Development of Reduced-Sugar Chocolate Fudge Cake Using Date Paste as a Sucrose Substitute

Abstract

This study aimed to develop a reduced-sugar chocolate fudge cake using dates as a sucrose substitute at substitution levels of 0% (control), 15%, 25%, 35%, and 45% of the total sugar content in the formulation, and to evaluate the physicochemical and sensory properties of the products. The results revealed significant differences in physicochemical properties among formulations (p≤0.05). Water activity increased with increasing levels of date substitution, ranging from 0.61 to 0.71. In contrast, firmness values decreased from 7.85 to 5.29 N, indicating a softer texture of the products. Regarding color characteristics, the formulation containing 35% dates exhibited the highest lightness (L*) value of 16.97, whereas the control formulation showed the highest redness (a*) and yellowness (b*) values of 1.20 and 0.55, respectively. Color parameters changed according to the level of date substitution. Sensory evaluation using a 9-point hedonic scale with 50 panelists showed significant differences among all formulations (p≤0.05). The formulation containing 45% dates received the highest overall acceptability score (6.04), corresponding to the “liked slightly” category. The findings indicate that dates have potential as a sucrose substitute in reduced-sugar bakery products by reducing sugar content while maintaining product quality and consumer acceptance.