Substituting Oil for Melted Butter

By BakerAunt

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  • January 27, 2020 at 10:16 am #20753
    BakerAunt
    Participant

      I have a recipe for Bischofsbrot posted here at Nebraska Kitchen. It's a dense quick bread, full of raisins, walnuts, and chocolate. The leavening comes mostly from the four eggs. I'm wondering about substituting in oil for the melted butter. Usually I use 1/3 oil to 1/2 cup butter, although I've noticed in yeast breads that call for 1 or 2 Tbs., it seems best to substitute the same amount.

      I'm wondering about the "rule" for substituting for melted butter. In other words, would 6 Tbs. melted butter be best replaced with 6 Tbs. canola oil? My usual substitution would be 4 1/2 Tbs. and sometimes I've added buttermilk to make up the "total" amount.

      The bread/cake has always struck me as a bit dry, even with the butter, and I don't want it to be even more dry.

      Suggestions? I want to bake it for my birthday, and I can justify the chocolate pieces splurge if I replace the butter. I don't have currents, but I'm going to use dark raisins in their place and golden raisins for the rest.

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      January 27, 2020 at 10:17 am #20754
      Mike Nolan
      Keymaster

        Remember that butter is about 20% water, so when substituting oil you should probably add a little water as well.

        January 27, 2020 at 12:15 pm #20756
        aaronatthedoublef
        Participant

          It may be less dense, as well.

          January 27, 2020 at 3:53 pm #20770
          BakerAunt
          Participant

            Thanks, Mike and Aaron. I decided to use 4 Tbs. oil whisked together with 2 Tbs. of buttermilk. My dark raisins were a bit dry, so I hydrated them, then blotted them mostly dry with a paper towel. The Bischofsbrot is in the oven. Unfortunately, I had the convection feature on for the first 30 minutes. Sigh. It's easy to do when setting the dial, which has to be turned to the left to reduce the pre-set temperature of 350f.

            However, so far, it looks good.

            January 27, 2020 at 4:01 pm #20771
            Mike Nolan
            Keymaster

              I get confused when I'm at my son's house, his ovens have too many options and I don't know what several of them do.

              January 27, 2020 at 5:29 pm #20772
              BakerAunt
              Participant

                I took it out after 90 minutes, having turned it around at the time I discovered the convection was on and switched back to regular. It seems to have baked well, with an aroma that wafted upstairs to my husband. I used the Grease on my pan, and the bread came out nicely after cooling for 15 minutes. We will slice it tomorrow, at which time I'll comment on taste and texture.

                January 28, 2020 at 12:33 pm #20789
                BakerAunt
                Participant

                  I'm very pleased with the Bishofsbrot. It's still a very firm cake (bring out the serrated knife to saw through the crust on the sides and bottom). The fruit stayed in place, as I thought it would given that the batter to fruit, nuts, and chocolate proportions are so high in relationship to the flour. While replacing the currants with the golden raisins changes the overall flavor slightly, I can happily eat it this way as well. The bittersweet chocolate chips are great in this recipe, as it sets off the fruits and nuts nicely.

                  January 28, 2020 at 12:39 pm #20792
                  chocomouse
                  Participant

                    Happy Birthday BakerAunt! Nice that you have a delicious cake (with chocolate chips!) to help you celebrate.

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