Composition and sensory properties of plantain cake

Nutrient composition, organoleptic attributes and overall acceptability of plantain cake were evaluated. Plantain fingers in stages 2 (URP) and 5 of ripeness (RP) used in this study were washed, peeled, sliced into small pieces, sun-dried for five days and milled separately into flour. Commercial wheat flour (WF100) served as the control. Each sample was sieved and analyzed for functional properties and nutrients and combined in different proportions. The wheat flour (WF) was substituted by plantain flour (URP and RP) at 25, 50 and 75% for cake making, respectively. The combinations derived were 25%URP and 75%W (URP25W75), 50%URP and 50%W (URP50W50), 75%URP and 25%W (URP75W25), 25%RP and 75%W (RP25W75), 50%RP  and 50%W (RP50W50), 75%RP and 25%W (RP75W25). Each combination was used in baking cake. The proximate composition and sensory evaluation of the cakes were determined. The URP flour had the least protein content (2.73%) while WF100 had the highest (3.04%). The RP had the lowest fat (0.30%) and highest ash (2.33%) contents. The URP flour had more foaming stability/capacity and emulsion capacity but less oil absorption capacity and least gelation concentration than RP flour. The W100 cake had 26.41% protein followed by the RP25W75 (23.99%) and URP25W75 (23.91%) cakes. The URP25W75 cake had significantly (p<0.05) more fibre and fat contents (9.44 and 12.32%, respectively) than the rest of the samples. Vitamin B2 (mg/100 g) in URP50W50, (2.29) RP25W75 (2.05) RP50W50 (2.05) and W100 (2.09) cakes were comparable. All the cake samples had similar folate and calcium contents. There were differences in iron, potassium, magnesium and zinc contents of the cakes. The URP50W50 was rated best plantain-based cake in terms of texture (7.80) and acceptability (7.82). This study forms a basis for new product development for the biscuit food industry.   Key words: Functional properties, Plantain flour, wheat flour, plantain-cake, proximate composition, sensory evaluation.