How to Substitute Vegetable Oil in Baking
- Olive Oil. Olive oil is our first choice as a vegetable oil substitute.
- Coconut Oil. Think of coconut as another versatile, healthy oil.
- Sesame Oil. One of the most underestimated oils in cooking has to be sesame oil.
- Flaxseed Oil.
- Avocado Oil.
- Butter.
- Dairy Products.
- Applesauce.
If you're baking and need an oil substitute, applesauce, fruit puree, butter, yogurt, mayo or even avocado can do the trick. If you've never used an oil replacement in a cake, give it a try — you may decide you like how it alters the flavor, texture or nutritional profile of the baked item.
Canola oil is one of the most common cooking oils and combines ease of use, wide availability and health benefits with a relatively low expense. Most vegetable oils will work just fine in cake, but some alter the flavor of baked goods and some are expensive.
Conversion Chart
| Butter/Margarine | Olive Oil |
|---|
| 1/2 cup | 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons |
| 2/3 cup | 1/2 cup |
| 3/4 cup | 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon |
| 1 cup | 3/4 cup |
Since yogurt can replace the oil in baked recipes, so can sour cream. Replace each cup of oil in your baked good recipe with 1 cup of sour cream. Add the sour cream when the recipe instructs you to add the oil.
Add fat-free dairy products in place of vegetable oil to give your cake moisture without the fat. Products such as fat-free yogurt or sour cream are suitable replacements, but they may leave your baked cake denser than if you used oil. Substitute ¾ cup of yogurt or sour cream for every 1 cup of vegetable oil.
How to Substitute Vegetable Oil in Baking
- Olive Oil. Olive oil is our first choice as a vegetable oil substitute.
- Coconut Oil. Think of coconut as another versatile, healthy oil.
- Sesame Oil. One of the most underestimated oils in cooking has to be sesame oil.
- Flaxseed Oil.
- Avocado Oil.
- Butter.
- Dairy Products.
- Applesauce.
If you're missing oil, try melted butter. Some experts say using melted butter as a replacement for oil improves the taste and texture of box cakes. If you're baking a white cake, consider adding milk instead of water. This simple swap will add density and flavor to your cake.
Canola oil is one of the most common cooking oils and combines ease of use, wide availability and health benefits with a relatively low expense. Most vegetable oils will work just fine in cake, but some alter the flavor of baked goods and some are expensive.
How to Substitute Vegetable Oil in Baking
- Olive Oil. Olive oil is our first choice as a vegetable oil substitute.
- Coconut Oil. Think of coconut as another versatile, healthy oil.
- Sesame Oil. One of the most underestimated oils in cooking has to be sesame oil.
- Flaxseed Oil.
- Avocado Oil.
- Butter.
- Dairy Products.
- Applesauce.
To substitute olive oil for vegetable oil in brownies, use the 1:1 ratio. For example, if the recipe calls for 1 cup of vegetable oil, then use the same amount of olive oil. In brownie mixes, you can substitute olive oil for vegetable oil.
Butter to Oil Conversion
| BUTTER/MARGARINE | OLIVE OIL |
|---|
| 1/2 Cup | 1/4 Cup + 2 Tablespoons |
| 2/3 Cup | 1/2 Cup |
| 3/4 Cup | 1/2 Cup + 1 Tablespoon |
| 1 Cup | 3/4 Cup |
You can absolutely substitute butter for the vegetable oil. Use the same quantity specified in the directions (for example, if it calls for 1/3 cup of oil, use 5 1/3 tablespoons of butter). Melt it down, then let it cool a bit. You might not ever go back to oil!
In summary, use olive oil when you want its flavor in a dish and for moderate-heat cooking. Choose a vegetable oil when you want a cleaner flavor and for high-heat cooking. If you find yourself out of the oil called for in your recipe, we've found these oils can be used interchangeably the majority of the time.
Olive oil can be substituted for vegetable oil in dressings or marinades, and sautéed over low to medium heat. Since olive oil has a low smoke point, it shouldn't be used for recipes that require high heat. Olive oil isn't a good choice for baked goods due to its strong flavor.
There is not really a hard and fast rule to the right amount of oil to replace butter, but you can typically use about three-quarters of the amount of butter that is called for in the recipe. For instance, if the recipe calls for 10 tablespoons of butter, you can use about 7 1/2 tablespoons of oil.
The following may be substituted cup for cup for vegetable oil in baked goods:
- Applesauce, preferably unsweetened.
- Banana, ripe and mashed.
- Butter, melted.
- Cauliflower – unseasoned, cooked, and pureed.
- Ghee.
- Margarine, melted.
- Mayonnaise.
- Pumpkin, cooked and pureed.
If you want silky rich brownies, you need a fat! Vegetable oil tends to be a very neutral tasting oil which will allow the rich chocolate taste of the brownies to shine through. Vegetable oil is also preferred as it does not aerate batter (as butter may) and helps make fudgy brownies fatter than a cakey texture.
The following may be substituted cup for cup for vegetable oil in baked goods:
- Applesauce, preferably unsweetened.
- Banana, ripe and mashed.
- Butter, melted.
- Cauliflower – unseasoned, cooked, and pureed.
- Ghee.
- Margarine, melted.
- Mayonnaise.
- Pumpkin, cooked and pureed.
You can substitute olive oil for other cooking oils in most baked recipes, such as quick breads or brownies. Olive oil does have a stronger flavor than some other oils, which might affect the flavor of the baked product. You might want to try using half olive oil and half vegetable oil.
Coconut or olive oil can be used as an alternative to vegetable oils, including canola and grapeseed oils, in cake mix. How much to use: Substitute olive oil or avocado oil for vegetable oil in equal measure. You can also swap coconut oil one-for-one, but make sure to measure it in melted, liquid form.
Vegetable oil and olive oil come from two different sources. Vegetable oil is made from plant sources like seeds and nuts, while olive oil is made from the olive fruit. Vegetable oil has a higher smoke point than olive oil, so it's better to use when cooking at high temperatures.
You can substitute olive oil for other cooking oils in most baked recipes, such as quick breads or brownies. Olive oil does have a stronger flavor than some other oils, which might affect the flavor of the baked product. You might want to try using half olive oil and half vegetable oil.
Can You Use Olive Oil in a Cake Recipe? Yes. However, olive oil can be used in place of traditional cooking oils—just swap out the same amount of vegetable or canola oil for extra virgin olive oil. You can also swap out butter and use extra virgin olive oil if you prefer.
You can absolutely substitute butter for the vegetable oil. Use the same quantity specified in the directions (for example, if it calls for 1/3 cup of oil, use 5 1/3 tablespoons of butter). Melt it down, then let it cool a bit. You might not ever go back to oil!
