Sugars -- Different Sugars for Amazing Cakes and Desserts!

Granulated Sugar

Granulated sugar (sometimes called castor sugar in Asian countries) is the most commonly used for baking purposes. It is mostly used by creaming it with butter or fat and the other ingredients in the recipe.

This type of sugar is dissolves fairly quickly when mixed and can also be used for kneading or rubbed-in methods. It can also be dissolved using heat with liquid or fat.

Brown Sugar

Dark brown or soft light sugars lends a richer flavour and colour to your desserts. I use brown sugar for carrot cakes. I personally prefer using brown sugar as it states unique and smells lovely when baked.

Demerara Sugar

Demerara Sugar is best after being dissolved over heat before adding to the dry ingredients.

Honey and Maple Syrup

Honey can be used in place of sugar. Use less of it, though, as good honey has flavourful. You can convert and measure the exact amount needed here.

Dried Fruits

Traditionally, Dried Fruits were used in cakes, sweet breads and tea breads during the winter and autumn when these fruits in their fresh form were unavailable. As there were no fridges, seasonal fruits that were dried and stored for use later.

Technically, there is no reason to dry fruits in modern times as most fruits are available throughout the year but we'll be missing out of the wonderful flavours and aroma of dried fruits in baked desserts.

When baking with Dried Fruits chop the fruits before adding to your cake mixture or bread dough. You should add at the very end. Do not use electric mixer after adding the dried fruits into the cake mixture, instead use a spatula or large spoon. This also applies to breads. Merely knead and mix the fruits into the bread dough with your hands.

Fresh Fruits

Cakes taste great when Fresh Fruits are used and popular chooses are Bananas, Apples, Pears, Strawberries, amongst others. Cakes and Breads that use fresh fruits are extremely moist and delightful but cannot keep for long. I recomend storing the cake or bread in the fridge and consuming within 4 days.

Malt Extract

Malt Extract is the sweet by-product of barley. It is has a deep strong flavour and lends a rich moist taste to sweet bread, cakes and desserts.

Molasses

Molasses a by-product of sugar cane and taste strong and mildly bitter. There are many recipes that uses Molasses which results in darker, tastier and richer cakes and breads.