For cookies, replace half of the butter with applesauce, egg whites, or plain yogurt. Replace regular butter equally with a healthy butter spread such as Promise or Smart Balance. Replace half of the butter with mashed bananas, apple butter, or pureed fruit such as prunes (prunes work best in chocolate recipes).
What happens if I reduce butter in a recipe?
Use less butter in partial substitutions To avoid affecting the texture and lightness of the cake, it is recommended to replace only half of the butter. Similarly, replacing all the butter with applesauce will affect the density of the bread, making it heavier and more humid.
Can butter be reduced?
Butter solids: butter solids (the layer scooped from the top) can be lightly browned with a small amount of butter to create “browned butter”. Then add additional buttery flavor to cookies, vegetables, soups, mashed potatoes, or use as a seasoning for bread.
What happens if you put less butter in a cake?
If there is too much flour and not enough butter, the cake will dry out. On the other hand, if there is too much milk and not enough flour, the cake will be too wet. Finding the right balance between wet and dry ingredients is critical.
It can also affect the texture of the cookie. Cookies made with butter are thinner and crisper than the same cookies made with shortening or margarine because butter has a lower melting point than shortening or margarine, causing it to spread further during baking. Changing the type of butter may also make a difference.
Thus, one way to get the most out of both: use half butter and half shortening. By the way, “butter” is butter. Real butter, not margarine. And here the “shortening” is Crisco baking sticks.
Can I use less butter in brownies?
You can replace the butter in the baking recipe with unsweetened replacer sauce, using half the amount of applesauce as the amount of butter called for in the recipe. If you are watching fat calories, need to add a little more fiber, or don’t have enough butter in the recipe, doing so will help.
Is shortening or butter better for cake?
Cakes made with butter and shortening Taste is the obvious difference, as butter produces a more flavorful cake. Cakes made with butter will be just as light and tender as cakes made with shortening.
How do I turn butter into shortening?
Substitute butter for shortening
- Multiplying the weight of the shortening by 1.25 yields 114.6 grams. This is the amount of butter you need to use.
- Multiply the weight of the butter by 0.15. This gives you about 10 grams of liquid, or about 2 teaspoons. You will need to subtract from the recipe.
What makes a cake moist?
Making a moist cake begins with the cake mix. If the recipe calls for all-purpose flour, choose cake flour instead to create a wetter, softer crumb. Additions such as sour cream, buttermilk, or applesauce can also infuse moisture and prevent a dry cake.
How do you make cake soft and spongy?
Here are five tips for making a soft, spongy cake
- Check the temperatures. The temperature of each component plays an important role in making the cake spongy.
- Sift properly. Sifting adds air to the mixture and makes it lighter.
- Preheat the oven. Always preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Mix the eggs.
- Use buttermilk.
Butter donates milk solids and water to the cookie, both of which soften it. Brown sugar donates molasses – again, a softener. Using low-moisture sugar (granulated) and fat (plant shortening), plus a longer-than-usual slow bake, produces a light, crunchy cookie.
Basically, cookies made with butter spread more and are flatter and crisper when baked long enough. However, they are more flavorful than cookies made with shortening. Cookies made with shortening will be taller and softer, but not as flavorful.
To begin with, make them cooler. How to fix it: If too soft butter is the culprit, try refrigerating the cookie dough for an hour or two before baking. If too thin flour is the problem, try adding a tablespoon or two of flour to the dough.
The shortening is 100% fat and contains no water. This means that no steam is created during baking which effectively reduces gluten production, so cookie shortening tends to be softer and softer. Shortening also has a higher melting point than butter, resulting in a higher cookie.
Crisco® whole vegetable shortening leaves the cake moist. At first glance, you can see why it has butter beets.
What does shortening do in baking?
The shortened fat melts at room temperature and permeates the dough, creating a physical barrier between all the gluten molecules and not expanding as much. Shortening can also be used to keep baked goods softer after baking.
Can I use half butter half oil in brownies?
Can absolutely replace butter with vegetable oil. Use the same amount specified in the directions (for example, if you need 1/3 cup oil, use 5 1/3 tablespoons butter). Let it melt and cool slightly.
Do brownies taste better with butter or oil?
No surprises here. Butter tastes better than oil in baking recipes.
Is it better to use butter or oil for brownies?
In brownies, both butter and oil provide a moist, soft texture, but only the butter gives the dish the aeration needed to raise the brownies. When using cake brownies, butter is the better choice because the butter helps raise the batter. For fudge-type brownie densities, oil is allowed.
What is the foam on top of melted butter?
The top layer is white foam or foam (whey protein) and should be skimmed off with a spoon. Strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth-lined strainer. The liquid collected is golden yellow clear butter (butterfat).
How do you remove dairy from butter?
Instructions.
- Place the butter in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan.
- Once the butter is completely melted, you will notice a white layer with bubbles forming at the top.
- Skim as much foam as possible from the surface.
- Remove butter from heat and let rest for 5 minutes.
What is the purpose of parchment paper?
Line a sheet pan with parchment paper to protect the food as well as the pan, whether you are roasting vegetables, baked cookies, or cookies. It acts as a layer of insulation between the pan and the food, keeping it from burning or smoldering and also ensuring cooking.
What is the best shortening for cakes?
The higher melting point of vegetable shortening makes it ideal for baking. The size of the shortening strip and how thoroughly it is mixed into the flour determines the ability of the fat to hold its shape rather than melt.
Is Crisco better than butter?
Butter is generally preferred by home cooks, but shortening is used in most industrialized settings. It is shelf stable, less expensive than butter, and has less temperament. Shortening is superior to butter for frying because of its higher frying point.
Are Crisco and shortening the same thing?
The term “shortening” actually refers to all fats and oils, but we are talking here about shortening of hydrogenated vegetable oils (such as Crisco). This type of shortening is usually made from soy, cotton, or palm oil.
How much butter is equal to 1 cup of shortening?
Butter. Butter is a natural alternative to shortening. It provides a similar texture and even tastier flavor. If you are replacing butter in a recipe that calls for shortening, the ratio: 1 cup + 2 tablespoons of butter for 2 cups of shortening is shown below.
Is a stick of butter the same as a stick of Crisco?
Allow to cool slightly before adding other ingredients. Can I substitute Crisco shortening for butter or margarine? Generally, you can substitute the same amount of Crisco shortening for butter or margarine (1 cup Crisco shortening = 1 cup butter or margarine).
Is shortening healthier than butter?
Butter is slightly more nutritious than shortening. Using fat in baked goods helps keep them moist and soft. However, the type of fat used will also affect the nutritional content of the finished product.
Do professional bakers use cake mix?
Some bakers do only scratch, some do only mix, and some do a little of both. At Cakeboss, we prefer cake mixes for some cakes, especially Cakeboss White Velvet Wedding Cake, but we scratch all the time for other cakes such as Red Velvet Cake, Italian Cream Cake, and Carrot Cake.
What ingredient makes a cake moist and fluffy?
Cream Butter and Sugar. Whisking the butter and sugar together is one of the key tips for making the cake spongy, fluffy, and moist. Beat the butter and sugar for a long time until the mixture incorporates air and becomes pale yellow and fluffy. This process is known as creaming.
What ingredient makes a cake rise?
Most cakes call for an expander such as baking powder or baking soda. These create the foam needed for the cake to rise. If the flour you use is self-raising, it already has a huge amount of agents in it. Make sure the butter is at room temperature and beat the butter and sugar together until properly creamed.
What happens if I put too many eggs in a cake?
If there are too many eggs in the cake, the consistency of the cake batter will be much thinner and a stunning golden color, but the cake will taste and be textured like a baked custard.
How do I make my sponge light and fluffy?
Creaming means beating the butter with sugar until it is light and fluffy and traps tiny air bubbles. The air bubbles you add, plus the CO2 released by the raising agent, expand as it gets hot and the cake rises. A wooden spoon and elbow grease will do the job, but an electric mixer is your best bet.
Why is my cake dense and not fluffy?
Your cake is too dense. Solution: make sure you use a wet measure for the wet ingredients and use a dry, dry measurement. Make sure the baking soda and powder are fresh and check the oven temperature to make sure it is hot enough. Cakes baked too late will take longer to set, may fall out, and develop a dense texture.
Double the egg yolks Most cookie recipes call for at least one egg. You can try omitting the white of each egg. Each egg tends to dry out when baked and is replaced by an additional egg yolk plus. Egg yolks have more fat than egg whites, which helps keep the cookies moist and crunchy.
Cold butter is ideal for baked goods that are supposed to be crumbly. Butter straight from the refrigerator will not be fully incorporated into the batter. Instead, it will break down into smaller pieces throughout your batter.
Egg yolks, where all the fat is in the egg, enhance richness, softness, and flavor. Thus, if you brush on the extra egg, you get a chewier cookie. I do it all the time. If you do less, you will get more crumbly cookies.
Too much butter and your cookies will be predictable. Very buttery. This batch of cookies had a cakey middle but were also airy with crunchy edges. They were yellow, slightly swollen in the middle and very light with brown around the perimeter.
9 Tips to Remember
- Use real butter and chill. The lower melting point of butter may be what flattens the cookies.
- Use shortening.
- Chill the dough twice.
- Use parchment paper or silicone liners.
- Measure accurately.
- Use fresh baking soda.
- Use optional add-ins.
- Purchase an oven thermometer.
Chocolate chip cookies can be cakey, dry, or both. The most common cause is using unusual flours, such as cake flour, and measuring flour with too heavy a hand. Using a larger egg than is called for will make the cookie more cakey than milk or milk and other liquids specified.
Brown sugar, on the other hand, is denser, more compact and easier, and has fewer air pockets in the cream. This means less chance of trapping gas, creating cookies that rise and spread. With less moisture escaping via vapor, they remain moist and chewy.
Should you refrigerate Crisco shortening?
There is no need to refrigerate Crisco shortening. The product is safe at room temperature both before opening and at the opening. Even the brand itself suggests that you store their products on a pantry shelf.
Eggs add structure, expansion, color, and flavor to our cakes and cookies. The balance of eggs and flour helps provide the height and texture of many baked goods to Baker’s Joy. It is a balancing act.
Thus, one way to get the most out of both: use half butter and half shortening. By the way, “butter” is butter. Real butter, not margarine. And here the “shortening” is Crisco baking sticks.
What is the difference between shortening and butter in baking?
The general difference affecting baking is that shortening is 100% fat, whereas butter is only 80%. This is because butter contains up to 16% moisture and about 2% milk solids.
What makes brownies fudgy?
Fudgy Brownies have a higher ratio of fat to fountain than cakes. Add fat. In this case, butter and chocolate. A cake-like batch has more flour and relies on baking powder to keep the powder going. The amount of sugar and eggs will not vary as in a cake you will be fudgy.
How much butter do I use instead of 1/2 cup oil?
1/2 cup oil = 2/3 cup butter.
What makes brownies moist?
Canola Oil and Eggs – Brownie mixes usually require oil and eggs, so these are the two standard ingredients needed for boxed brownies. Both add moisture and help create fudgy brownies.
Why do chocolate cakes use oil instead of butter?
Vegetable oil causes moisture much more reliably. This is a result of the fact that butter hardens while oil remains liquid at room temperature. Liquid contributes to the sensation of moisture, and thus there are often cakes made with oil present as a greaser rather than a butter-based counterpart.
Why did my brownies come out cakey?
There may be several reasons why you are getting cake brownies, but if you are getting cake brownies, chances are you are using flour or baking powder. This also means you may not be using enough butter in the batter. Cakey brownies are also the result of over-whisking.
What to add to brownies to make them chewy?
How to make box brownies crumbly
- 1 – Reduce the eggs. Most boxed brownie mixes call for two eggs.
- 2 – Use only egg yolks. Another way to encourage boxed brownies to bake nice and crunchy is to use two egg yolks and omit the egg whites.
- 3 – Use melted butter.
- 4 – During baking.
Is oil and butter interchangeable baking?
As far as baking goes, it is easy to substitute butter for oil. Most cake mixes require oil, but butter brings great flavor. To substitute butter for baking, melt butter, measure, cool, and add as you would oil.
Can you mix butter and oil in a cake?
Can I use both butter and oil in my cakes? Yes, you certainly can. This recipe combines butter and oil to give off a buttery flavor while keeping it soft and moist. Cakes made with pure butter tend to be denser and drier than when oil is added to butter.
How do I make my brownies more fudgy?
In general, the more eggs you add to a brownie recipe, the firmer the brownie will be. For this reason, we recommend using two eggs, which is usually the amount listed on the back of the box. However, additional yolks can be added. The additional yolks will add more fat and create a fuzzier brownie.
What can you do with expired butter?
Butter has a “shelf life” rather than an expiration date. Butter has a “shelf life” rather than an expiration date, because with proper storage, the shelf life can be extended from one month to one year. If butter is frozen or refrigerated and proper storage methods are used, it is safe to eat. However, if it smells or smells strange, it should be discarded immediately.
Can you reuse melted butter?
Part of making butter is stirring… The stirring process introduces a large amount of air into the butter. As it melts, the air escapes, so the melted butter never returns to the same state as it was before it was melted.
Can you melt butter too much?
However, heating to the melting point destroys these crystals. They can be restored, but only if the butter is cooled rapidly. (Putting it back in the refrigerator slows down the cooling process and prevents the small crystals from reassembling.)