when you replace butter with oil in your cakes........

[mint]

do you need to adjust the quantity?  For example, if the recipe says 150G butter, can you do a straightforward swap of 150 ml. oil?

Patf, I think you know about this.  I remember your saying that oil makes the cake lighter.  I have been trying this with an apple cake recipe but, although the taste is very good, the structure is very soft and does not hold up well.

The mixture is loose when I put it in the tin.  I have tried using less apple, wholemeal flour and adding sunflower seeds to the mixture but the last cake especially was too soft and did not hold together when sliced up and served.

Any suggestions, please?

[Patf]

Mint - I can't answer your question about quantities to place butter. But I have some recipes which use oil in cakes instead of butter/marg,  I don't think it makes any difference to lightness. It's simpler though. I also use oil in biscuit recipes - good, and once tried to make pastry with oil - complete flop!

I never use butter in baking, I use soft marg., but that's just me. I'm sure butter works just as well , even better. To find out quantities of oil to replace fat you would need to melt the fat down to its oil state and measure it.

The lightest sponge I make has no oil or fat at all - just eggs sugar and plain flour. And a drop of almond essence.

[idun]

First recipe I had with oil in it was given to me years ago by a friend's spannish mother. I tried it and it was good, but the texture not as my normal cakes. I did it a few times, and then forgot about it.

Not sure where the recipe is now, but my son believes in some sort of law of coincidences..... so funny you should mention this as not that long ago, I have started making muffins with oil, easy peasy and lovely and light.

Would I swop butter or spread for oil, no, I don't think I would. Cakes, I sort of follow recipes and wouldn't risk it, but if it works, let us know please.

My muffins, I either stir frozen blueberries into the mix, or dried ginger with added chopped cristallised ginger.Both go down well.

[andyh4]

Certainly not an expert in cake making or swapping oil for butter, but, I am pretty sure that substituting 150ml oil for 150gm butter will not give you the same balance of fat to the other ingredients.

To maintain the balance you should add 150gm oil. Depending on which oil you are using that will be more like 190ml.

[mint]

I always use oil when I make muffins and they are OK, sometimes better than others.

I'll make this apple cake again soon, using softened butter as per the recipe and then I'll know for sure if it's the recipe or my tampering with it[I]

[idun]

I have to admit that I find that butter makes a firmer crumb to a cake, but the taste, well, I do add a pinch of salt to bring out the taste of the butter, but a cake made with butter is a delight.

What is your recipe for the apple cake??? Maybe it will be obvious as to what should be in the mix just looking at the recipe???[I]

I know that muffins really seem to go against my instincts what with the mix almost being a runny batter, but it works, at least the recipe I have does.

[Patf]

Mint and idun - apple cake.You've reminded me that I have a recipe for that made with oil that a friend gave me. I've made it a few times.

1 cup SR flour + tsp cinamon

1 cup sugar

Half cup oil

2-3 eggs

 5 cooking apples.

I don't know what she meant by a cup - can't ask her because she's gone to a better place (she died aged 96).

[andyh4]

A "cup" is a standard (US) measure.

Officially, a US Cup is 240ml (or 8.45 imperial fluid ounces.)

[idun]

I used to used to post on an american food board many years ago and all recipes were in cups....... drives me mad......... what is wrong with scales, especially as every one on there, man or woman had special measuring cups and did not just 'use a cup', more washing up as far as I am concerned and I am a VERY LAZY cook really[Www]

[Pommier]

I make a lemon drizzle cake with oil and it comes out really well, but I don't think you can just swap butter for oil; you need recipes designed to use oil.