and other ingredients, thereby yielding desirable attributes.  Cakes are highly dependent on the release of gas from the leavening system that expands the cells that are created early in the mixing process. Cargill has a variety of shortening products specifically developed to yield excellent results in cake and frosting applications.

Key attributes for cake and frosting applications

The volume and grain of cakes are critically important but so are other variables such as moisture, flavor and tenderness. Important frosting attributes include ability to entrap and hold air, appearance, texture, flavor, decorating quality and stability. Shortenings containing mono and diglycerides significantly enhance cake batter structure thus permitting the sugar-to-flour ratio to be increased which elevates cake quality. In frostings, you can rule out liquid oils because they don’t hold their structure.

The Master Chef® shortening line of products is specially formulated for cakes, icings and fillings. Cargill’s Master Chef® shortenings were developed to meet the needs of commercial bakers. The line provides the flavor and texture, consistency, stability and convenience commercial bakers demand.

A low trans fat alternative

For cake and icing manufacturers seeking a low trans fat alternative to traditional icing shortenings, TransAdvantage® icing shortenings provide just such a solution.  49% of shoppers report “avoiding trans-fat” as a primary eating change in 2010.¹ TransAdvantage® shortenings deliver desirable texture, mouthfeel and taste, with 0g trans fat per serving. The palm-oil base of TransAdvantage® shortenings is naturally semi-solid over most traditional application temperature ranges so it does not require partial hydrogenation.

Consumers seeking indulgent products will not accept compromise in taste, texture or mouthfeel. In response to consumer and customer demands, Cargill developed several oils and shortenings backed by a staff of technical and application experts, ready to help meet your formulation needs.  

¹2011 HealthFocus® Trend Report