I would think I could, but the science of baking is still something I am learning. They both have the same fat content, but veg oil has a bit more saturated fat. Does anyone know if using canola will affect performance of batter or taste of cake?

Here's hoping this is not yet the dumbest question I have asked, lol.

Diane

Yes, that is the only kind I use.

There's never a dumb question. You're right... baking involves science to understand how ingredients perform takes some chemistry and physics. Canola IS a vegetable oil, the only difference is that the one labeled "Vegetable Oil" is a mix of oils from several sources

Go ahead, use it with confidence, it won't affect taste or results of a cake

Thank you so much!!!!!
Diane

my DH baked a cake last year for me to make cake balls out of. he used olive oil. I DO NOT recommend a repeat performance. It was entirely too oily.

I use canola and occasionally safflower oil in cakes and those turn out fine.

Only kind I use too.

Maybe it was because it used to be a cake recipe for a Canola oil company? The originator used Canola and wanted to emphasize it?

I agree, you can substitute any vegetable oil except for olive oil. Maybe, maybe if you used a light olive oil you could get away with it. But it has such a distinctive taste. And peanut oil is another one I would not substitute, but then again it is not a vegetable.

All oils are 100 percent fat, and all oils contain 14 grams of fat and 120 calories per tablespoon.

Some oils contain more monounsaturated fat ( olive-77%,canola-62, peanut-49, butter-30, corn-25, safflower-13, coconut-6.5) than others. Some studies claim this to be beneficial for heart health.

Whatever the source of your oil, always smell and taste itl before deciding whether to use or not. Oils are volatile and can lose their flavors and go rancid when exposed too long to heat, moisture, air or light. Rancid fat not only spoils the taste of baked goods, but it is unhealthy to ingest. Store oils in opaque containers in a cool, dark place. You can also refrigerate if you wish, but keep in mind that oil may become cloudy when cold, although will clarify as it warms to room temperature.

For very light tasting cakes, use exclusively odorless-tasteless oils or mixes that won't alter the taste.

For mildly flavored, you can use any vegetable oil even cold pressed olive oil that is graded extra-light.

Delicately flavored oils can be used with stronger flavored cakes, such as spice, chocolate or pumpkin.

Cold pressed extra-virgin oil, with its more robust olive taste and aroma, is NOT recommended for cakes.

BTW, my mom was a bio-chemist... and provided lots of facts to my daily life

Wow, TMI. I thought I researched to overkill. But I guess what is common sense to one is not to another.

There is an olive oil cake recipe out there. I have seen it in several sources, calling me to make it. Someday I will. It is not top on my list due to the fact that olive oil will impart such a strong flavor.

My daughter has a college roommate who's mother bakes exclusively with olive oil because it's a "good fat."

No one will eat her baked goods.

Anything but a strong flavored oil, please.

Canola is all I ever use too!!

Wow I am so glad I seen this topic. Perhaps it was something else I did, but I have a pumpkin bread recipe I bake all the time ( tastes just like a moist slice of cake) but for the first time, I tried using canola oil instead of plain vegetable, and it did not turn out the same at all! Hmm, if it wasn't the oil then, I will give it another go with canola as I am baking this bread tomorrow and see if I get the same results

I use Canola exclusively for baking and I love it!!

The difference between canola oil and vegetable oil mainly how the two oils are made. Canola oil is made from the cultivation of the rapeseed. The rapeseed is cultivated to be low in erucic acid (canola oil must contain 2% or lower erucic acid). Now comes the confusing part.

Vegetable oil is made from one or more vegetable plants. In North America, most vegetable oil is made from soybean oil or palm oil, but it could be any combination of those or other oils like cottonseed and sunflower seed. You may be asking yourself what the difference is as everything is a plant.

Canola Oil Nutrition (serving size 1 cup) Calories 1927 Total Fat 218 g 335% Saturated Fat 16 g 80%

Vegetable Oil Nutrition (serving size 1 cup) Calories 1664 Total Fat 218 g 335% Saturated Fat 33 g 164%

Source

i use olive oil -- 

The notable difference between canola and vegetable oil is the ratio of monounsaturated to polyunsaturated fats.  Like olive oil and some types of nuts and fish, canola oil has a higher percentage of monounsaturated fat, which may make it a healthier oil and less prone to oxidation.