Can Butter, Margarine, or Canola Oil Be Substituted for Shortening in Baking?

Question

Can canola oil be substituted for shortening in baking recipes?

I want to bake something sweet, but I am trying to reduce restrict eating or using things like shortening, so I don't have any in the house, and I only have canola oil or butter (I also have a tub of Country Crock spreadable margarine)

I found a recipe for Snickerdoodle cake, and it calls for 1/2 cup of shortening.

But, I don't use or have shortening, and only have butter, oil or margarine. So, instead of using shortening, can I use one of these for the cake?

If so, what are the equivalent measurements?

Answer 1

Shortening is a semisolid fat used in food preparation, especially baked goods, and is so called because it inhibits the formation of long gluten strands in wheat-based doughs, giving them a "short" texture (as in shortbread). The term "shortening" can be used more broadly to apply to any fat that is used for baking and which is solid at room temperature, such as butter, lard, or margarine, but as used in recipes it refers to a hydrogenated vegetable oil that is solid at room temperature. Shortening has a higher smoke point than butter and margarine, and it has 100% fat content, compared to 80% for butter and margarine.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shortening

Shortbread is so named because of its crumbly texture (from an old meaning of the word short). The cause of this texture is its high fat content, provided by the butter. The related word "shortening" refers to any fat that may be added to produce a short (crumbly) texture. The term "short" is used in reference to the fact that the fat molecules inhibit the formation of long gluten strands, making it "short".

Shortbread is not to be confused with shortcake, which is similar to shortbread but made using vegetable fat instead of butter, giving it a different texture.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shortbread

One trick that will help, is to put the dough in the fridge for a while to chill it before baking.

Generally speaking, the approx same weight should work.

Answer 2

The recipe is just looking for some fat.
You can substitute anything - but you'll have slightly different results but they will all turn out. In cake I find oil is just fine but the top will be a little sticky. I like using butter because the recipes end up tasting a bit richer. Probably don't use the spreadable margarines - they are whipped with water a lot of times.
Use the same measurements.
If you use butter, you can warm it so it mixes better.

Answer 3

Normally, you can interchange them with care - the oil and canola oil can be swapped and it may take a little more flour to get the same stiffness. Butter and margarine contain water and milk solids and behave differently so it may take a bit less liquid or a bit more flour.
Where oil does not work well and butter and margarine are okay is when the solid shortening is cut into the flour to distribute it and the dough is only lightly mixed. The fat is separating the flour and making the baked good flakey. Oil can be used, as in biscuits if it is poured around in the flour and the flour stirred to carry the oil thoroughly throughout the dough.

Answer 4

Margarine and shortening are basically the same thing. Butter can also be used just fine but it will change the flavor (for the good I think). Oil will not work they way you want. It can be substituted, but it is tricky and in a cake isn't going to work as it would make it too dense. The measure for butter or margarine is exactly the same as you would use of shortening.

Answer 5

Butter or margarine in cubes is a one to one substitution.

Canola oil or soft margarine (tub) might not work as well. The texture won't be the same.

Soft margarine in tubs may have too much liquid which will make the cake too dense. Canola oil might lead to a denser cake too.

Answer 6

Substitution For Shortening

Answer 7

yes, you can use the Canola oil, personally, i would use extra virgin olive oil for an even more healthy alternative.

The amount I would use would be 1/3...if possible, start with 1/4 cup and add more at a time until it is a consistency you like. Personally, i would just pour until it looks right.

Answer 8

Butter yes. Margarine yes. Canola Oil my mother says It could be done, but she would not recommend it. Would make for some icky cake.

Answer 9

if you knew the weight of 1/2 cup of shortening
you can sub.i think oil.

Answer 10

For the best answers, search on this site https://shorturl.im/axEUV

You could use the same amount of canola oil in the cake, but definitely not in the cookies.