Final answer:
Too much flour in a cake leads to a dense and heavy texture, while an excess of egg whites can make the cake dry or rubbery. The balance of ingredients in baking is crucial for achieving the desired texture and rise.
Step-by-step explanation:
When too much flour is added to a cake, the texture becomes denser and heavier, as flour provides structure through gluten development. This can result in a cake that is thick and hard, rather than light and fluffy. On the other hand, adding too many egg whites can also affect the texture of the cake. Egg whites can provide structure, moisture, and leavening. While a certain amount can make a cake light and fluffy, too much can lead to a dry or rubbery texture, as the proteins in the egg whites tighten and create a firmer structure when cooked.
Understanding the science of baking is essential when mixing ingredients like flour and egg whites. The proportions of ingredients in baking recipes are critical for achieving the desired outcome, whether it's a cake with the perfect crumb or cookies with the right degree of chewiness. Particularly, in the chemical reactions during baking, such as the formation of carbon dioxide gas for leavening, the balance of ingredients is key for the texture and rise of the final product.