The document summarizes the chemical reactions that occur when baking a cake. It explains that the main ingredients (flour, yeast, fat, sugar, baking soda/powder, eggs) undergo molecular changes when heat is applied. The baking soda releases carbon dioxide which causes the cake to rise and develop holes. A second reaction, the Maillard reaction, causes browning as sugars react with heat over 160 degrees Celsius. Baking transforms the cake batter through these chemical reactions so it cannot revert to its original state.

1. The Chemical
Reaction
of Baking a Cake
By Emma Lee and Cristina Pineda

2. Ingredients and How They React
 Flour- is the main ingredient, which is made up of mostly protein and starch.
It is the bulk of the cake.
 Yeast-plant that feeds on sugars and starches and releases CO2, alcohol
and sugar.
 Fat-gives a soft texture and prevents the CO2 and the yeast from escaping
the mixture.
 Sugar- is the food source for the yeast, it also causes the cake to turn
golden brown, known as the Maillard reaction. Sugar also gives the cake
flavor.
 Baking Soda or Baking Powder-is a neutralizer, it helps the yeast produce
CO2, it is also called sodium bicarbonate, and its chemical formula is
2NaHCO3
 Egg-gives the cake a light airy texture, it also is a binder and makes the
cake stronger, when it is cooked the protein molecules become uncurled and
create molecular bonds with other protein molecules that are nearby.

3. Adding Heat
 When adding heat the chemicals undergo molecular changes
 The baking soda (sodium hydrogen carbonate) changes to:
 Sodium carbonate
 Carbon dioxide
 Water
 This Process gives the cake little holes and makes it fluff
 This is the Formula: 2 NaHCO3 → Na2CO3 + H2O + CO2

4. A Second Reaction
A browning occurs when sugars are introduced to heat
 This is called MAILLARD REACTION
 A reaction of sugar and heat that produces a browning
effect at 160 degrees Celsius or higher.
 This effect was first noticed by the French Biochemist
Louis Camille Maillard, and was named after him.

5. Baking a Cake is a Chemical
Change
 When a cake is baked you can tell it’s a chemical change
because it cannot go back to the original state that it was in.
 The form of the cake before it is baked is batter and when
heat is added it turns fluffy and sponge like, it puffs up and
has air bubbles.
 There is color change because of the Maillard Reaction
 There is also odor, it smells yummy after it’s baked