Encap® 850 - Powdered Cake Emulsifier
Encap® 850 is a highly functional alpha-tending emulsifier system that can be used as a key enabling ingredient for the formulation of today’s challenging trans fat-free, oil-based foam-type cake products. Encap 850 is a powdered, multi-component emulsifier system containing propylene glycol monostearate, distilled monoglycerides, sodium stearyl lactylate, and hydrophilic lecithin (HLB>8), with non-fat dry milk as a source of protein and to further aid in dispersibility properties of the finished powder.
Encap 850 is produced by a patent pending formula and process that microencapsulates the functional alpha-crystalline emulsifiers and provides a system of highly efficient emulsifiers readily dispersible for an optimum cake batter quality. Due to the small size of the particles (~1-2 microns), Encap 850 is more easily dispersed than typical emulsifiers resulting in a more functional “self-hydrating” emulsifier that produces an improved cake requiring reduced emulsifier usage levels and typically far less mixing time than standard formulas.
How to Use Encap® 850
The cake batter or slurry is prepared in the usual way. With the use of oil, a reduction in shortening level of at least one-third as compared with plastic shortening is called for. Usually a 50% reduction is found to be equivalent. Since Encap 850 is a powder, it can be removed from boxes and bags and scaled with ease. Encap 850 is added with the other dry ingredients. It must be dispersed prior to the addition of oil and will then aid in the dispersion of the oil. Because of its aerating quality, the use of Encap 850 may result in a very rapid batter whipping. Usually a batter density of 0.75 to 0.85 is desirable. A reduction in the amount of leavening required may result. No creaming steps are required. The mixing process is done in one step. This simplifies the process and provides for labor savings.
Typical Specification & LabelingTrans-Fat Free Cakes without Creaming
Encap® 850 can be used with either plastic shortening or preferably with liquid vegetable oil. When preparing a batter with Encap 850 and vegetable oil, the creaming step if shortening was used would not be required . To compensate for Encap’s excellent aerating properties and superior volume versus shortening, other formula and processing corrections may be necessary. These changes could include a lower mixing time to attain the desired batter density (typically .75 to .85), a possible reduction in the chemical leavening system, and a reduction in the amount of milk solids used in the batter.
How Much Encap® 850 Should be Added?
The amount of Encap 850 used is typically about 7% to 10% based on oil weight or 2.0% to 3.0% based on flour. Since Encap 850 contains 50% nonfat dry milk solids, the amount used in the formula would be reduced accordingly. Some cakes require higher levels of emulsifiers than others. The level of emulsifier will depend on naturally occurring emulsifiers in ingredients, the type of cake desired, and the processing methods used.
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