All About Baking Spread: What It Is and How to Use

If you like to bake, a recipe can be confusing and full of terminology that can be difficult to determine what you need to do. One of the most crucial aspects of baking is understanding the proper ingredients you will need for baking, such as the baking spread.

Baking spread is a substitute for butter, made with bovine fat and other ingredients. Compared to butter and margarine, the baking spread has a smaller fat content and a higher water level content.

However, there are a few more things you should know about the baking spread.

When looking at your ingredients, you need to know what baking spreads are going to do to your recipe. Read on to learn all you need to know about the baking spread.

What is Baking Spread?

Baking spread is often referred to as margarine. Often you will find baking spread with a lower than 60% fat content. This is because they will impact the gluten structures and make them less stable and give a crumblier texture. These are marketed as healthier options and better for the consumer, but the fat is crucial for baking.

Some baking spreads have upwards of 70% fat content. Fat content is an essential ingredient for baking because it helps create a moist product and conduct heat through the product to cook it thoroughly.

Therefore, if you use a spread with lower fat content, there is a higher chance that the baked good will not cook through entirely and become crumbly.

Butter is one of the most common ingredients in baking. The fat comes from the cream used in butter, whereas spread will get their fat from oil or other animal products. Margarine will whip these materials into a solid, but do this is because they do not have the same fat content.

Can You Use Baking Spread For Baking?

You can use a baking spread for baking. If you are interested in using baking spread, you should know that the baked good will probably spread out wide and no longer be as risen. The fat in butter helps a baked good to rise and stay together. If you use baking spread, there is a lower fat content making it spread.

However, a baking spread can be helpful to make sure the item is dairy-free. If you are using a spread, ensure it is dairy-free because not all are made of just oil. Some spreads will be butter with oil, which is not dairy-free.

What is the Difference Between American and British Spread?

There is a difference between American baking spread and British baking spread. The use of trans fats in American spread is banned in the UK. British baking spread has a lower fat content and does not contain the amount of water that America has.

In most British spreads, it is mainly dairy spreads. This is because dairy spreads are lower in trans fats and can make a fluffier baked good.

Four Substitutes to Baking Spread

There are other substitutes to baking spread that can help you make beautiful bakes that are less crumbly and rise correctly.

Shortening

Shortening is a good substitute for baking spread because it can add the fat content you need to make a baked good rise and cook all the way through. However, shortening can add no flavor to your baked good. In addition, you will need to make up for that in other ways, such as adding butter flavoring.

There is a lack of water in shortening that can help you have tender and moist baked goods. Most people will add extra shortening and even butter-flavored shortening to make sure the baked good is moister.

Olive Oil/Vegetable Oil

Another substitute for baking spread is olive oil or vegetable oil. Olive oil and vegetable oil will add the fat content to the baked good and add a depth of flavor. Oil should be added in ¾ cups for every cup of butter that is supposed to be in a recipe.

Oil can add a change of flavor that is in the good, so make sure you are using the right oil for your recipe. Vegetable oil is a less flavorful oil, which can be good if you are using other flavors. Olive oil instead has a depth of flavor that can add a nutty flavor to your baked goods.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil can be an addition to your baked good. It can be substituted at a one-to-one ratio for butter. It will add a tropical flavor to your baked good and can make crispier baked goods. The fat content it brings to the recipe can create a moist cake and cook them all the way through.

Fruits

All of these fruit substitutes can add sweetness and moistness to your baked goods. They will add natural sugar and healthy fat to the baked good. You may have to play around with these levels of fruit substitutes to make sure they are not making your baked suitable too moist. It can cause a baked good to not bake all the way through if too much of the ingredient is added.

Also, these substitutes will add a flavor to the baked good, while cutting down on the sugar and adding fiber to the baked good.

This can be a good substitute for your baking if you are looking to make things healthier. Butter can be cur out and can eliminate high cholesterol and bad trans fats in your baking.

Final Thoughts

Baking spread can be helpful for adding moisture to your baked good. It can help limit the trans-fat and cholesterol in your baked good. Baking spread can make things dairy-free or vegan which can allow people to enjoy your baked good.

There are many substitutes to butter that can change your baked good and make them healthier. If you are interested in baking, you may want to consider trying one of these substitutes to see how it changes your baked good!

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