Answer is: sucrose is more soluble in water.
Solubility of sucrose (C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁) is about 2000 g in one liter of water (25°C) and solubility of lauric acid (C₁₂H₂₄O₂) is approximately 0,06 g approximately.
That is because sucrose has stronger intermolecular forces (hydrogen bond), Sucrose has more oxygen, more oxygen means more intermolecular bond with hydrogen.
