Baking..........can I Substitute Butter For Shortening?

Baking By KPowell0219 Updated 5 Feb 2009 , 5:22pm by MissyShay

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KPowell0219 Posted 30 Dec 2008 , 2:34pm
post #1 of 13

I am making a Choc pound cake and my recipe call for shortening, can I substitute butter, if so is there a added susitutions amount for the butter. HELPPPPPPPPP?!?!?!?!?!?

12 replies
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steplite Posted 31 Dec 2008 , 2:58am
post #2 of 13

Yes, you can subsitute butter for shortening. I do it all the time. I have an old Betty Crocker cook book and it says you can use half butter and half shortening in her cake recipes.

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sayhellojana Posted 31 Dec 2008 , 3:10am
post #3 of 13

yep. Shouldn't be a problem. The final cake might be a bit more "oily", but it really shouldn't make a huge difference.

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hayleythecaker Posted 31 Dec 2008 , 3:14am
post #4 of 13

I like substituting butter for shortening...shortening is basically one step up from plastic, after all icon_eek.gif

As far as conversions go, just do it directly: half a cup of butter for half a cup of shortening.

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alliebear Posted 31 Dec 2008 , 3:15am
post #5 of 13

of course... i never work with shortening and if i come across a recipe that calls for shortening i always subsitute butter. it sometimes affects the texture because butter has a higher moisture content, but normally it doesn't make much of a difference. u will find a flavor difference tho. but a good difference.

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gerripje Posted 31 Dec 2008 , 3:16am
post #6 of 13

I've seen on that show Good Eats he often uses butter flavor Crisco when a recipe calls for butter or shortening.

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Frankyola Posted 9 Jan 2009 , 8:08pm
post #7 of 13
Quote:
Originally Posted by gerripje

I've seen on that show Good Eats he often uses butter flavor Crisco when a recipe calls for butter or shortening.




Butter flavor Crisco? Nooooooooooooooooo, I did it and my cake was nasty and salty. icon_cry.gificon_cry.gificon_cry.gificon_cry.gif

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katielb Posted 26 Jan 2009 , 3:44am
post #8 of 13

Can you do this substitution with buttercreams?
Ive found a lot of recipes call for Crisco (which i dont recall seeing here in Oz but im sure we have something similar) but im not too keen on using it.
Just not sure if it would effect the overall texture and taste of buttercream??

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paddlegirl14 Posted 26 Jan 2009 , 3:51am
post #9 of 13

Butter will give it a buttery taste, but it will be a little drier. Add a very small amount of extra liquid, VERY SMALL AMOUNT.

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katielb Posted 26 Jan 2009 , 4:03am
post #10 of 13

Thanks paddlegirl icon_smile.gif

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prterrell Posted 28 Jan 2009 , 9:28pm
post #11 of 13
Quote:
Originally Posted by katielb

Can you do this substitution with buttercreams?
Ive found a lot of recipes call for Crisco (which i dont recall seeing here in Oz but im sure we have something similar) but im not too keen on using it.
Just not sure if it would effect the overall texture and taste of buttercream??




Absolutely! (I'm guessing you're refering to the Wilton-style "buttercream" that calls for powdered sugar and shortening and artificial butter flavoring?) Using butter will taste MUCH better. Doesn't stand up the heat quite as well, but just don't leave it sitting out in the sun, ya know? Of course, the best of all is a meringue-based buttercream. I personally prefer the IMBC over the SMBC, but that's basically just a cooking method preference.

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jillyb Posted 4 Feb 2009 , 10:27pm
post #12 of 13

What does the meringue do for the buttercreme?

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MissyShay Posted 5 Feb 2009 , 5:22pm
post #13 of 13

Wilton also has a buttercream recipe using butter. The difference is that taste is much better, but your buttercream will not be white either. IMBC tastes great, some of my customers prefer IMBC, and some prefer the original powdered sugar and shortening buttercream. IMBC seems to be harder to work with as far as piping and stuff.

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