Anyone use pumpkin (or apple sauce) and oil to replace butter?
I tried it and I'm not sure if I like it. Looking for some opinions on this practice.
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37 Comments:
I do, and the products I bake doing this do have a slightly different texture and taste. When I first began, I didn't care for it, but now I find I actually prefer them. Maybe the preference for this taste and texture is one that is acquired?
There are actually some really beautiful cakes that can be made using only light olive oil, and their taste is spectacular. Souther Italians have been doing this for centuries. Maybe you should try a few of those recipes, and gradually work into using purees to replace fats? But, really, once you get used to baking this way, you will prefer the lightness, both literally and figuratively.
Brownie at 9:28AM on 10/29/09
I usually use 1-2 T of oil or butter and substitute yogurt for the rest of the fat in the recipe.
Vegetarianka at 10:32AM on 10/29/09
When baking, I actually rarely use butter, no matter what the recipe calls for. I just think canola oil keeps baked goods more moist and butter can burn easily. There are some recipes where it can't be avoided, but I use oil whenever I can.
As Vegetarianka said, yogurt is also an excellent substitute. Plain yorurt works well, but sometimes I use flavored yogurts like vanilla or strawberry and it's excellent.
PumpkinBear at 10:51AM on 10/29/09
i've replaced oil with applesauce many times in baking cakes. it's a bit lighter and fluffier and no one can tell a difference.
_greenbean at 11:07AM on 10/29/09
question - when you do the replacement of butter with oil, yogurt, or something else of the like... how do you know how much to put of the replacement? are there general proportions/ratios??
AmaniNaUpendo at 1:54PM on 10/29/09
Applesauce is used frequently to replace butter at a 1:1 ratio. I imagine pumpkin wouldn't be much different but adding a mild flavored olive oil would add the mouthfeel of fat without cholesterol. For darker breads, prune butter (prunes whizzed in a FP with a small amount of very hot water) works the same way, at a 1:1 ratio to butter.
Whoever is interested in knowing food substitutions - go to the Cook's Thesaurus and bookmark it. For great baking information, I belong to Baking 911. It's one of the very few sites I actually pay to use but there's free information as well for non-premium members.
therealchiffonade at 2:29PM on 10/29/09
I tried the pumpkin replacement once in a brownie mix. It tasted okay, not like a brownie but more fudge-like. My family was not happy with the replacement and kept saying "it didn't taste bad" which means they were just being polite because they really meant it didn't taste good...
I've tried applesauce once or twice and no one seems to notice the difference.
lcgrant03 at 2:32PM on 10/29/09
Julia Child would roll over in her grave! My dad is a chef and taught me never to replace the butter when baking. Though I do use subs for eggs if I run out. Yesterday I used a little pumpkin and oil to replace an egg in my banana bread- and it tasted just the same.
VegeErin at 2:48PM on 10/29/09
thanks for the great sites therealchiffonade!!!
AmaniNaUpendo at 3:53PM on 10/29/09
@Vege - your dad has a point - to a degree. I would NOT under any circumstances replace the butter in a cake that depends largely on the butter for flavor - i.e. pound cake. It's a good sub for a spice cake or a type of cake where there are a lot of other flavors, i.e. spices, nuts, etc.
@Amani - You're welcome!
therealchiffonade at 3:58PM on 10/29/09
when i bake a cake, i don't hesitate to replace butter with oil and applesauce, BUT when making cookies, you have to be careful, because its the type of fat that usually determines the spread, and the texture. And those elements really do make or break a cookie
reine123 at 4:08PM on 10/29/09
I replace butter with applesauce or pumpkin all the time, and I don't mind the taste. I never sub it ALL out though, and I've been doing it for years, so I've completely adjusted to any difference in taste (not that I think there's much of a difference, unless it's something really buttery).
katieelby at 4:13PM on 10/29/09
I've used applesauce as a partial replacement in some muffin and quick bread recipes and have enjoyed the results. I would probably avoid a complete replacement, as the moisture from the applesauce can definitely change the overall texture of the product.
Abby D at 7:05PM on 10/29/09
I've used baby food prunes as a substitute for some of the butter or oil in brownies with much success. The prunes seemed to enhance the chocolate flavor.
dhorst at 7:10PM on 10/29/09
Butter is good for you (there was an article in the "leftovers" column a few weeks ago) and tastes soooooooo good... I don;t know why you would try to replace it
foodieteen at 9:31PM on 10/29/09
Dad always subbed in applesauce in his whole wheat pancakes. I've always considered it a must :)
Grace at 1:41AM on 10/30/09
@foodieteen - I would not go so far as to say butter is "good" for you. It's better than margarine and shortening because a) it's natural and b) margarine and shortening have trans fats ("artery glue"). It's always better to have a small amount of "the real thing" when it comes to butter, than to try and replace it with margarine or shortening.
However, some people have high cholesterol and need to keep an eye on saturated fats. This is my personal reason for subbing part of the butter content of certain recipes with mildly flavored olive oil. It's a heart healthy fat that tastes good, and won't replace one type of damage with another like margarine and shortening.
therealchiffonade at 8:45AM on 10/30/09
This is a great thread...it was a question on my mind recently that I was planning to post. Thanks @therealchiffonade for the links too.
nithya at hungrydesi at 11:24AM on 10/30/09
Side dish Jody uses applesauce on occasion for cooking at home. It is a much more healthy alternative.
Who is side dish Jody you ask?
dogsontheroad.blogspot.com to find out
hot dog_guy at 5:31PM on 10/30/09
I have a persimmon tree and use persimmon pulp, which is very sweet, instead of a lot of sugar in recipes. Mostly have done cookies and quick breads. Quick breads come out great. A bit of a texture issue with cookies. Haven't branched out much beyond that.
lucylucy at 10:08PM on 10/30/09
I've used apple sauce in place of half or even all the oil in recipes for baked goods like quick breads, muffins and cakes (never tried pumpkin) and it imparts moistness and an additional, apply flavor.
Mares at 12:08AM on 10/31/09
Had a vegan friend in grad school make me a pineapple upside-down cake (my FAVORITE) with applesauce. One of the best birthday cakes I've ever had.
Corollary to the applesauce question. Has Splenda replaced sugar for anyone? I've used it in some recipes and while I could notice a difference, it certainly didn't make the recipe bad at all.
kitchengeeking at 12:26PM on 10/31/09
I used homemade applesauce once to replace the eggs in a cake mix. The cake was incredibly moist and yummy.
Roxanne Cooke at 1:02PM on 10/31/09
i bake vegan so i normally use bananas and vanilla soymilk in place of dairy, which always yields delicious results. however, when i tried to use pumpkin instead... raging failure: http://lveggplant.wordpress.com/2009/10/22/chocolate-chip-pumpkin-muffins/
carolynmittens at 10:14PM on 11/01/09
i just read a recipe for granola that has you swapping out the oil for fruit puree. i think it was on david lebovitz's blog. he says it makes the granola chunky and extra crunchy. i never use oil in my granola, but i do miss the clusters you get in the commercial kind, so i think i'll try it.
cybercita at 10:22PM on 11/01/09
No. I don't substitute for Butter, I won't use fake sugar in things, and I won't used fake milk either. Better to have a little bit of real food that tastes good and feels right in your mouth then have the fake stuff more often.
@kitchengeeking as to your splenda question, that stuff, like all the sugar substitutes I've tried leave my mouth feeling greasy. It seriously feels like I rinsed my mouth with bacon grease, then had a big glass of cold water. YUCK!
thepirateking at 8:06AM on 11/02/09
I've used applesauce as a fat substitute from time to time. I can detect it in yellow/white cakes, but not in other flavors. It does keep the cake moist, but as mentioned above, the cake is much lighter in texture. I will not sub it in carrot or banana cake.
I've never heard of using pumpkin or bananas, but I'm willing to give it a go, just to see what the end product tastes and feels like. Where can I find more information on this?
playingwithsugar at 9:09AM on 11/02/09
I've been using extra virgin olive oil for 99% of all my cooking.
The other 1% is made up of butter or grapeseed oil. Mostly the grapeseed oil.
Twinwillow at 9:39AM on 11/02/09
Regarding the comments about Splenda: I use Splenda in place of sugar for every recipe that calls for sugar. Especially ice cream. I don't understand the comment about Splenda being greasy. I've never experienced a greasy feeling or taste using it. As a matter of fact, I can't detect any difference in flavor or texture whatsoever.
Twinwillow at 9:45AM on 11/02/09
Nope. I've never done it. I love my butter too much. And since baked goods are where I eat the vast majority of my butter, I don't see a reason to change...unless I'm baking something for a vegan. That, however, has not been a common experience in my life.
Twistie at 9:51AM on 11/02/09
What a great thread. I think substituting butter with applesauce works really well in certain applications. I almost always use it (or yogurt) because when I make cakes, I usually make carrot or spice cakes. The flavor and texture the applesauce adds works very well. Also in oatmeal cookies. Makes them super chewy.
However, if I am making something more delicate in flavor, or something where the butter flavor is supposed to shine through I go ahead and use butter. Those things are always for special occasions anyway.
Oh and pie crusts (obviously). I was a vegan for a while. I made a pie crust once with coconut oil which was ok. But nothing can compare to a flaky all butter crust.
MsHumpal at 10:05AM on 11/02/09
I have used applesauce as a substitute in a spicy bar cookie. The applesauce flavor was a nice complement to the raisins, nuts and spices, and it kept the cookie moist. It was a big hit with my son who was a vegan at the time and wanted something sweet for the holidays.
gmm31313 at 11:17AM on 11/02/09
I've only used apple sauce once and I liked the results. I've heard that you should use A.S. in place of all liquids. I don't really bake that much so I can't really say for sure.
divajinx at 11:49AM on 11/02/09
Re Splenda -- It is fine in "wet" applications like cheesecake, but if you want to make a sugar-free cake or something else using the "cream butter and sugar together" method to give it structure, you will have to use maltitol or another sugar alcohol. They have the sugar structure but no calories. That's what manufacturers use to make sugar free candy, etc. Also, if you have ever looked at a package of sf candy, you will see on there somewhere (generally in very fine print): "Warning, may have a laxative effect." That's the sugar alcohol. They are not kidding, either! It's worthwhile using the sugar alcohols if you need to, but be careful.
dragonflyknits at 12:36PM on 11/02/09
I have only tried replacing oil with unsweetened applesauce in home-made muffins and I think they taste terrific! That goes along with adding other low calorie/and or low fat ingredients to the muffins.
Bevo4 at 3:04PM on 11/02/09
I use applesauce occasionally, but only when it goes with the rest of the flavours in the recipe. More often I use plain yogurt (or flavoured if I'm making something with fruit).
I don't like most veg. oils in baking, I find they make for really greasy food. I do, however, replace half the butter in my choc. chip cookies with unrefined coconut oil... and then add coconut flakes to the recipe...yum!
I replace most eggs with a combo of flour, butter, baking powder and water. And I despise fake sugars - no splenda for me - but I have been known to use banana as a sweetener.
For the ultimate in replacements check these out: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/nikkis-healthy-cookies-recipe.html
...even better than they look!
dewdle at 3:34PM on 11/02/09
Thank you for a timely post. As part of a fast I'm doing with others from church, I'm fasting from dairy (except mayo), so trying to stay away from eggs and butter during this time. I love dessert, so looking to replace eggs and butter with tasty alternatives. Thank you all for contributions.
bster18 at 5:35PM on 11/02/09