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Can applesauce by substituted for oil in all recipes?
By lkon
Maybe not all, but it works great in cakes and I have been meaning to try it in cornbread, but not done it. One of the best cakes I ever made was a cheap box of cake mix and cake frosting from a dollar store and I replaced the oil with applesauce and used egg white instead of whole eggs. It was incredibly moist. My picky mother claimed she could "taste" the applesauce, but I noticed no difference and the cake remained marvelously moist for days. Oh, also, I did use baby sauce applesauce which probably has less sugar and of course, is ultra-fine in consistency.
Do I use the same amount of applesauce as I would oil in baking a cake?
By Nina
Yes, it is one for one. It's best for cakes and muffins, doesn't work as well for cookies, unless they are soft cookies. You might want to add a little less sugar, since applesauce is sweet.
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To cut down on calories, I use applesauce in cakes and other goodies. The applesauce is a substitute for oil and makes the cake or goody you are making more moist. So by using applesauce not only are you cutting calories, you are also making a moister cake.
By gem from VA
I have been doing this for many years. (10/04/2010)
By Joan
My daughter does this and I hate her cakes. If you take the amount of oil and divide it into the number of slices in the cake, you will find you are getting very little oil. Compared to the sugar in the apple sauce there is not enough difference in calories to make much difference. (10/05/2010)
By Lilac
How much applesauce do you use instead of oil in a recipe?
By Linda from WV
I have used cup for cup, but the cake mix and brownie mix baked up very, very light and spongy. Not terrible, but you could tell that I didn't use any oil. The texture did change. The brownies didn't come out all fudgy and chewy which is how I like them, but I also like fitting into my jeans.
I think 2/3 cup is good - have done that before and things bake up a little more normal. I have heard you can use prune 'filling' actually I don't know what it is, but it's also called 'Lekvar' by certain nationalities. You can find it easily in the canned pie filling section of the baking aisle in the grocery store.
I've always wanted to use it, but never have. I did read, though, that you cannot taste prunes in the final product. Fiber? I would imagine it would add some in the way of a laxative effect, but have directly spoken with anyone who used it.
I've heard you can use plain pumpkin pie fruit - not pumpkin pie filling'. Also with no taste in the finished goods. (06/13/2010)
By metroplex
My daughter does that and I'll be honest, I would just as soon not have cake if I have to eat it that way. If you take the amount of oil you should use and divide it with the number of pieces in the cake, you aren't really getting much.
You still need to subtract the oil calories and add the applesauce calories to get the true difference and it really isn't that much. You still have the carbs and sugar of the cake so why not add the oil and enjoy a piece of cake once in a while. I never eat my daughter's cake. I'd rather have something else like a piece of fruit. (06/15/2010)
By Lilac
When I do this, I never replace more than half of the measurement called for. I sometimes use the little snack size cups. If the recipe calls for a cup of oil, I'll use a snack cup of applesauce and then make up the difference with oil (canola). (06/15/2010)
By anne
Someone in a much earlier post mentioned using prunes. I've done this. I found a lowfat bran muffin recipe (that I've since lost) years back in a Shape magazine and, instead of oil they used baby food prunes. I works awesome, makes a very moist muffin, cupcake or cake. You would seriously never notice a difference in texture.
I found a low fat chocolate cupcake recipe using 1/3 cup cinnamon apple sauce and a Tbsp of oil. I replaced the oil with one jar of baby food prunes and they are wonderful, very moist and yummy. You can also use mayonnaise with very good results although that can be high fat too, depending on the mayo. I have a mayonnaise cake recipe and used a very low fat eggless mayo with very good results
Racquelle (06/28/2010)
By Racquelle
When doing all your holiday baking, try substituting 1/2 the oil called for in the recipe with the same amount of applesauce.
I just made low fat brownies from mix, with some chopped pecans added, by substituting 2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce in place of 2/3 cup oil.
Does it have to be unsweetened applesauce when you use applesauce to replace oil in a recipe? Will regular applesauce work just as well?
Can applesauce be used instead of oil in cake mixes and box brownies? And if so, how much? Thanks!
