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Good afternoon GanSist everyone! 
The culinary world continues to develop with various innovations that attract attention. One creation that is quite unique is a transparent cake without flour. Different from cakes in general which use wheat flour, rice flour or tapioca flour as the main ingredient, this cake relies on gelatin as a structure builder, resulting in a clear, crystal-like appearance. At first glance, it even looks more like a glass sculpture than food.
This uniqueness makes many people curious to try making it themselves at home. Apart from having an elegant appearance, this recipe is also relatively simple because it only requires a few ingredients. There is no need for complicated baking techniques or special equipment such as a high-powered mixer. As long as you follow the steps carefully, the end result can be a beautiful and refreshing dessert.
It should be understood that although it is often referred to as “cake”, the texture of this dish is actually closer to it gelatin dessert compared to sponge cake or cake. Gelatin will form a three-dimensional network that is able to bind large amounts of water, resulting in a chewy, soft and elastic texture. This phenomenon is an interesting example of the application of food science in everyday life.
Apart from its unique appearance, the use of sugar-free carbonated drinks also provides a light taste sensation while helping to produce a clearer appearance if the manufacturing process is done correctly. Of course, the carbonation bubbles need to be reduced first during the heating process so as not to leave a lot of air spaces in the final result.
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Why Not Use Flour?
Most cakes get their structure from the starch found in the flour. When heated with liquid, starch undergoes gelatinization so that the dough hardens and is able to maintain its shape.
However, in this recipe, this function is replaced by gelatin. Gelatin is a protein that comes from the hydrolysis of collagen. When dissolved in hot water and then cooled, the gelatin molecules will form a network that traps water, resulting in a stable gel texture.
Because it doesn’t use flour at all, the end result is much clearer than traditional cakes. Light can pass through most of the gel structure, producing a transparent effect which is the main attraction of this dish.
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Material
Here are the ingredients needed:
1) 24 grams of white gelatin sheet
2) 900 mL sugar-free Sprite
3) Whipped cream or berries as decoration according to taste
The amount of ingredients above produces one medium sized cake. If you want to make it in a smaller size, all ingredients can be reduced proportionally.
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How to make
Note: I didn’t upload this, this is a tutorial for making transparent cakes from a YouTuber from Korea
The manufacturing steps are as follows:
1. Prepare the mold
Use a cylindrical metal mold with a smooth inner surface. A flat surface will make it easier to remove the cake after it hardens.
2. Wash the gelatin
Wash or briefly soak the gelatin sheets in cold water. This step helps soften the gelatin so it dissolves more easily when heated.
3. Heat sugar-free Sprite
Put the sugar-free Sprite into a pan, then heat over medium heat. No need to boil vigorously. After removing the gelatin from the cold water, add it little by little into the warm Sprite while stirring until completely dissolved.
4. Pour into the mold
Turn off the stove after all the gelatin has completely dissolved. Pour the solution into the mold slowly. Remove all the foam that appears on the surface using a spoon so that the final result is clearer.
5. Cool
Leave it until the temperature drops to near room temperature. After that, store it in the refrigerator for more than four hours until it completely hardens.
6. Remove from mold
Once completely hardened, remove the mold from the refrigerator. Warm the outside of the metal mold using a hair dryer for a few seconds. This method helps release the gelatin layer from the walls of the mold so that the cake can be removed slowly without damage.
7. Decorate according to taste
Once removed, decorate the top of the cake with whipped cream or fresh berries. The red, blue, or purple color of the berries will provide a nice contrast to the transparent appearance of the cake.
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Why Should Foam Be Removed?
Many people think foam is just an aesthetic issue. In fact, air bubbles also affect the clarity of the final result.
Air trapped in the gelatin will scatter light so that the surface appears cloudy. The fewer air bubbles left behind, the clearer the cake will be.
This is the reason why the foam needs to be removed before the cooling process begins. Patience at this stage really determines the final result.
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The Importance of Adequate Cooling
Gelatin needs time for its protein network to form completely. If the mold is opened too quickly, the gel structure is not strong enough so the cake is easily torn or deformed.
Allowing a cooling time of more than four hours is a good choice. In fact, if stored overnight in the refrigerator, the texture is usually more stable and easier to release from the mold.
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Why Does the Print Heat Up Briefly?
The step of heating the outside of the mold is often considered trivial. In fact, this is one of the secrets to keeping the shape of the cake intact.
The light heat from the hair dryer only melts a very thin layer of gelatin on the outside. In this way, the adhesion force between the gelatin and the metal is reduced so that the cake comes off more easily without needing to be forced.
On the other hand, if the mold is immediately turned over without this process, the possibility of the cake tearing or cracking will increase.
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Tips for More Transparent Results
There are several things you can pay attention to so that the final result is more interesting. First, don’t boil the liquid until it boils for too long because more air bubbles will form. Second, stir gently so as not to introduce air into the solution. Third, use a mold with a smooth and clean surface. Fourth, make sure all the gelatin is completely dissolved before pouring. Fifth, remove all foam before the cooling process.
These simple steps often make a big difference to the final appearance.
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General Nutritional Value
Because it doesn’t use flour, the starch content in this recipe is very low. Most of the composition consists of water and gelatin.
Gelatin itself is a source of protein, although it is not a complete protein because the content of several essential amino acids is relatively low. Therefore, gelatin cannot replace daily protein needs from other food sources such as eggs, fish, milk, nuts or meat.
The use of sugar-free Sprite also helps to reduce the sugar content compared to regular soda drinks. Despite this, this dish is still better enjoyed as a dessert than as a main meal.
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CLOSURE
Transparent flourless cake is an example that creativity in cooking doesn’t always require complicated ingredients. By only using gelatin and sugar-free carbonated drinks, we can produce a dessert that has a unique, elegant appearance and is different from most cakes.
This recipe also shows how food science principles work in everyday life. Gelatin forms a firm gel structure, cooling strengthens the protein network, while defoaming helps produce a crystal clear appearance.
Gansists who want to try something new in the kitchen can try this recipe. Apart from the fact that the manufacturing process is quite simple, the final result can also be the center of attention when served at family events, gatherings of friends, or simply as a dessert to enjoy alone. Sometimes, people spend years debating cake recipes, and then along comes a lump of clear gelatin that doesn’t even use flour and still manages to steal the show. The culinary world does have a strange sense of humor.
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SOURCE
Video Y*ut*be ini
American Chemical Society. (2016). The chemistry of gelatin. https://www.acs.org/
Damodaran, S., Parkin, K. L., & Fennema, O. R. (Eds.). (2017). Fennema’s Food Chemistry(5th ed.). CRC Press.
Gelatine Manufacturers of Europe. (2023). What is gelatin? https://www.gelatine.org/
McGee, H. (2004). On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen (Revised ed.). Scribner.
National Center for Biotechnology Information. (2023). Gelatin: Structure, properties, and food applications. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
U.S. Department of Agriculture. (2024). FoodData Central. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/
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