Substituting butter for oil: Does it matter for baked goods?
When a recipe (like for muffins) calls for vegetable oil, does it matter if I substitute the oil for butter because I want that buttery taste in the muffins?
Do I need to compensate for the difference by adding/subtracting the amount of butter added?
Best Answer
Butter is at most 82% oil and the rest is water. So, you're going to need to add more butter for the same amount of oil. Besides, you need to adjust the liquid content accordingly since you are going to have more water than you planned.
If you are going to use the same amount of oil, then it will not make any difference other than the taste. Just make sure they are of same state (i.e. melted butter instead of vegetable oil or vice versa)
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What happens if you substitute butter for oil in baking?
Butter substitute for baking Most cake mixes call for oil, but butter will bring in amazing flavor. To substitute butter for oil in baking just melt the butter, measure it, let it cool, and add it as you would the oil. Compared to oil, butter will create a cake with a firmer, cakeier texture.Is it better to bake with 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.What happens if I replace oil with butter in cookies?
No Bake Cookies \u2013 In most cases, the butter helps the cookies set up, so you'll want to use a highly-saturated oil, like coconut oil or palm oil (or shortening). You can use a 1:1 ratio of oil (or shortening) for the butter. The dough will feel greasy if you use oil, but it will set up more normally when chilled.How much butter do I substitute for oil in cake mix?
Replace oil in cake and other recipes by using 1 cup of butter for every 3/4 cup of oil.More answers regarding substituting butter for oil: Does it matter for baked goods?
Answer 2
If you're making something like muffins, then in my experience the water content is a non-issue. Yes, there's some water. But muffin batter has such a broad range of tolerance that as long as you're basically familiar with the target consistency it'll be fine.
That said, the amount of oil or butter that goes into a batch of muffins is not really enough to impart much butter flavor.
Answer 3
You'd be better off using clarified butter than melted butter, as butter is about 15% water, and could affect the texture if not compensated for properly.
Answer 4
If I am substituting butter for oil, I like to do a mixture of 1/2 butter and half shortening, this allows the richness of the butter as well as keeping the consistency of the recipe. I also add clear butter extract (flavoring) to the recipe. I use about 1/2 tsp butter extract per 1/2c of shortening and cream the butter/shortening mixture with eggs, sugar and vanilla first before I add any other ingredients. I also substitute shortening for butter sometimes, only I also add 1tbs of water per 1/2c shortening along with the extract. Hope this helps!
Answer 5
two options spring to mind: 1) consider either adding butter flavoring (I have only seen the imitation version int eh extract flavoring options at the stores)
2) or just adding a little butter to the batter (substituting part or even just throwing in the leftovers of a stick)
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