fat alternative: olive oil or canola oil in baking? [Forum Archive]

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fat alternative: olive oil or canola oil in baking?

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Posted by: cpush

As the holidays approach, I'm planning my "menu" for the big christmas day meal. It will be a bit different than the rest of my family's but I want to have some random goodies I can munch on throughout the day.

I plan to bake some cookies / cakes /muffins using regular recipes and healthy substitutes. To replace oil in recipes I usually use applesauce, however sometimes the cakes turn out really flat and solid.

First, what are some good oil/fat substitutes? I've heard of applesauce and cottage cheese working well.

Now, if I were to do say half/half, like half applesauce half oil, which would be prefered- olive or canola oil? How is olive oil in baking?

Any info or experiences would be appreciated. Thanks

Posted by: Emma-Leigh

Replacing all of the fat for applesauce would probably be detrimental to the texture of the recipe so you will want to leave some in...

What you could substitute depends on the recipe but for cakes and slices things such as applesauce or 'mushed' fruit (such as banana) work well. Also, adding things such as fat-free cottage cheese, fat-free natural yoghurt would be ok too.

Other things you can do is substitute some for applesauce and some for peanut butter - it is healthier than butter/some fats and will still add moisture.

If you do use half-half then I would use olive oil over canola oil. It has always worked fine in baking for me.

Posted by: calalily1972

something I was taught by my Gram quite a few years ago...........

I know it sounds funny but trust me, it works and is an excellent replacement for baking.

Prune Puree - 3 oz pitted prunes, 1 C. water and 2tsp Lecithin granules

Mix in a food processor or blender until smooth

The lecithin improves the texture of baked good that most other substitutes can't do.

Posted by: Emma-Leigh

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jodi

something I was taught by my Gram quite a few years ago...........

I know it sounds funny but trust me, it works and is an excellent replacement for baking.

Prune Puree - 3 oz pitted prunes, 1 C. water and 2tsp Lecithin granules

Mix in a food processor or blender until smooth

The lecithin improves the texture of baked good that most other substitutes can't do.

Thanks for the tip! I know about prune puree (and date puree) but adding Lecithin to it is a great idea!

Posted by: cpush

awesome, thanks so much for the suggestions! I'll have to try them all out on my goodies

Posted by: FenderBender

Oliveoil is a good choice but has a strong flavor, I would not recomend using extra virgin but a lighter olive oil. It does have a nice fruity but unique taste, alot of italian cake recipies call for olive oil instead of butter.

Flax seed oil can also be subed but can get a little pricey.

With any recipe that calls for butter.... be carful if the method includes
"creaming" (whiping butter and sugar until fluffy and slowly adding eggs before the rest of the dry ingredients).
this is where all the volume comes from and oil may not "fluff"as much so whip the hell out of it, with the eggs or whites, or your cake/ cookies will be bricks. Folding in whipped egg whites at the end can help...but alot of trial and error is needed to get somthing good......hell its xmas go for it.

This web page has some good tips http://www.baking911.com/healthy/baking_101.htm

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