Some cake recipes use vegetable oil as the fat, while others call for butter. So how do cakes made with these two fats actually differ? Let's take a look.
Fat is an essential ingredient in any cake, and it generally comes in one of two forms: vegetable oil or butter. If you are new to baking and have been browsing recipes online, you may have wondered why some cakes use butter and others use oil. Each fat gives a cake different qualities, as outlined below.
Aroma
Cakes made with butter carry a rich buttery fragrance that is noticeably more aromatic than cakes made with oil.
Texture
Butter gives a cake a softer, more tender crumb, while cakes made with oil tend to be firmer and coarser.
Shelf Life
Butter-based cakes go rancid more easily than oil-based cakes, so cakes made with oil keep for longer.
Cost
Fresh butter is more expensive than vegetable oil.
Although butter and oil are both fats, they behave differently, as described above. Whether you use butter or vegetable oil in a cake or other baked goods depends on the type of cake or bakery item you are making.
Which Fat Suits Which Cake?
Butter: Butter cake, sponge cake and cookies are best made with butter. It gives a fine, fragrant, soft crumb, and the cake firms up nicely when chilled.
Vegetable oil: Chiffon cake, carrot cake, chocolate cake and banana cake (in some recipes) are best made with vegetable oil, which gives a light, fluffy crumb that springs back when pressed.
Can Butter and Vegetable Oil Be Substituted for Each Other?
Yes, the two fats can be swapped, but you will have to accept the differences in texture and aroma described above.
