Cake baking question

[wee quinnie]

Hi all,

This may well be a v stupid question as I am not very clued up on science, but anyway....

If I wanted to make a cake recipe vegan, could I just convert the butter requirement in grammes, to veg oil (in mls). I appreciate that I could probably use vegan margarine, but I really don't like the taste.

[VeryBerryCherry]

I don't think that veg oil would be sufficient. Mainly because butters and margerines are emulsified creams and fats etc...

I'd look on the web for some alternatives. I know I have looked for egg-free recipes and it's great for finding more than one option. No other option immediately springs to mind, sorry.

... actually, what about soya marg?

Or is that the marg you don't like?

[wee quinnie]

Hello VBC

My reason for posing the question is very much centred on my heavily used Domestic Goddess by Nigella.

I am not sure about which vegan margs I have tried - but I have tried a few. The other problem with marg is...well....it's not that good for you really. I notice however, that carrot cake always seems to be made with oil rather than butter.

[VeryBerryCherry]

Hi,

well I always use a little oil in cakes, it helps to keep them moist. However, too much and they tend not to rise too well, especially if you are vegan and you don't have eggs to compensate and make it light and fluffy.

I tend to use soya margerine, but substitute a little of it of veg oil. One idea is to use and electric whisk on both, the get them a little creamier and lighter prior to mixing. Oh and as well as a couple of tablespoons of oil, i'd use a couple of spoons of a whisked milk substitute too. Again, I use soya milk, but i'm sure Rice milk should work too.

[Guest]

You could try the vegan society website cake page.

[PeckhamRose]

I only ever use oil in carrot cake (as well as carrots and all the other ingredients!)

In fact I have no imagination as a cook but my recipe says use oil. And if it works in that....!

[Gubodge]

Oil is fine, the problem is replacing the egg. You need something to replace its binding properties as well as to make the cake rise. Different recipes use different methods, some just replace the egg with apple or apricot puree or I have one lovely moist chocolate cake that uses vinegar and oil (try googling wacky cake)

I keep meaning to try some of the recipes on here: http://www.parsleysoup.co.uk/index.php . I'm not vegan, but have a diary and egg allergic child, which amounts to the same thing when baking. Oh, and if you're after vegan chocolate, green and blacks dark or maya gold is milk-free.

[beef]

The best vegan marge for cakes is Tomor, comes in a block like butter, so is great for pastry making too. Available from DKH Sainsburys (occasionally) and Waitrose Online.

[PeckhamRose]

Seems to be the definite answer there, and this coming from someone called Beef!

:D

beef Wrote:

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> The best vegan marge for cakes is Tomor, comes in

> a block like butter, so is great for pastry making

> too. Available from DKH Sainsburys (occasionally)

> and Waitrose Online.