Vegetable Oil Substitutes for Baking
Out of vegetable oil? Learn how to bake incredibly moist cakes and muffins using applesauce, melted butter, or coconut oil.
Best substitutes
| Replace with | Ratio | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Unsweetened Applesauce | 1:1 (or 50/50 with oil) | muffins, quick breads, carrot cake |
| Melted Butter | 1:1 | brownies, boxed cake mixes |
| Coconut Oil (Melted) | 1:1 | chocolate cakes, vegan baking |
The Role of Oil in Baking
In baking recipes (like carrot cake, brownies, or muffins), vegetable oil is used purely for moisture and tenderness. Unlike butter, which is 20% water and solidifies at room temperature, oil is 100% fat and remains liquid. This is why oil-based cakes are famously moist and stay softer in the fridge than butter-based cakes. A substitute must provide this liquid moisture without introducing overwhelming flavors.
The Healthiest Swap: Applesauce
Unsweetened applesauce is the classic, healthiest substitute for vegetable oil in baking. The pectin in the apples binds the crumb together while keeping it incredibly moist, all while slashing the fat content to nearly zero.
You can substitute it 1:1, but the absolute best results come from a 50/50 split: if a recipe calls for 1 cup of oil, use 1/2 cup of oil and 1/2 cup of applesauce. If you must go 100% applesauce, your cake will be slightly denser and less rich, but still delicious. Be sure to use unsweetened applesauce, or reduce the sugar in your recipe.
For Maximum Richness: Melted Butter
If you don’t mind the calories, melted unsalted butter is a spectacular 1:1 substitute. Because butter contains some water, your cake might not be quite as moist on day three, but the incredible, rich, buttery flavor it adds to boxed cake mixes or brownies is more than worth the trade-off.
Coconut Oil
Melted coconut oil is an excellent 1:1 substitute because, like vegetable oil, it is 100% fat. Be aware that unrefined coconut oil will impart a noticeable coconut flavor to your baked goods (which is amazing in chocolate or tropical recipes). If you don’t want the flavor, seek out refined coconut oil. Ensure all other ingredients (like eggs and milk) are at room temperature so the coconut oil doesn’t instantly solidify when you mix them.
Olive Oil?
You can absolutely use light or extra-virgin olive oil 1:1 in baking. It creates incredibly tender cakes. However, it has a strong, peppery flavor. It works brilliantly in citrus cakes (like lemon or orange olive oil cake) or dark chocolate brownies, but it will ruin the delicate flavor of a vanilla sponge.