Proximate, Functional and Sensory Analysis of Quinoa and Wheat Flour Composite Cake

Background: Confectionaries are one of the major food categories that provides one of the basic nutritional needs of humans. Cake has always been made from flour, as such, has placed a heavy burden of wheat production. However, quinoa seeds have been under-utilized owing to its nutritional components and the need to produce baked products with balanced nutritional needs. The goal of this study was to develop a high-protein cake using a protein source. Quinoa flour was employed as a protein source. Methods: The quinoa seeds were ground into flour and combined with wheat flour in the following ratios: 30:70, 40:60 and 50:50, in that order. A cake made entirely of wheat flour served as the control. Sensory analyses were conducted on the samples, as well as functional and proximate compositions, using standard analytical techniques. Result: The research’s findings revealed that moisture ranged from 33.61% to 43.99%, protein ranged from 13.60% to 18.03%, ash ranged from 0.91% to 1.211%, fiber ranged from 5.25% to 5.77%, fat ranged from 5.54% to 6.25% and carbohydrate ranged from 30.59% to 39.81%. Comparing samples of composite flour cakes to samples of wheat flour cakes revealed a difference in the amount of total protein that was statistically significant (p less than 0.05), indicating that these cakes make a great source of protein for fortified snacks.