John Myers
You would like to bake your next cake with oil instead of butter – and you are wondering if that is even possible? Don’t worry: In fact, liquid fat is suitable for all sweet and savory baked goods.
When you can trade oil for butter — and when you can’t
Whether in savory baked goods like a quiche or in a sweet birthday cake: you can use oil instead of butter in any type of dough. From simple batter to yeast dough and choux pastry. When it comes to baking, the possible uses of oil only end with the fillings of pastries. For example, you cannot simply prepare buttercream with oil. The same goes for any other treat where butter is a primary ingredient.
PS: If you also need tips on how to deal with fat when cooking, we have many articles on this topic. Among them, for example, “Fat without fat: is that even possible?”. It’s best to read right away!
Baking with oil instead of butter: these are the advantages
Relying on liquid fat when baking has many advantages. This makes the dough, for example, smoother and juicier. In addition, rapeseed oil and co. are also suitable, for example, for vegan and lactose-free consumption, which can be beneficial to health. Speaking of health, if you’ve ever wondered, “Butter or margarine: which is healthier?” we have the answer.
Good to know: In addition to oil, you can also replace butter with banana mousse and many other ingredients. You can find out exactly what these are in our article “Baking without butter: What alternatives are there?”.
Cakes with oil instead of butter: this is important to note
If you prepare focaccia, waffles, or biscuits with oil instead of butter, first of all, pay attention to the right oil-to-butter ratio!
When converting butter to oil, the following applies: 100 g butter corresponds to 80 g oil and 20 g liquid.
The latter is necessary because, unlike oils, butter also contains liquid that also needs to be replaced. As a liquid substitute, use either water or milk or milk substitutes. Important when converting if you use oil instead of butter: weigh the liquid fat instead of measuring it in milliliters.
Also, when substituting oil for butter, consider the type of oil! Flavorless types such as rapeseed and sunflower oil are suitable for baking sweet treats. You can also use olive oil for savory baked goods.
Pay attention to how high the respective oils may be heated! In general, refined oils can be heated to a higher temperature than cold-pressed oils. However, some (high-quality) oils must not be heated at all, as this produces substances that are harmful to health (e.g. linseed oil).
