Question: Why doesn't water and oil mix. But cakes with oil and water taste great

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  1. Thanks for your question cupcakesrachel.

    Why water and oil don’t mix is all down to chemistry. The molecules that make up water (2 hydrogen atoms, and 1 oxygen atom) makes it polarised, which just means it has a negative charge on one side, and a positive charge on the other side. Oil on the other hand is made up of non-polarised molecules, therefore the polarised water and non-polarised oil don’t mix.

    Oil and water can be combined to form an emulsion (a mixture of two or more liquids that normally can’t be mixed). These mixtures are usually unstable unless an emulsifier is added (an emulsifier stabilises the mixture). Cakes with oil and water taste great because quite often eggs have been added to the batter. Egg yolk is a natural emulsifier (a substance that stabilises a mixture of two liquids that normally can’t be mixed). Mayonnaise is another example of when eggs are used to make an emulsion of water and oil.

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  2. cindy is spot on!

    in fact, sometimes adding a tablespoon of oil can turn a dry cake recipe into a favourite!

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