The Sweet Science: Unpacking Sugar in Baking

When you think of desserts, you can’t not think of sugar. It’s the backbone of nearly everything we bake adding more than just sweetness. It gives structure, influences shelf life, adds volume, and plays a great role in how your final bake looks and feels. Let’s take a closer, more delicious look at this everyday magic maker.

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Sugar, By Type & Where It Comes From

Not all sugars are created equal. Here are the big four you should know:

1. Sucrose: Common table sugar, derived from sugarcane or sugar beets.

2. Glucose: Extracted from corn flour; often used in processed sweets.

3. Fructose: Found naturally in fruits.

4. Lactose: The sugar present in milk and dairy.

Sugars You Bake With

White Sugar (Refined Sugar): Super pure, super versatile

Brown Sugar: White sugar with added molasses. More moisture, more depth

Icing Sugar / Confectioners’ Sugar: Powdered sugar + corn flour, prevents clumping

Liquid Sugars: Think honey, golden syrup, corn syrup, invert syrup. Great for moisture and chew

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What Sugar Really Does - The 5 S’s

1. Structure

Sugar is hygroscopic meaning it attracts and holds onto water. This slows down gluten development, making baked goods softer and more tender. Fewer tough textures, more melt-in-your-mouth moments.

2. Shelf Life

Fruit jam, anyone? Sugar preserves. It binds with water and keeps those microorganisms at bay, extending the life of your treats.

3. Sweetness

Obvious? Yes. Important? Absolutely. But not all sugars are equally sweet—fructose is sweeter than glucose or lactose.

4. Shade (aka Colour)

As sugar heats, it browns. This caramelisation process the Maillard reaction) results in golden cakes, crisp cookies, and that deep amber top on your crème brûlée.

Do You Caramel?

There are two ways to make caramel:

• Wet Caramel: Sugar + water, gently heated. Slower but safer

• Dry Caramel: Just sugar in a dry pan. Faster but finicky—requires constant focus

If you're new to caramel: Start wet. And try these tricks to avoid crystallisation:

• Brush down pan sides with a damp pastry brush

• Add a tiny bit of liquid glucose

• Don’t stir too much

• Swirl only once sugar starts dissolving and turns golden

  
  

5. Size (Volume & Lift)

When creamed with butter or beaten with eggs, sugar creates air pockets. These expand in the oven, helping your bakes rise.

Baker’s Notes

• Bigger crystals = more air when creaming. Brown sugar, being moist and dense, doesn’t aerate as well

• Crystal size also affects how fast sugar dissolves

• Want more moisture? Swap some white sugar for brown or liquid sugar

• Brown sugar is acidic. It reacts with baking soda to give that lovely lift

• More sugar = deeper colour, richer flavour

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From My Bench: Sugars I Use

• Cookies: Always a mix of brown and white (percentages vary depending on the texture goal)

• Brownies: White sugar for egg-based; brown sugar for eggless versions

• Cakes: Either pure white or a combo, depending on the recipe

• Everyday Tools: Caster sugar for batters, icing sugar for frostings, liquid sugar for rare bakes

  
  

Sugar does more than sweeten. It balances, binds, and builds. Whether you’re whipping up chewy cookies or feather-light sponge, knowing how sugar behaves gives you more control in the kitchen.