Quick Answer
There are several ingredients that can be used to replace 1 cup of butter in baking recipes. The most common butter substitutes are:
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup shortening
- 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 cup mashed banana
When substituting for butter, it’s important to consider the moisture content and fat content of the ingredient. Oils and shortening have a similar fat content to butter, while applesauce and mashed banana add moisture. Adjust the other liquids in the recipe when using a moist substitute.
Butter Substitution Chart
Here is a handy substitution chart to show what you can use instead of 1 cup of butter:
| Butter | Substitution |
|---|---|
| 1 cup | 1 cup vegetable oil |
| 1 cup | 1 cup shortening |
| 1 cup | 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce |
| 1 cup | 1 cup mashed banana |
Vegetable Oil
Vegetable oil is one of the most common substitutes for butter in baking. Any neutral-tasting oil like canola, vegetable, soybean, or sunflower oil can be used. The oil will mimic the fat content of butter, but the moisture level will be lower.
When substituting 1 cup vegetable oil for 1 cup butter, it’s best to add about 2-4 tablespoons of milk or water to balance the moisture. The baked good may also benefit from an extra egg added to help with structure.
Vegetable oil works well in recipes like cakes, brownies, cookies, and quick breads. The texture may be a bit more dense and heavy compared to using butter. But vegetable oil is an easy swap for butter when you run out or can’t have dairy.
Shortening
Shortening is another excellent butter substitute when baking. Look for vegetable shortening rather than traditional lard-based shortening.
Shortening contains 100% fat, while butter contains both fat and water. So 1 cup shortening is equivalent to 1 cup butter in terms of fat and will provide similar richness in recipes.
However, shortening doesn’t provide the same moisture and flavor. When using shortening instead of butter, add 2-4 tablespoons milk or water to add needed moisture. You can also use half butter, half shortening in recipes.
Overall, shortening makes an ideal substitute for butter for things like cookies, cakes, pie crusts, and pastries. The texture will be similar to butter, though the flavor may be more neutral.
Applesauce
Applesauce is a moist, low-fat alternative to using butter in baked goods. When swapping 1 cup butter for 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce, it provides a decent amount of moisture without adding a lot of extra liquid.
The natural sweetness of applesauce also allows you to use less sugar in a recipe. Make sure to use unsweetened applesauce, not the sweetened kind.
Applesauce works best in quick breads, muffins, cakes, and brownies. It tends to make baked goods very moist and tender. You may want to reduce other liquids in the recipe by 2-4 tablespoons.
The flavor and texture will be noticeably different than butter. But using applesauce is a great way to cut fat and calories from your favorite treats.
Mashed Banana
Mashed banana can substitue for butter in many recipes. 1 cup of mashed banana is equivalent to 1 cup of butter.
Like applesauce, banana provides moisture and binding power without using more fat and calories. Mashed banana also gives baked goods a sweetness and flavor that complements many recipes.
When swapping butter for banana, you may need to reduce other liquids slightly. Banana bread and muffins are especially delicious made with mashed banana instead of some of the butter.
The banana flavor will definitely come through in the finished dish. That makes this substitution ideal for recipes where you want a banana accent. Overall, mashed banana adds nutrients, moisture, and flavor similarly to butter.
Tips for Substituting Butter
When using any butter substitutes in baking, keep these tips in mind:
– For oil and shortening, add 2-4 tablespoons milk or water to replace the moisture from butter.
– With moist ingredients like applesauce and banana, reduce other liquids slightly.
– Consider adding an extra egg for structure when omitting butter.
– Adjust baking times, as recipes with butter substitutes may bake faster.
– Don’t replace butter with oil or shortening in recipes with yeast, as the dough won’t rise properly.
– Butter substitutes work best in quick breads, muffins, cookies, and cakes rather than more finicky pastries.
– Try combining half butter and half substitute to retain some of the butter flavor.
Butter Nutrition Facts
To understand why you may want to substitute vegetable oil, shortening, applesauce, or banana for butter, let’s compare the nutrition facts:
| Nutrition Facts | Butter | Vegetable Oil | Shortening | Applesauce | Banana |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 102 | 120 | 108 | 50 | 105 |
| Total Fat | 12g | 14g | 12g | 0g | 0g |
| Carbs | 0g | 0g | 0g | 13g | 27g |
| Protein | 0g | 0g | 0g | 0g | 1g |
As you can see, butter is high in fat and calories compared to fruit-based substitutes like applesauce and banana. Oil and shortening have a similar fat content to butter. But they lack the beneficial proteins, carbs, and other nutrients found in whole foods like banana.
The Benefits of Butter Substitutes
There are several reasons why you may want to use a butter substitute when baking:
1. Reduce fat and calories – Using a fruit puree or banana instead of butter cuts a significant amount of fat and calories while adding nutrients.
2. Avoid dairy – If you have a dairy allergy or are vegan, replacing butter with oil or banana is an ideal swap.
3. Add moisture – Ingredients like applesauce and mashed banana add moisture and tenderness.
4. Get extra nutrients – Bananas and applesauce provide fiber, potassium, vitamin C and other beneficial nutrients that butter lacks.
5. Intensify flavor – Banana can intensify flavors like banana bread, while applesauce provides sweetness to allow less added sugar.
6. Lower cholesterol – Replacing butter with healthier fats like plant-based oils can help lower cholesterol levels.
7. Help with weight loss – Cutting calories by using less butter may help with weight management.
8. It’s what you have on hand – Using what’s already in your pantry like oil or ripe bananas prevents a trip to the store.
Potential Drawbacks of Butter Substitutes
While using butter replacements has many benefits, there are a few potential drawbacks to keep in mind as well:
– Different texture – Baked goods may end up more dense or more crumbly without the tenderizing effect of butter.
– Less richness – Butter provides unparalleled rich, creamy flavor that vegetable oil or fruit purees can’t completely mimic.
– Cooking limitations – Butter is better for high heat cooking methods than some substitutes like applesauce or banana.
– Moisture adjustments – When replacing butter’s water content, you may need to tweak other liquids in the recipe through trial and error.
– Fat content – If following a set fat percentage, oil or shortening may result in a higher overall fat content compared to butter.
– Cost – In some cases, butter may be more affordable than certain substitutes like high-quality oil.
– Allergies – Some people may be allergic to common substitutes like bananas, soybean oil, etc.
– Yeast doughs – Avoid using oil instead of butter in doughs that use yeast, as it will inhibit rise.
Conclusion
While nothing can perfectly mimic the taste of creamy butter, there are many suitable substitutes that work well in baking. Vegetable oil, shortening, applesauce, and mashed banana are all equivalent replacements for 1 cup of butter.
Oil and shortening mimic the fat content, while fruit purees add moisture and nutrients. Each substitute has its own benefits and drawbacks. Combining butter with a substitute offers a good compromise.
When deciding which butter substitute to use, consider the recipe, your dietary needs, what you have on hand, and how closely you want to replicate the richness of real butter. With a few adjustments, you can create some delicious baked goods using healthier butter stand-ins.
