AI Summary
If you run out of butter or eggs while baking, there are substitute ingredients that can still perform a similar function due to similarities in chemistry and physical features. For example, oils can be used instead of butter in baking, as both belong to a chemical class called lipids and contribute to the structure and texture of the finished product. Butter is 80% lipid while oil is almost 100% lipid, leading to differences in the resulting crumb texture.
It’s an all too common situation—you’re busy cooking or baking to a recipe when you open the cupboard and suddenly realize you are missing an ingredient.
Unless you can immediately run to the shops, this can leave you scrambling for a substitute that can perform a similar function. Thankfully, such substitutes can be more successful than you’d expect.
There are a few reasons why certain ingredient substitutions work so well. This is usually to do with the chemistry and the physical features having enough similarity to the original ingredient to still do the job appropriately.
Let’s delve into some common ingredient substitutions and why they work—or need to be tweaked.
Oils versus butter
Both butter and oils belong to a chemical class called lipids. It encompasses solid, semi-solid and liquid fats.
In a baked product the “job” of these ingredients is to provide flavor and influence the structure and texture of the finished item. In cake batters, lipids contribute to creating an emulsion structure—this means combining two liquids that wouldn’t usually mix. In the baking process, this helps to create a light, fluffy crumb.
One of the primary differences between butter and oil is that butter is only about 80% lipid (the rest being water), while oil is almost 100% lipid. Oil creates a softer crumb but is still a great fat to bake with.
You can use a wide range of