A cake recipe calls for 1/2 cup of Crisco, and I want to substitute a
stick of butter plus a tablespoon of oil. Do I need to also reduce the
milk in the recipe by 1 Tbsp, or is the moisture in the butter
insignificant in a cake? (I know it is significant in cookies and
pastry.) Will butter make the cake taste moister, or since the butter
will solidify it won't make any difference? The cake will be frosted
with whipped cream, so it will need to be refrigerated; probably served
cool but not cold.

Thanks,
Bob

On Sun 31 May 2009 09:35:28p, zxcvbob told us...

> A cake recipe calls for 1/2 cup of Crisco, and I want to substitute a
> stick of butter plus a tablespoon of oil. Do I need to also reduce the
> milk in the recipe by 1 Tbsp, or is the moisture in the butter
> insignificant in a cake? (I know it is significant in cookies and
> pastry.) Will butter make the cake taste moister, or since the butter
> will solidify it won't make any difference? The cake will be frosted
> with whipped cream, so it will need to be refrigerated; probably served
> cool but not cold.
>
> Thanks,
> Bob
>

I always substitute butter for shortening in cakes and make no adjustment for
it. I've never had a problem doing that and the flavor is a huge
improvement.I can't say that the moisture level is really different.

--
Wayne Boatwright
------------------------------------------------------------------------
All sorrows are less with bread. ~Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quixote

Wayne Boatwright wrote:
> On Sun 31 May 2009 09:35:28p, zxcvbob told us...
>
>> A cake recipe calls for 1/2 cup of Crisco, and I want to substitute a
>> stick of butter plus a tablespoon of oil. Do I need to also reduce the
>> milk in the recipe by 1 Tbsp, or is the moisture in the butter
>> insignificant in a cake? (I know it is significant in cookies and
>> pastry.) Will butter make the cake taste moister, or since the butter
>> will solidify it won't make any difference? The cake will be frosted
>> with whipped cream, so it will need to be refrigerated; probably served
>> cool but not cold.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Bob
>>
>
> I always substitute butter for shortening in cakes and make no adjustment for
> it. I've never had a problem doing that and the flavor is a huge
> improvement.I can't say that the moisture level is really different.
>
What Wayne said is what I do too.

In article >,
zxcvbob > wrote:

> A cake recipe calls for 1/2 cup of Crisco, and I want to substitute a
> stick of butter plus a tablespoon of oil. Do I need to also reduce the
> milk in the recipe by 1 Tbsp, or is the moisture in the butter
> insignificant in a cake? (I know it is significant in cookies and
> pastry.) Will butter make the cake taste moister, or since the butter
> will solidify it won't make any difference? The cake will be frosted
> with whipped cream, so it will need to be refrigerated; probably served
> cool but not cold.
>
> Thanks,
> Bob

Why do you want to add oil with the butter? Just curious.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.me.com/barbschaller - good news 4-6-2009
"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle."
-Philo of Alexandria

Michael "Dog3" wrote:
> zxcvbob > :
> in rec.food.cooking
>
>> A cake recipe calls for 1/2 cup of Crisco, and I want to substitute a
>> stick of butter plus a tablespoon of oil. Do I need to also reduce the
>> milk in the recipe by 1 Tbsp, or is the moisture in the butter
>> insignificant in a cake? (I know it is significant in cookies and
>> pastry.) Will butter make the cake taste moister, or since the butter
>> will solidify it won't make any difference? The cake will be frosted
>> with whipped cream, so it will need to be refrigerated; probably served
>> cool but not cold.
>
> I don't bake but I'll bite on this one. First of all, why would you want
> to add the oil with the butter? I'm asking for myself, so maybe I'll
> know what I'm doing the next time I bake a cake I also assume you're
> talking about unsalted butter. I don't see why not. Your method above
> sounds just fine to me. But what do I know about baking <shrug>
>
> Michael
>


A 1/2 cup of butter contains about 7 Tbsp of fat and 1 Tbsp of whey. So
the oil is to make up the difference in the fat. I don't know if it's
necessary or not.

Bob

>> A cake recipe calls for 1/2 cup of Crisco, and I want to substitute a
>> stick of butter plus a tablespoon of oil. Do I need to also reduce the
>> milk in the recipe by 1 Tbsp, or is the moisture in the butter
>> insignificant in a cake?

Shortening vs Butter
I found this on the food network: Substitution: Substitution: BUTTER 
1 cup (2 sticks; 16 Tbsp) = 1 cup margarine OR 7/8 cup vegetable oil,
lard or vegetable shortening OR 4/5 cup strained bacon fat OR 3/4 cup
strained chicken fat

From Land O'Lakes: Shortening:
1 cup butter or margarine can be substituted for 1 cup shortening.
When using shortening in place of butter or margarine, 1 tablespoon
milk or water for each 1/2 cup shortening used may need to be added.
DO NOT substitute vegetable oil for shortening when recipe calls for
melting the shortening.

Mr. Bill wrote:
>
>>> A cake recipe calls for 1/2 cup of Crisco, and I want to substitute a
>>> stick of butter plus a tablespoon of oil. Do I need to also reduce the
>>> milk in the recipe by 1 Tbsp, or is the moisture in the butter
>>> insignificant in a cake?
>
> Shortening vs Butter
> I found this on the food network: Substitution: Substitution: BUTTER 
> 1 cup (2 sticks; 16 Tbsp) = 1 cup margarine OR 7/8 cup vegetable oil,
> lard or vegetable shortening OR 4/5 cup strained bacon fat OR 3/4 cup
> strained chicken fat
>
> From Land O'Lakes: Shortening:
> 1 cup butter or margarine can be substituted for 1 cup shortening.
> When using shortening in place of butter or margarine, 1 tablespoon
> milk or water for each 1/2 cup shortening used may need to be added.
> DO NOT substitute vegetable oil for shortening when recipe calls for
> melting the shortening.

Interesting. Who would have "thunk" it? I always sub butter for
shortening (don't make many cakes) and can't say the end results
have been bad.

--
Jean B.

"zxcvbob" > wrote in message
...
> Michael "Dog3" wrote:
>> zxcvbob > :
>> in rec.food.cooking
>>
>>> A cake recipe calls for 1/2 cup of Crisco, and I want to substitute a
>>> stick of butter plus a tablespoon of oil. Do I need to also reduce the
>>> milk in the recipe by 1 Tbsp, or is the moisture in the butter
>>> insignificant in a cake? (I know it is significant in cookies and
>>> pastry.) Will butter make the cake taste moister, or since the butter
>>> will solidify it won't make any difference? The cake will be frosted
>>> with whipped cream, so it will need to be refrigerated; probably served
>>> cool but not cold.
>>
>> I don't bake but I'll bite on this one. First of all, why would you want
>> to add the oil with the butter? I'm asking for myself, so maybe I'll
>> know what I'm doing the next time I bake a cake I also assume you're
>> talking about unsalted butter. I don't see why not. Your method above
>> sounds just fine to me. But what do I know about baking <shrug>
>>
>> Michael
>>
>
>
> A 1/2 cup of butter contains about 7 Tbsp of fat and 1 Tbsp of whey. So
> the oil is to make up the difference in the fat. I don't know if it's
> necessary or not.
>
>
If concerned simply add some extra butter... you can never have too much
butter.

brooklyn1 wrote:

> If concerned simply add some extra butter... you can never have too much
> butter.
>
>


It's hard to argue with that :-)

The cake tastes good but the recipe didn't make enough batter for the
9x13" pan that I used. (recipe called for two 9" pans.) So I'm not
going to waste a pint of heavy cream and a bag of coconut to frost it,
just eat it unfrosted with some berries and a little light cream, like a
shortcake. It'll make a great breakfast, doncha think?

Here's the recipe I started with. I was planning to top it with whipped
cream (2 cups cream and 1 cup powdered sugar) and shredded coconut
instead of the buttercream + coconut frosting that it called for.
http://www.bhg.com/recipe/layer-cake...-with-coconut/

Next attempt will start with the Italian Cream Cake recipe I posted last
week, but without the nuts and coconut in the cake.

Bob

"zxcvbob" > wrote in message
...
>A cake recipe calls for 1/2 cup of Crisco, and I want to substitute a stick
>of butter plus a tablespoon of oil. Do I need to also reduce the milk in
>the recipe by 1 Tbsp, or is the moisture in the butter insignificant in a
>cake? (I know it is significant in cookies and pastry.) Will butter make
>the cake taste moister, or since the butter will solidify it won't make any
>difference? The cake will be frosted with whipped cream, so it will need
>to be refrigerated; probably served cool but not cold.
>
> Thanks,
> Bob

I've always just done a straight swap. I think I understand your impulse to
add the oil; because of the water content in the butter, is that it? But I
haven't found it to be necessary.
Butter doesn't seem to make the cake moister, but it does seem to have a
more tender crumb.

kimberly