seeds may go green, and walnuts blue. This
happens when the mix contains too much
baking soda, or when the soda isn’t evenly
mixed in the batter, so that there are
concentrated alkaline pockets. Because the
anthocyanin and related pigments in fruits,
vegetables, and nuts are sensitive to pH, and
their normal surroundings are acidic, alkaline
batters cause their colors to change (p. 281).
Small brown spots on the surface of the
finished bread or muffin are also a sign of
incomplete mixing; the browning reactions
proceed faster in more alkaline portions of the
batter.
Cakes
The essence of most cakes is sweetness and
richness. A cake is a web of flour, eggs, sugar,
and butter (or shortening), a delicate structure
that readily disintegrates in the mouth and
fills it with easeful flavor. Cakes often contain