Vegetable oil is a loose term used to describe oil that is used in cooking. When a cake mix recipe calls for vegetable oil, it usually refers to commercial cooking oil. This oil is a combination of different types of oils, such as sunflower oil, corn oil, and soya oil.
Vegetable oil adds moisture to the cake mix and binds the other ingredients together, making the cake light and fluffy. Without vegetable oil or a substitute for vegetable oil, the cake would be dry and crumbly.
You can use other oils and fats as substitutes for vegetable oil in the cake mix. You can also use other ingredients, such as mashed or pureéd fruits or even a few dairy products, in place of vegetable oil in cake mix.
Best Vegetable Oil in Cake Mix Substitute: Butter
The best substitute for vegetable oil in cake mix is butter because butter adds moisture and binds the other ingredients together. Butter has a rich flavor and gives the cake a smooth texture.
You can use butter as a 1:1 substitute for vegetable oil in cake mix. Melt the butter gently and allow it to cool to measure the butter accurately.
If you don’t have time to melt the butter and wait for the butter to cool, you can use softened butter that is solid. Eight level tablespoons of softened butter are the equivalent of ½ a cup of vegetable oil.
Other Vegetable Oil in Cake Mix Substitutes, Alternatives, and Replacements
There are numerous other ingredients that you can use in place of vegetable oil in cake mix.
Fat-based Substitutes for Vegetable Oil in Cake Mix
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Extra virgin olive oil has a smooth texture and a mild flavor, making it a good substitute for vegetable oil in cake mix.
You should replace vegetable oil with extra virgin olive oil on a 1:1 basis to keep the right balance of moisture in the cake.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is extracted from the flesh and milk of coconuts and is solid at room temperature. You can use coconut oil as a substitute for vegetable oil in cake mix, but you should warm the coconut oil slightly to melt it.
Coconut oil won’t affect the taste of the cake because it has little flavor. Replace one part vegetable oil with one-part coconut oil in cake mix recipes.
Canola Oil
Canola oil is a form of rapeseed oil that comes from the rapeseed plant. Rapeseed oil is used in both industrial and culinary settings. The culinary variety of rapeseed oil is known as canola oil.
Canola oil makes a great substitute for vegetable oil in cake mix because canola oil has the same consistency and fat content as vegetable oil. Use canola oil as a 1:1 alternative to vegetable oil in cake mix recipes.
Margarine
Margarine is fat used as a spread on bread and sandwiches and is also used in cooking and baking. There are two different types of margarine. Some margarine contains animal fat, while others are vegetable-based.
Animal fat-based margarine usually contains fats derived from milk, while vegetable-based margarine is processed vegetable oils combined with other ingredients.
Margarine works as a substitute for vegetable oil in cake mix because it has similar fat content to vegetable oil and adds moisture to cakes.
You should melt margarine and allow it to cool when you use margarine as a substitute for vegetable oil. Use melted margarine as a 1:1 replacement for vegetable oil in the cake mix.
If you don’t have time to melt margarine and wait for it to cool, you can soften margarine and use 8 level tablespoons of softened margarine in place of ½ a cup of vegetable oil in the cake mix.
Peanut Oil
Peanut oil is extracted from peanuts and has a smooth consistency and a rich flavor. Peanut oil is a great substitute for vegetable oil in cake mix because it has a similar texture to vegetable oil.
Use peanut oil as a 1:1 substitute for vegetable oil in cake mix.
Ghee
Ghee is a cooking fat that is made from melted butter. Melted butter is strained to filter out the milk solids, and the remaining liquid solidifies into ghee.
Ghee has a smooth texture and rich flavor. You can use melted ghee as a 1:1 substitute for vegetable oil in cake mix.
Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise is a smooth, thick sauce that is made from egg yolks, oil, and vinegar or lemon juice. Mayonnaise usually has spices and seasonings added to it to give the mayonnaise a tangy flavor.
You can use mayonnaise as a 1:1 substitute for vegetable oil in cake mix, but you should add extra sugar to the recipe to compensate for the tangy taste of the mayonnaise.
Dairy-based Substitutes for Vegetable Oil in Cake Mix
Fresh Cream
Fresh cream is the fat that is skimmed off the surface of cows’ milk before the milk is homogenized. Fresh cream has a high-fat content, making it a good substitute for vegetable oil in cake mix.
Fresh cream used as a 1:1 substitute for vegetable oil in the cake mix gives the cake the same velvety texture as vegetable oil and adds a rich flavor.
Buttermilk
Buttermilk is the cultured liquid that remains after the process of churning milk into butter. Buttermilk has a smooth texture and a sour, tangy flavor.
You can replace vegetable oil with buttermilk in cake mix on a 1:1 basis. Add extra sugar to the recipe to allow for the sour taste of the buttermilk.
Yogurt
Yogurt is made from milk that has been processed with bacteria known as yogurt culture. The resulting substance is a thick, creamy dairy product with a sour tang. Natural yogurt has a smooth texture and semi-liquid consistency.
Many yogurts have additional flavorings or natural fruit added to them to make the yogurt more appealing and interesting.
You can use plain, unflavored natural yogurt as a 1:1 substitute for vegetable oil in cake mix, but you should add extra sugar to the recipe to balance out the sour taste of the yogurt.
Sour Cream
Sour cream is made by fermenting fresh cream with a bacterial culture that gives the cream a thick consistency and a sour tang.
Sour cream works as a 1:1 substitute for vegetable oil in cake mix because of its high-fat content and smooth texture, but sour cream affects the taste of the cake, so you should add extra sugar to the recipe to compensate for the sourness of the cream.
Fruit-based Substitutes for Vegetable Oil in Cake Mix
Applesauce
Applesauce is a smooth sauce that is made from cooked apples. You can use 1 cup of applesauce in place of 1 cup of vegetable oil in the cake mix because applesauce adds moisture to the cake in the same way as vegetable oil does.
There are many types of bottled or canned applesauce available in stores. You should choose an unsweetened variety of applesauce as a substitute for vegetable oil in the cake mix because it contains enough sugar to give the cake the sweetness it needs.
Homemade applesauce is easy to make. The only ingredients in homemade applesauce are apples and water. Golden delicious apples have the best flavor for applesauce, with the perfect sweet and tart flavor balance.
Here are five easy steps for making applesauce:
- Peel and core 6 apples
- Cut the apples into chunks
- Place the apples in a saucepan with ¼ of a cup of water
- Cook the apples over medium heat until they are soft
- Leave the apples to cool, and blend them into a smooth paste using a blender
Pour the applesauce into sterilized glass jars, and store in the fridge for up to a week.
Mashed Bananas
Bananas are versatile fruit with a unique flavor. Mashed bananas work as a substitute for vegetable oil in cake mix because bananas contain natural moisture, and mashed bananas act as a binding agent in a cake.
You should use soft, overripe bananas when replacing vegetable oil with mashed bananas in cake mix. Green, firm bananas give the cake a lumpy texture. Use 1 cup of mashed overripe bananas in place of 1 cup of vegetable oil in cake mix.
Pureéd Prunes
Pureéd prunes, similar to baby food, work as a substitute for vegetable oil in cake mix because of the smooth texture of the prune pureé.
Prunes have a sweet flavor, so your cake will be slightly sweeter than usual, but the pureéd prunes give the cake a smooth, light texture.
Use 1 cup of pureéd prunes as a substitute for 1 cup of vegetable oil in cake mix.
Pureéd Pumpkins
Pumpkins contain natural moisture and have a mild flavor. Cook pumpkins until they are soft, and pureé them into a smooth paste. You can use the pureéd pumpkin as a 1:1 substitute for vegetable oil in cake mix.
