Today I have a super-delicious cake recipe featuring high-quality products from Optimum Nutrition that are almost unmatched in taste.
What exactly is the difference between whey and casein?
Whey Protein
Whey protein is the English term for “whey protein.” It is derived from whey (a byproduct of cheese production) and is considered a high-quality protein because the body absorbs it quickly, thereby rapidly supplying it with essential muscle-building blocks. This supports muscle growth and accelerates muscle recovery. That is why whey protein is best consumed in the hours following a workout.
Whey protein has a very high biological value because it contains all eight essential amino acids—which are metabolized directly in the muscle cells and thus contribute to effective muscle growth.
If you want to lose a few kilos, a whey shake can also be a big help, because it keeps you feeling full and has fewer calories than a “normal” meal.
Casein Protein
Casein is a milk protein; it is derived from milk and cheese. Although this milk protein has a slightly lower biological value than other types of protein, athletes still benefit from casein—for an entirely 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-wasting processes.
The best time to consume casein is therefore in the evening: This ensures that the muscles are supplied with essential amino acids even at night, when you normally don't eat. Casein also helps you feel full and is a great meal replacement for athletes looking to lose weight!
Off to the Fitness Kitchen
In my kitchen—that of a fitness-enthusiast amateur athlete whose goal is to define and maintain her muscles, but with no aspirations to have a bodybuilder’s physique—the characteristics of the two products mentioned (I’ll discuss other protein sources in a later blog post) play only a minor role: to create baked goods that taste good and as “real” as possible (i.e., as if they were made with flour), you have to take advantage 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 has very little binding power (when it comes to dough), so one or more binding agents must be added. It tends to dry out dough—a property that can be put to good use when working with very moist ingredients (such as fruit). In most cases, however, the flavor is more intense, more natural, and completely free of any off-flavors. Multi-component products are particularly recommended, as isolates and concentrates often make baked goods sticky and hard.
To cut a long story short: here’s the recipe for the delicious chocolate-pumpkin loaf cake shown in the picture. I used a mini silicone cake pan for this—exactly the same width as the ON bar(s) and slightly longer! So it’s a snack for 1–2 servings or a meal for 1 person:
- 100 g pumpkin puree (made from about 120 g of raw pumpkin)
- 10 g chocolate casein
- 5 g Chocolate Whey
- 5 g potato fiber
- 3 g Cocoa Powder
- Erythritol-Stevia Blend
- --andgt; Mix everything well
- 30 g egg white
- Chocolate Flavor Drops (as desired)
- --andgt; Add it and stir well
- --andgt; set aside
- 1/2 Optimum Bar
- --andgt; Place it in the pan as a base
- 40 g pumpkin puree (about 50 g raw pumpkin)
- 20 g cream cheese
- Cinnamon, erythritol-stevia blend (to taste)
- --andgt; Stir and spread onto the base of the bar
- --andgt; pour the dough mixture that was set aside over it
- --andgt; Bake at 180 degrees for 25–30 minutes
...and just like that, you have a chocolatey pumpkin treat
Pumpkin in a cake?
You probably raised an eyebrow when you saw “pumpkin” listed as an ingredient in the recipe title. Yeah, sure—it’s pumpkin season right now—but does that mean you have to use it in (sweet!) baked goods, too?! Absolutely, I say!
First of all, I just absolutely love the nutty pumpkin flavor. But that’s not all: this giant orange fruit also has a wonderful effect on the texture (moistness, fluffiness) of the 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 yourselves and give it a try—I'd love to hear your feedback (feel free to share it on my personal Instagram account: monicab.ody.fit.food) I'm already looking forward to it!
