Pear pomace (PP) is a by-product of the fruit industry with a high content of fiber. Its potential as an ingredient at 15% or 30% level for sponge and layer cakes was investigated. Three PP powders with different particle sizes (fine, medium and coarse) were obtained. Microstructure, density and viscosity were evaluated in batter, and specific volume, texture and color in the final product. When PP was added, less uniformity in bubble distribution was observed in batters, particularly at higher particle sizes. Cake specific volume significantly diminished with increasing amounts of PP. For sponge cakes, the decrease in specific volume was the highest for the finest particle size of PP. In general, increasing PP addition increased hardness and reduced elasticity, cohesiveness and resilience but the effect depended on the particle size. In general, better textural attributes were obtained with medium and coarse particle sizes. These results indicate that PP of an adequate particle size could be a promising fiber source for different cake formulations.
