Substitute for shortening in buttercream frosting?!
Substitute for shortening in buttercream frosting?
I'm making a buttercream frosting, and I was wondering... is there anything healthier I can substitute for shortening (no trans fats, etc)?
Additional Details4 days ago
Sorry, I should have been more clear. I was wanting to try an alternative, vegan recipe for buttercream frosting, so really I should call it "butter"-"cream" frosting? ;)
However, I'm not vegan, so next time I might just go the typical route of simply using butter.
Answers:
4 days ago
Sorry, I should have been more clear. I was wanting to try an alternative, vegan recipe for buttercream frosting, so really I should call it "butter"-"cream" frosting? ;)
However, I'm not vegan, so next time I might just go the typical route of simply using butter.
I am a little confused by your question.. there should not be any Crisco/shortening in a buttercream recipe.. it literally should be butter, hence the name. (anad it will lose it's rich, buttery taste if you use shortening)
There is next to no trans fat in butter. There is a small amount of naturally occuring trans fat in cow milk, thus butter, but the man-made trans-fat of shortening is what you want to avoid.
So the problem with butter is all the saturated fat.
You could try the solution that companie like Edy's Ice cream have done: whip the butter in a Cuisnart for 15 minutes.. until it is like a cloud. You are incorporating air into the butter.. this will double the volume. You can then use about half of the butter originally required in teh froting recipe.
The texture of the frosting will be different, but the taste the same.
Same goes for any cream or milk or eggs in a recipe.. you can use les and whip them for longer to aerate them..
saves on calories.
There are two ways you can go on this, the first is to try Smart Balance, it has no trans fats, the other way is to try Olive Oil.
Every kind of shortening will have SOME sort of fat. If you want to go strictly for taste, then it's hard to beat butter. Otherwise, you'll almost certainly have to use something hydrogenated to get the effect of butter, which, after all, was how it was originally made.
Crisco in the green can has no trans fat.... and it is possible to go all butter for a buttercream frosting. This website has a variety of recipes for frostings and cakes...mmm. Hope this helps
www.cakecentral.com
PS- you could also use cream cheese instead of shortening. Most people like to use shortening because it will hold up better in heat, but ifyour cake is going to be inside in an AC environment you could definitely go all butter.
buttercream frosting should have butter in it. that is all i have to say on the subject.