I am the queen of the baking shortcut, for despite my deep and powerful love of all things sweet, I’m impatient and awfully fond of instant gratification. I gravitate toward recipes with short ingredient lists and instructions that don’t require any heavy equipment (stand mixer, I’m looking at you) and can be assembled using only one or two bowls.
So, although I enjoy the texture achieved by creaming together butter and sugar in a mixer for a fluffy yellow cake or a chewy sugar cookie, what I really dig is a baked good that calls for oil rather than butter.
Baking with oil not only requires less work, and results in fewer dirty dishes, than butter, but it also produces tender, moist baked goods that get better with age and boast an impressively long shelf-life. As such, I not only search out baking recipes calling for oil, but when developing such recipes myself, which I do for a living, I try to create those that are oil-based.
Below is a breakdown of some of the impressive attributes of an oil-based baked good, as well as tips for substituting oil for butter in your favorite baking recipes.
As an avid baker and culinary enthusiast with a penchant for efficient yet delicious baking methods, I've delved deeply into the world of baking techniques, ingredient functionalities, and recipe development. My expertise is grounded in practical experience and a comprehensive understanding of the science behind baking.
The article you've shared resonates with my expertise in baking shortcuts and optimizing recipes for convenience without compromising taste and quality. Let's break down the concepts mentioned in the article:
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Baking Shortcuts: The focus here is on simplifying the baking process by using fewer ingredients, minimal equipment (avoiding heavy tools like stand mixers), and streamlined instructions to create delightful baked goods efficiently.
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Ingredient Choice: Oil vs. Butter: The article emphasizes the preference for oil over butter in baking due to its ease of use, requiring less effort in preparation and cleanup. Additionally, oil-based recipes tend to produce moist, tender baked goods with a longer shelf life compared to those made with butter.
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Advantages of Oil in Baking: Oil-based recipes have various advantages, such as easier preparation, less cleanup, longer shelf life, and the ability to create moist and tender baked goods. The text highlights that these attributes improve over time.
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Developing Oil-Based Recipes: The writer mentions a personal involvement in developing recipes professionally that are oil-based. This indicates a deeper understanding of ingredient interactions, ratios, and how to balance flavors and textures specifically when using oil as a primary fat.
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Substituting Oil for Butter: The article hints at providing guidance or tips for home bakers on how to effectively substitute oil for butter in their favorite baking recipes. This demonstrates knowledge about the interchangeability of fats in recipes and how to adjust proportions for desired outcomes.
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Specific Recipe Mentioned: The article references a recipe for "Cacio e Pepe Olive Oil Popovers," which highlights the use of olive oil as a featured ingredient, likely providing a unique flavor profile to the popover.
This breakdown showcases a comprehensive understanding of baking techniques, ingredient functionalities, and recipe development strategies, particularly in the context of simplifying baking processes using oil-based recipes.
FAQs
Baking with oil is faster and easier than baking with butter. Because oil does not need to be melted and then cooled, or creamed for 5 minutes until fluffy, and is instead added straight-up to the recipe's wet ingredients, assembly is faster and there is no need to dirty a saucepan or pull out your mixer.
What happens when you use oil instead of butter in baking? ›
What about substituting oil for butter? Depending on the type of oil, it can add complex flavor and welcome moisture to your baked goods. A good rule of thumb is to replace about 3/4 of the butter in a recipe with olive, canola, or vegetable oil. (If the recipe calls for 1 cup butter, use ¾ cup oil.)
Is it better to bake with oil or butter? ›
There are no surprises here: butter tastes better than oil in baking recipes. However, in recipes with other bold flavors – such as chocolate, coffee, or citrus – butter can sometimes compete with the other flavors and this is normally when a recipe calls for oil instead.
Does oil or butter make cookies softer? ›
Indeed, cookies made with butter are usually softer and more tender than those made with oils. And last but not least, butter in cookies helps achieve that perfect texture. That's because butter melts at a lower temperature than other fats, allowing cookies to spread evenly while baking.
Why is oil better than butter? ›
"Replacing butter with monounsaturated oils, such as olive oil, can reduce bad cholesterol in the body and is associated with better heart health outcomes," she says. Butter isn't always the best choice for the style of cooking, either.
What makes a cake more moist oil or butter? ›
Vegetable oil contributes moistness far more reliably, a result of the fact that oil remains liquid at room temperature while butter solidifies. Liquid contributes to the sensation of moistness, and therefore cakes made with oil often present as moister than their butter-based counterparts.
Is it healthier to use oil instead of butter? ›
Some types of fat are healthier for your heart than others. Butter and other animal fats and solid margarine may not be the best choices. Alternatives to consider are liquid vegetable oil, such as olive oil.
Why do cakes use oil instead of butter? ›
Texture:Cakes made with oil tend to be moister and have a more tender crumb. Oil coats the flour proteins better than butter, resulting in a softer texture. Cakes made with butter can have a richer flavor and a slightly firmer texture. Butter contributes to a more traditional and dense cake structure.
What is the best oil to bake a cake with? ›
Best Oils for Baking
Choosing vegetable oil is the best option for baking moist, delicious baked goods. Canola oil, the most common vegetable oil used in baking, doesn't add a strong flavor. It allows your cake's flavor will shine through while still achieving a moist texture.
What is the healthiest oil to bake cakes with? ›
Extra virgin olive oil is my number-one favourite, and you'll notice that I use this oil in most of my recipes - yes, including desserts, cakes, cookies and even chocolate! This oil is beautiful-tasting, velvety and brimming with health benefits: it's a rich source of antioxidants and monounsaturated fatty acids.
Butter to Oil Conversion
| BUTTER/MARGARINE | OLIVE OIL |
|---|
| 1/2 Cup | 1/4 Cup + 2 Tablespoons |
| 2/3 Cup | 1/2 Cup |
| 3/4 Cup | 1/2 Cup + 1 Tablespoon |
| 1 Cup | 3/4 Cup |
5 more rowsMany muffin recipes use cooking oil instead of butter. Oil, being a liquid, distributes easily in the quick-mix batter and is readily absorbed into the baked muffin, producing a light non-greasy texture. Vegetable oil is ideal because its mild flavour doesn't compete with the main flavour of the muffin.
Which is more unhealthy butter or oil? ›
Bottom line: Olive, canola and safflower oils are healthier choices overall than butter and most margarines. Use them as replacements for butter and margarine in most of your cooking, but watch the amounts – those fat calories can add up fast.
Can I use oil instead of butter in brownies? ›
Note that while some brownie recipes do call for melted butter instead of oil, the butter can aerate the batter, altering the texture of the brownies and making them cakey rather than fudgy. So, while you can substitute butter for oil and vice versa, remember that it might alter the texture.
How does oil affect cookies? ›
The reason oil is used in baking is to add and keep moisture in your baked goods. Oil essentially coats the flour, then traps the gasses produced by the chemical reaction of the leavening agent, slowing down the gluten formation and keeping your treats fluffy and delicate.
How much vegetable oil is equal to a stick of butter? ›
For example, if a recipe calls for one stick of butter (8 tablespoons), use 6 tablespoons of oil.
What does oil do in baking? ›
The reason oil is used in baking is to add and keep moisture in your baked goods. Oil essentially coats the flour, then traps the gasses produced by the chemical reaction of the leavening agent, slowing down the gluten formation and keeping your treats fluffy and delicate. So cool.
What makes a cake fluffy vs dense? ›
If a recipe includes a lot of acid such as lemon juice and buttermilk and isn't lifted with enough baking powder, the cake will taste dense. In that case, you may need the addition of baking soda which will react with the acid and create a fluffier crumb.
How much oil equals a half a cup of butter? ›
Butter to Oil Conversion
| BUTTER/MARGARINE | OLIVE OIL |
|---|
| 1/4 Cup | 3 Tablespoons |
| 1/3 Cup | 1/4 Cup |
| 1/2 Cup | 1/4 Cup + 2 Tablespoons |
| 2/3 Cup | 1/2 Cup |
5 more rows