Whipped egg whites vs. whipped whites with sugar in cake?

[BAPyessir6]

In sponge cake recipes and other recipes that include whipped egg whites (macarons, etc) I've seen many, if not all, recipes have you whip egg whites, add sugar, then fold into the batter. If you simply add the sugar to the batter instead and whip the egg whites with no sugar, how much does that affect the end product? Has anyone tested/noticed a difference (I assume there'd be a large difference) between these two methods?

I bake but I'm trying to learn more of the science behind baking and the "why," and to me it seems easier to just whip the whites without sugar then fold it into the sugary batter in most cases. I'd love any insight or corrections here.

 

[dragnlaw]

I believe the sugar helps stabilize the egg whites (or strengthen if you will) so that they don't collapse easily while being folded into the cake batter. Or at least that's what I alswys thought.

 

[taxlady]

I believe the sugar helps stabilize the egg whites (or strengthen if you will) so that they don't collapse easily while being folded into the cake batter. Or at least that's what I alswys thought.

Well, it certainly changes the consistency of the whipped egg whites. That's quite an interesting question. I have always just followed the recipe regarding when and where the sugar is added.

 

[dragnlaw]

I googled the question and sure enough, that's what wiki said - to stabilize the whites for mixing.

(Pats on back til cramps set in )

 

[BAPyessir6]

After a test of making 2 identical Chocolate Souffles (baked same time/temp, and whites beaten at the same time), one with sugar in whites and one without sugar, my initial finding is that the souffle with the sugar in the white rose slightly more, stays risen several minutes longer, and also had a more "spongy" or Injera (soda bread-like) texture. I'll do this test again in a week or so to reaffirm my findings, as I was 90 percent sure which was which but I got a little confused.

 

[dragnlaw]

Your title said cake! But glad to see it shows working with a souffle as well!

 

[BAPyessir6]

Oh, sorry. I'll do a roulade swiss cake next week as my pan was dirty and I was lazy. Bahaha.

 

[dragnlaw]

Which reminds me - now that I'm trying to reduce carbs - I still haven't made the roulade we were talking about in another thread. Ahhh, one day soon, said the inchworm.