# Does white sugar taste better then brown sugar



## ethan francis (Sep 26, 2013)

Hey..people I'am new to the food world and I'am stuggling with finding which sugar would be great for baking and does sugar have any affect on how your cake would come out because in books it says that people sould bake mostly with brown sugar and i want to know if does have an affect on white sugar and if we can use it as sub if we dont have or forgot to add brown sugar to cakes. Would it make the taste different if I used white sugar instead of using brown sugar and make it taste even more better then using white sugar


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

brown sugar is white sugar  with molassess added back into it.  Often both white and brown sugar are used in the same recipe. 

Different recipes with different flavor profiles use different sugar to support and build the flavor. 

Neither is better than the other as they each have their proper use.


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## sonecac (Aug 11, 2012)

I'm just going to take advantage of this thread and ask a question related to this topic. Is brown sugar less sweet than white sugar or is it just me?

I would say white sugar is twice as sweet as brown.


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## petemccracken (Sep 18, 2008)

Based on USDA information, one cup of:

sugar (white) = 200g and contains 199.96g of carbohydrates, 774kcal, 199.6g sugars
brown sugar (packed) = 220g and contains 215.80g carbohydrates, 836kcal, 213.44 sugars
brown sugar (unpacked) = 145g and contains 142.23g carbohydrates, 551kcal, 140.68 sugars
By 100g weight:

Sugar (white) = 387kcal, 99.98g carbohydrates, 99.80g sugars
brown sugar = 380kcal, 98.09g carbohydrates, 97.02g sugars
So, yes and no, depending on how it is measured /img/vbsmilies/smilies/wink.gif


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## french fries (Sep 5, 2008)

SonecaC said:


> I'm just going to take advantage of this thread and ask a question related to this topic. Is brown sugar less sweet than white sugar or is it just me?
> 
> I would say white sugar is twice as sweet as brown.


All brown sugars are not created equal, but you are right, I have some brown sugars that are much less sweet than white sugar.


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## flipflopgirl (Jun 27, 2012)

Kinda depends on one's palate, no?

To answer the topic question... IMO brown sugar tastes better (especially in my oatmeal)....but hafta use white granulated (or 10X for that matter) in most of my recipes.

Brown sugar makes it's appearance in my kitchen when I want a chewy cookie or a strongly flavored cake like spice (including fruitcake) and of course my super secret cinnamon roll recipe.

Most things chocolate benefit from the addition of brown sugar ...turns my fudgy brownies into crack...../img/vbsmilies/smilies/eek.gif

Think about something like lemon curd....no way would anything except white cane sugar do for the sweetening (ahem...IMO).

mimi

Justa tip....before you go substituting sugars (or anything else for that matter) test drive the recipe as written.

Makes a huge difference to have a baseline to work from.

m.

http://joythebaker.com/2010/08/how-to-make-brown-sugar/

m.


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## dillbert (Jul 2, 2008)

just to inject some actual fact to this discussion, not that facts mean a lot . . .

it's important to understand that "sugar" is a product of "refining" sap/juice from various sources.  sugar cane is one, sugar beets another, there's several more "sources"

in the commercial supermarket world of today, "brown sugar" is "created" by adding back molasses to "pure refined white sugar"

there's light brown and dark brown.  dark brown contains about twice as much molasses as light brown.

molasses is a "by product" of refining "pure white sugar"

brown sugar can be "produced" by two methods:
"brown sugar" can be produced by adding back the molasses, or by simply not taking the refining process through its "final steps."  

if there is a difference between "pre-refined" and "post-refined" brown sugar, I can't say - not found any good historical "facts" to support / deny the issue.  regardless, there are brown sugar brands/types on the market place - "raw sugar" / turbinado / Muscovado / Barbados / etc / etc / add quite a few names.  

going deeper into the topic, there is a question of whether the molasses component is "embedded" in the "less-than-fully-refined" sugar crystal or "just added back" as a coating to the refined white sugar crystal.

dealing with the "old fashioned" precursors - i.e. molasses components never removed - to "refined brown sugar" i.e. molasses removed then added back - the degrees of sweetness per weight is undefined.

considering the "usual and customary" brown sugars of the mass market, it is not possible for "brown" sugar to be technically "less" sweet than refined white sugar plus added molasses, because molasses itself contains additional sugars of its own.

that said, molasses has tastes and properties that may - to the human tongue - "mask" sweetness.

using brown sugar - which by definition includes some amount of molasses - does make a difference in baked goods especially regarding "retained" or "post bake absorbed" moisture.  imho, it's not good / bad / better / worse - just different.  the molasses is a good or detrimental "thing" only depending on the item baked.


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

Both have different tast and different uses, there is no better or worse.


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## french fries (Sep 5, 2008)

Dillbert said:


> that said, molasses has tastes and properties that may - to the human tongue - "mask" sweetness.


I believe that's exactly what happens. Have you ever tasted pure molasses? They taste EXTREMELY bitter. So adding even a small amount to sugar (or leaving them in unrefined sugar) probably balances out some of the sweetness, hence the end result of having (some) brown sugar tasting less sweet than white sugar. 


Dillbert said:


> if there is a difference between "pre-refined" and "post-refined" brown sugar, I can't say - not found any good historical "facts" to support / deny the issue. regardless, there are brown sugar brands/types on the market place - "raw sugar" / turbinado / Muscovado / Barbados / etc / etc / add quite a few names.


"raw sugar", Turbinado, Muscovado, Demerara etc.. are not "created" by mixing molasses with refined sugar, they're just not refined so the original molasses were never removed and are still present. I think I may just be repeating what you were trying to say.... but I'm not sure. (sorry if I am) /img/vbsmilies/smilies/wink.gif


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## dillbert (Jul 2, 2008)

my grandfather got me into buckwheat pancakes with blackstrap molasses....  it's an acquired taste.  I like it.  and I'm not even "acquired".... but what the heck....


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## french fries (Sep 5, 2008)

Dillbert said:


> my grandfather got me into buckwheat pancakes with blackstrap molasses.... it's an acquired taste. I like it. and I'm not even "acquired".... but what the heck....


Oh wow, the blackstrap molasses are the ones I tasted, too, they're the most bitter ones I believe! Used them for cooking but couldn't imagine pouring that on a pancake. They were super thick, gluey and black, the look and consistency of tar really. Can't imagine putting that on my pancake... acquired taste alright!! Think I'll stick with maple syrup for now.... /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif


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## dillbert (Jul 2, 2008)

>>most bitter . . .

blackstrap molasses has a relatively high in sulfur content

so is some onions . . . I'm an allium family fan so mereckon it's just a hold over.

there's absolutely no accounting for personal tastes.  I got mine - youse' got yours - what's the problem? (g)


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## flipflopgirl (Jun 27, 2012)

Slightly OT but I remember eating this brand of syrup on leftover cornbread as a snack when I was a kid.

http://www.steensyrup.com/

Loved it on my waffles as well (still do).

Gma Van's baked beans were bland without a splash of Steen's and my sister's guilty pleasure is dipping link sausage in a puddle of it.

That familiar yellow can has become a "top shelf" item (the top shelf of most stores is reserved for slow moving more expensive items according to the SIL) where I shop.

I have to scale the shelf in order to snag a can.

Upon arrival in my kitchen it is decanted like a fine wine ( into a quart mason jar as I am the only one that touches the stuff /img/vbsmilies/smilies/lol.gif ) and placed in a cabinet along with the hunny bear and the tall buttery lady.

It is my go to for gingerbread cake, which the family members inhale (thought it was too strong for ya'll?) but a bit too wet for the Christmas gingerbread people.

mimi


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## french fries (Sep 5, 2008)

Dillbert said:


> there's absolutely no accounting for personal tastes. I got mine - youse' got yours - what's the problem? (g)


Absolutely no problem Dillbert. I agree with you.


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