Behind every exceptional cake lies a balancing act of time, skill, consistency, and creativity. And for many bakers today, that balance is harder than ever to maintain.
Artisan producers are managing growing product ranges with limited time and labor. Semi-industrial teams are expected to innovate quickly, often without the support of a dedicated R&D department. Across both settings, consistency and efficiency are daily concerns, as is the need to stand out in an increasingly saturated market.
At the same time, consumer expectations aren’t slowing down. Beyond taste, texture, story, and sustainability are now shaping how indulgence is experienced and judged. According to our research, 67% of consumers want to try foods with different textures, and 70% say that locally sourced ingredients are better for the environment.
So, how can bakers deliver more, without overcomplicating their process or compromising on quality? The answer lies in choosing the right solutions. In this article, we’ll explore how our portfolio helps you unlock new textures, simplify production, and elevate cakes into something truly distinctive, with versatile, efficient tools designed to meet today’s challenges.
Whether you're wondering “how can I make my cake even better” or “how can I innovate to differentiate”, the key often comes down to the quality and performance of the cake base itself, and how easily it fits into your workflow.
What is the secret to a good cake?
Creating a great cake starts with understanding how to define it.
Puratos’ cake texture language
We use a structured approach that considers three dimensions:
- Visual: the fineness and homogeneity of the crumb
- Tactile: the lightness, softness, resilience, and cohesiveness of the cake when touched
- Mouthfeel: the perception of moistness, chewiness, and melting as it’s eaten
This framework provides a common language to assess, improve and tailor the cake base to customers’ needs and preferences.
8 unique cake textures
The visual, tactile and mouthfeel characteristics of a cake will determine its texture. At Puratos, we have put in the spotlight 8 cake textures, each for specific properties and applications, and many of which carry strong cultural relevance:
- Cream texture is a well-rounded texture. It is quite soft, moist and melting but not extreme in any of the characteristics, making it globally popular and very versatile. Cream texture can indeed be used to make muffins and loaf cakes, but also cake donuts and even waffles.
- Moist texture, as the name indicates, gives cakes that are moist and melting. Considered very indulgent and beloved worldwide, moist texture is versatile and particularly suited for cakes made with chocolate or cocoa powder, as these ingredients tend to dry the batter.
- Pound texture, made exclusively with one pound of egg, one pound of sugar, one pound of flour and one pound of butter, has deep roots in European-style baking, being the traditional “grandma cake”. It is characterized by its melting and crumbliness. Contrary to Cream and Moist, Pound is not a versatile texture and rarely contains fillings or decoration.
- Tres Leches texture, most common in Latin America, is specifically made to be soaked. The cake can absorb up to twice its own weight in liquid without collapsing or becoming mushy.
- Sponge and chiffon are aerated textures, most common in Asian patisserie, especially for celebration cakes and Swiss Rolls. Both are characterized by being light, fine and soft but the Chiffon is also moist and melting, while the Sponge tends to be drier and needs to be paired with fillings and decorations. The Chiffon, on the other hand, can even be enjoyed as such.
- Castella texture is moist, slightly chewy and has the finest crumb of all. Castella cake is very popular in Japan, where it is often given as a gift for small occasions.
- Angel Food texture stands out by its pure white color, its chewiness and its resilience: press it hard and the cake will bounce back, ideal to make playful cakes with loads of decorations and filling.
What ingredients and processes make a cake?
Behind every texture is a carefully balanced recipe. Overall, we can divide the cake ingredients in three categories:
- Bulk ingredients including flour and sugar, highly influence the cake structure, volume, texture, shape and sweetness.
- Liquid ingredients including eggs, fat, and water, hydrate the dry ingredients, and also highly impact the cake properties (softness, moistness, ...).
- Functional ingredients like enzymes, baking powder, gums, and emulsifiers, are added in lower quantities but importantly influence the final cake characteristics (e.g. stability, texture, carrying properties and shelf life).
The process is simple in theory, but essential in practice:
- Mixing, to hydrate and homogeneously disperse the powdered ingredients into the cake batter, and to incorporate air cells.
- Baking, where heat initiates different mechanisms and transforms the batter through rising and setting.
- Cooling & Packing needs to be done properly in order to preserve freshness and maintain quality until consumption.
For bakers, thinking, the answers often come down to how ingredients are balanced and how the batter is handled during mixing and baking.
Versatile solutions for every cake type
From reducing prep time to expanding product ranges, today’s bakers are juggling more than ever. And while some may wonder, “Do bakeries use cake mix?”, the answer is yes, and many of them rely on premium solutions like SATIN to deliver consistent quality at scale.
SATIN range
- SATIN is our premium range of mixes for cream and moist cakes, two of the most indulgent, versatile and globally loved textures. With a soft, moist crumb and outstanding freshness, SATIN mixes are designed for bakers who won’t compromise on quality or ease of use and ensures: High performance: qualitative and consistent results, even in demanding conditions.
- Ease of use: simplified preparation using just a few ingredients.
- Versatility: suitable for a wide range of finished goods, from loaf cakes and muffins to cake donuts and cookies.
SATIN also supports growing consumer trends with a broad selection of health & well-being options, including sugar-reduced, wholegrain and plant-based variants.
Acti technology: maximize performance
Acti is Puratos’ range of enzymes solutions that improve texture, profitability, Health & Well-Being and sustainability.
These solutions are ideal when:
- Shelf life needs to be extended
- Fat, sugar, or egg content needs to be reduced
- Clean(er) label or nutritional targets must be met
- Better textures or crumb profiles are required for product differentiation1
Acti solutions are available as cake improvers to be added in customers’ scratch recipes, without change of process or equipment required. Acti technology can also be included in Puratos’ mixes, for customers looking for maximum convenience.
How to update a classic in line with trends
The muffin is a perfect example of how a timeless classic can be reinvented to meet modern expectations e.g. plant-based and sugar reduced. Muffins, with their moist crumb, soft structure, and balanced sweetness, are beloved everywhere. Using our solutions, you can bring muffins into the spotlight in a variety of ways.
The more sustainable muffin
At Puratos, we have embarked on a mission to make a more sustainable cake that would be as qualitative and functional as a standard recipe. By reducing fat and eggs in the recipe and by selecting Topfil Apple cube 86% as a delicious filling, the CO2 emissions related to manufacturing and selling cream cakes can be reduced by up to 25%5. Adding a carefully selected fruit filling not only helps in terms of CO2 emissions, but can be linked to our Field to Fork program. The result is a cake that not only tastes good but also resonates with sustainability-minded consumers, as 70% believe local ingredients are better for the environment.
The Health & Well-Being muffin
For those looking for guilt-free indulgence, our Health & Well-Being muffin recipe combines Easy Satin Cream Cake with Acti Sugar Reduction cutting sugar by 35% without compromising on taste or texture. It delivers the same softness and structure as the original, while responding to a growing demand for healthier options1. Adding a delicious fruit filling also helps bring more fruit, less of the rest.
Finishing touches that make every cake stand out
A great cake doesn’t end with the base. Fillings, coatings, and inclusions are where creativity comes to life, adding flavor, texture, and visual appeal that make a lasting impression on consumers.
Fruit fillings
Topfil Smooth offers a vibrant, natural fruit taste with 35% fruit content and a smooth, clean texture. It’s freeze-thaw stable and available in sugar-reduced options, making it ideal for both indulgent and health-positioned applications.
Cream fillings
Cremfil Ultim and Deli are our solutions for creamy, rich fillings that maintain excellent freshness over time. From traditional flavors like lemon and cheesecake to salted caramel, these fillings are perfect for long shelf-life treats.
Coatings
Our Carat range offers three solutions to meet a variety of needs:
- Cakau & Coverlux for a shiny, premium chocolate-like finish
- Coverliq for thin, high-fluidity coatings ideal for enrobing
- Carat grains bake-stable compound inclusions with rich cocoa taste
- Coverflex for coatings with extra flexibility and colors
Decorations and inclusions
From subtle elegance to playful bursts of flavor, our finishing elements help bring cakes to life:
- Decorcrem: smooth, shiny decorating cream with a clean cut and intense flavor
- Smoobees: soft, fruit-based inclusions that retain moisture and add surprise to every bite
- Sugar Snow: a freeze- and heat-stable decorative sugar for long-lasting presentation
Together, these components turn a single cake base into a competitive product whether you’re building a seasonal range, exploring health-conscious indulgence, or simply elevating your everyday offer.
Why partner with Puratos
Choosing Puratos means gaining more than just high-quality ingredients. It means gaining a partner with deep expertise in cake texture, freshness, and consumer trends.
Our broad portfolio includes clean(er) label, sugar-reduced, plant-based, and gluten-free options, all developed in response to real consumer insights. We’re here to help you create cakes that stand out consistently and confidently.
Our Cacao-Trace Sustainable Cocoa Program is dedicated to creating a truly sustainable future for the cocoa chain and everyone involved. Great Taste, Doing Good.
