Flour is always the foundation of any baked item, and in eggless baking, flour plays an even bigger role. The absence of eggs, which provide structure and tenderness in baking, means that the choice of flour can make all the difference to a dish. This is why making the transition from refined to whole wheat flours seems like a “risk” to many bakers. The difference, however, is not about one type of flour being superior to the other. It is a matter of each type’s characteristics.
Why Extra Refining Makes Flour Easier to Work With
Refined flour is filtered of it’s bran and germ, leaving only starch behind. This makes refined flour predictable. Refined flour is one of the best at absorbing moisture, easy in developing gluten, and makes soft puffy crumbs without much difficulty. In eggless baking, this is very reassuring. Refined flour does not compete very intensely for water, so eggless cakes, even without many changes, remain light and fluffy.
What Whole Wheat Brings to the Table
Whole wheat flour is healthier than refined flour as it contains bran and germ (fiber), which soak up more liquid. This can be the reason why eggles wheat cakes go wrong, because whole wheat flour requires more care and attention. The whole wheat flour in eggless bakes may result in a dense or dry texture if the moisture content is not maintained. This happens as the bran absorbs more water even after baking which causes the whole wheat cake to become tight as it cools.
But on the other hand, whole wheat brings some nutritional value. Whole wheat adds fiber and satiety to baked goods that refined wheat, which lacks in fiber and aroma, simply cannot deliver. When properly incorporated in baked goods, wheat flour imparts a wholesome quality to them that is hard to find in refined flour.
Another myth is that when we use healthier flours, the end texture will naturally be poor. The texture of the final dish has nothing to do with using “healthy” or “unhealthy” flour, but with water content, fat, and the way it’s combined. For example, in whole wheat eggless biscuits, it is always better if the crumb is slightly denser but moist at the same time which is the perfect situation to use whole wheat flour. Nothing can be more impractical than expecting it to behave like refined flour.
Blending for Balance is the Key to a Perfect Bake
Several bakeries work by mixing the two flours. By doing so, it reduces the density associated with whole wheat, though the nutritional value is retained while keeping the cake light and fluffy. Combining or mixing flours tends to work well in eggless baking since it does not result in dryness or heaviness.
In Summary
Whole wheat bakes are better suited for purposes of comfort, nourishment, and sustaining fullness. Refined flour bakes are better suited for purposes of lightness. None of them are wrong, they are simply different.
The point is: eggless baking brings flour choice to the forefront. With knowledge of your flour’s behavior, you can work with it, not against it.
Eggless baking doesn’t restrict you in your use of flour. It simply requires your intention. And with that intention, you can make delicious things, with refined as well as whole wheat flour.