malt extract

[cooki]

whats the purpose of malt extract?..i am making a chocolate banana cake that does not have butter,..they ask me for corn syrup and malt extract instead..what can i substitute instead of malt extract?,,

2 c self rising flour
3 tbsp cocoa powder
2/3 c light brown sugar
2 tbsp malt extract
2 tbsp golden syrup or light corn syrup
2 eggs
4 tbsp skim milk
4 tbsp oil
2 large ripe bananas

[m brown]

malt is a sugar and gives a wonderful flavor and soft texture. you could sub with sugar or applesauce, prune paste or fat.
in yeast goods it gives a light texture and flavor.

[KyleW]

In the bread world malt is commonly referred to as either diastatic barley malt or non-distatic barley malt. The difference is that in diastatic barley malt the diastase enzyme is still alive and well. This enzyme provides a big boost to the yeast. In non-diastatic barley malt the enzyme has been rendered inert by cooking it. In this case it provides the sweetness but not the yeast boost.