Today I have a delicious cake recipe featuring high-quality products from Optimum Nutrition that are almost unbeatable in terms of flavor.
What is the difference between whey and casein?
Whey Protein
Whey protein is the English term for “milk protein.” It is obtained from whey (which is produced during cheese making) and is considered a high-quality protein because the body processes it quickly, rapidly supplying it with important building blocks for muscles. This supports muscle growth and accelerates muscle recovery. That is why whey protein should ideally be consumed in the hours after training.
Whey protein has a very high biological value because it contains all eight essential amino acids—the latter are metabolized directly in the muscle cells and therefore contribute to good muscle development.
If you would like to lose a few kilos, a whey shake can also be a good aid, as it is filling and contains fewer calories than a “normal” meal.
Casein Protein
Casein is a milk protein; it is made from milk and cheese. Although this milk protein has a somewhat lower biological value than other types of protein, athletes still benefit from casein—for a completely different reason: casein proteins are absorbed and metabolized more slowly by the body. This means they supply the body with important muscle-building blocks over several hours (approx. 6–8), thereby counteracting muscle breakdown.
The best time to consume casein is therefore in the evening: this ensures that the muscles are supplied with essential amino acids even during the night, when food is normally not consumed. Casein is also filling and is well suited as a meal replacement for athletes who want to lose weight!
Into the fitness kitchen
In my kitchen—the kitchen of a fitness-loving amateur athlete whose goal is to define and maintain her muscles, but without aspiring to a bodybuilder’s physique—the characteristics mentioned above of the two products (I will discuss other protein sources in a later blog post) play only a secondary role: to create baked goods that taste good and as “authentic” as possible (i.e., as if they had been made with flour), you need to make use of the baking properties of these powders!
Casein absorbs much more water/moisture than whey and binds very well. It also makes baked goods and creams wonderfully fluffy.
Whey barely binds when it comes to doughs, so one or more binding agents must be added. It tends to dry out doughs—something you can take advantage of when using very moist ingredients (fruit, for example). In most cases, however, the flavor is more intense and natural, with no aftertaste of its own. Multi-component products are particularly recommended, as isolates and concentrates often make baked goods sticky and hard.
To cut a long story short: here is the recipe for the delicious chocolate pumpkin loaf cake shown in the picture. I used a mini silicone cake pan for this—it is exactly as wide as and slightly longer than the ON bar(s)! So it is a snack for 1–2 servings or 1 meal for 1 person:
- 100g pumpkin purée (from approximately 120g raw pumpkin)
- 10g chocolate casein
- 5g chocolate whey
- 5g potato fiber
- 3g cocoa powder
- Erythritol-stevia blend
- --andgt; mix everything thoroughly
- 30g egg whites
- Chocolate flavor drops (to taste)
- --andgt; add and mix well
- --andgt; set aside
- 1/2 Optimum bar
- --andgt; place in the pan as the base
- 40g pumpkin purée (approx. 50g raw pumpkin)
- 20g cream cheese
- Cinnamon, erythritol-stevia blend (to taste)
- --andgt; mix and pour over the bar base
- --andgt; pour the reserved batter over it
- --andgt; bake at 180 degrees for 25–30 minutes
...and just like that, you have a chocolatey pumpkin dream
Pumpkin in cake?
You probably paused when you read pumpkin in the recipe title. Yes, of course—it is pumpkin season right now—but does that mean you also have to use it in sweet baked goods?! Absolutely, I say!
First, I simply love the nutty flavor of pumpkin. But that is not all: this giant orange berry also has great effects on the texture (moistness, fluffiness) of baked goods and acts as the binding agent mentioned above. Pumpkin can even replace eggs and, depending on the recipe, all or part of the butter.
But see for yourself and give it a try—I am already looking forward to your feedback (also on my personal Instagram account: monicab.ody.fit.food)!
