Effect of MD on cake quality When cakes were prepared reducing fat to 60%, 70% and 80% levels and replaced with equal levels of MD, the overall quality of the cakes was poor. The cake volumedecreased,thecrumbbecamesticky,especially at 70% and 80% levels, and the cakes were found not to be acceptable. Similar results were also reported by Kim et al.4 when fat was completely replaced with equal quantities of MD. Hence, further studies were carried out replacing fat with 5%, 10% and 15% levels of MD. Physical properties of cakes where shortening was replaced with MD are given in Table 3. Addition of up to 15% MD had a beneficial effect on the volume and more so on the texture of cakes containing 60% less fat. Further increase had an adverse effect both on the volume and texture of cake. When fat was reduced to 70% level and replaced with 5% MD, a marginal improvement in cake volume was seen. Further replacement with MD had an adverse effect on the volume of cakes. However, an improvement in cake texture was observed with the addition of MD up to a 15% level; further increase in the level of MD imparted a sticky texture to the cake. Replacement of fat with MD, when fat was reduced to 80%, did not have any beneficial effect either on the volume or texture of the cakes. Relating these results to the viscosity studies it can be concluded that when fat in the formulation is reduced there is a reduction in the batter viscosity and concurrently