High-Ratio Plastic Shortenings

These are soft shortenings that spread easily throughout a batter and quickly coat the particles of sugar and flour. They are called high-ratio because they were devised for use in cake batters that contain a high ratio of sugar and liquid to flour. Because they contain added emulsifying agents, they can hold a larger quantity of liquid and sugar than regular shortenings can. Thus, they give a smoother and finer texture to cakes and make them moister. Because of the added emulsifiers, this shortening is also commonly referred to as emulsified shortening.