When it comes to baking cakes, the choice of what fat to use can make a big difference in both the taste and texture of your cake.
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A common question I get is whether margarine can be used as a substitute for butter. While it might be possible to use margarine in some cake recipes, it’s important to understand the compromises that might come with using it in place of butter.
My short answer is both yes and no. You can use margarine instead of butter in some cake recipes, but it takes experimenting, and you’ll have to give up some things that butter would have given to the cake.
Why we use butter in cakes:
Butter is celebrated in baking for its unbeatable flavor and the rich, tender texture it gives to cakes. Its unique composition of fat, water, and milk solids contributes to the richness, color, and flavor of baked goods. You just really can’t match it with anything.
What happens if you don’t use butter:
So what happens if you can’t get butter or don’t have it?
If you find yourself out of butter, maybe some dietary restrictions or you just don’t have access to butter, then margarine might seem like a viable alternative.
Margarine, especially the varieties designed for baking, can mimic the consistency and fat content necessary for cake baking. But there’s a caveat. While margarine can yield an acceptable cake, the special nuances of flavor and texture will not be quite the same as if you had used butter.
Margarine is made from vegetable oils and contains more water than butter. This difference can affect the overall texture of your cake. It might even make it denser than a butter-based cake. Also, the flavor of margarine just can’t replicate the rich buttery goodness of real butter.
Thoughts on using margarine in cakes:
While using margarine instead of butter in cake baking might be doable in some cake recipes, it’s worth noting that for the best taste and texture, sticking to all butter is really the best choice.
If you just can’t get it, or maybe dietary preferences lead you to consider using margarine instead, just make sure to adjust your expectations accordingly.
And because I like bullet points, here’s a pros and cons list.
Pros of using margarine in cakes:
- Availability: Margarine is often more readily available in various markets and might be easier to find than butter in some regions.
- Cost-Effective: Sometimes, margarine is just cheaper than butter, making it more budget-friendly, especially if you bake a lot.
- It Might Be Healthier: Some margarines might be healthier than real butter, although there are all kinds of studies that have conflicting results on this, so definitely don’t take my word for this.
- Dairy-Free Option: For those with dairy allergies or vegans, it might just be a better option, because the other option would just be to not have cake at all and nobody wants to live in a world with no cake, right?
Cons of using margarine in cakes:
- Taste Difference: Margarine might alter the flavor of cakes and/or just not lend as much flavor to it as butter. It lacks the rich, creamy taste that butter provides, which is often crucial for the overall taste of your cakes.
- Texture Difference: The water content in margarine can be higher than in butter, which can affect the texture of your cake. It could even come out less tender.
- Artificial Ingredients: Some margarines contain artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives. That might not be an issue for some, but for others, they might want to lower the amount of artificial ingredients they’re ingesting.
It’s important, when you’re deciding whether to use margarine or butter in your cake recipes, that you consider all of these factors and make sure to adjust your expectations.
And please, for the love of all things cake, if you substitute margarine for butter and it doesn’t turn out well, don’t leave a 1-star review on a cake recipe post!
Par
For people who don’t have access to butter, could you tell the readers how to make the most of it eg, adding more vanilla, using more flour, etc)
Kara
Hi Par, Thanks for your question. I don’t have a great suggestion for replacing butter. There’s just not going to be anything that’s the same. Margarine or vegetable shortening would be a close second. It’s also possible to add a bit of butter flavoring to the cake and that may help a bit. I have done that before! You don’t want to add more flour to a cake recipe though. That would not make up for not using butter. It would just change the cake texture.
Rehoboth
Delightful post
Thanks
Kara
Thanks!