Should i use shortening or butter

One cake was baked using all butter, while shortening was the fat of choice in the other. The result? The difference between shortening vs. The height was comparable, as were the color and crumb.

The texture of the cake made with shortening, however was quite pleasant — tender, lofty, and light. When shortening is creamed with sugar, it traps air molecules, which helps to leaven cakes and make them tender.

A fork slides through a slice of shortening-based cake easier than one made with butter. The rich creaminess of a classic butter cake is hard to replace. But shortening might have its place in your frosting recipe too. We replicated hot, summery conditions when so many of us cake bakers are called upon by putting frosted cupcakes in a low oven for 10 minutes.

The results were drastic: the all-butter buttercream melted and spread down the sides of the cupcake, while the buttercream made with shortening held its shape. So if heat isn't a problem, you might want to stick with a Classic Buttercream recipe. They can both be used to make delicious, tender baked goods that are full of flavor and richness.

There might be certain cases when it just makes more sense to use butter, like in a classic cake perhaps. There are other times when a can of Crisco is now the thing I reach for: when making pie crust, frosting, and even sandwich cookie filling. The virtue of butter vs. Interested in more baking science? Kye Ameden grew up in Fairlee, Vermont and has always had a love of food, farms, and family.

After graduating from St. Shortening and lard have BHT, to which I am allergic. Is there an adjustment I can make to recipes when using butter that would create results similar to shortening? Hi Chris. There is not a standard that can be applied to every recipe to get the same result when baking with shortening. Even though comparing the ingredients for these two fats are clearly different, shortening and butter are often used interchangeably in recipes with acceptable results.

We would use the same amount of butter in most recipes calling for shortening. Happy Baking! How about using ghee instead of butter. And then the butter flavor would remain without having to use the shortening.

Butter and shortening have very different melting points and behave differently when baked aside from their different fat contents. Baking with ghee can be a fun experiment, though! So if you want to use both shortening and butter in a cake recipe for example, would it be equal amounts? Suzanne, I don't see why you couldn't do that.

It's made through a hydrogenation process which involves adding extra hydrogen atoms to the vegetable fats, which turns them into solids. No water means no steam and no extra gluten production during baking. As a result baked good recipes with shortening have a tender, moist and soft consistency," explained Chef Eddy Van Damme. The problem with the shortening made today is that it often leaves a waxy taste and film in your mouth. Butter produced in the U. Many dough recipes are leavened by creaming butter and sugar together, introducing air pockets into the fat.

During baking these tiny air pockets expand and aerate the dough, causing it to rise and spread. Additionally, when the water turns to steam during baking, it aids the formation of gluten, which in turn results in a crisper final outcome. When you cream butter and sugar together, your cakes will be just as light and tender as when you use shortening. Just be sure to keep butter at room temperature and to beat the butter and sugar together for minutes to ensure all the air bubbles are incorporated into the fat.

When it comes to pie crusts, the opposite is true. Pie crusts incorporate solid pieces of butter into the dough, which become layers of fat that are melted away during baking, leaving a flaky texture. Due to butter's lower melting point, it's important to chill your butter and even your utensils when working with a butter dough. Many people believe that pie crust is best made with shortening. However, if you're after a delicious and extra flaky crust, butter is the ingredient to use. Save Pin FB More.

What is it made of? The other 20 percent is made up of mostly water, which turns into steam and, in turn, increases gluten production. How does it impact texture? The increased gluten production yields a crispier and flakier final product. Because butter melts quicker than shortening, it often results in flatter and thinner baked goods. How does it impact taste? Shortening, which is made from vegetable oils , is percent fat.

Baked goods made with shortening are typically softer and more tender than those made with butter. Shortening is flavorless. All rights reserved.