How do you substitute butter for oil in baking? check this out | can you use butter instead of vegetable oil
William Harris
Updated on July 22, 2026
Substitute 3/4 of the melted butter in a recipe with oil.
So, if a recipe calls for 8 tablespoons of butter, you would substitute with 6 or 7 tablespoons of oil.
You can absolutely substitute butter for the vegetable oil. Use the same quantity specified in the directions (for example, if it calls for 1/3 cup of oil, use 5 1/3 tablespoons of butter). Melt it down, then let it cool a bit. You might not ever go back to oil!
What happens if you use butter instead of vegetable oil in cake?
You sure can. The good news is that butter, margarine, shortening and all types of oil can be used in place of the vegetable oil in SuperMoist package directions. There may be slight differences in texture and flavor, however all cakes will have good baking results.
How much butter do I substitute for vegetable oil?
There is not really a hard and fast rule to the right amount of oil to replace butter, but you can typically use about three-quarters of the amount of butter that is called for in the recipe. For instance, if the recipe calls for 10 tablespoons of butter, you can use about 7 1/2 tablespoons of oil.
How much butter do I use in place of 1/2 cup vegetable oil?
You can absolutely substitute butter for the vegetable oil. Use the same quantity specified in the directions (for example, if it calls for 1/3 cup of oil, use 5 1/3 tablespoons of butter). Melt it down, then let it cool a bit. You might not ever go back to oil!
Can I use butter instead of oil in box cake mix?
Use butter instead of oil
Most boxed cake mixes call for a neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable. Next time, try using melted butter in place of the oil in a 1-to-1 substitution. Not only will your cake get a buttery flavor boost, but it will also have a firmer, denser texture.
Is butter or oil better for cakes?
The texture of cakes made with oil is—in general—superior to the texture of cakes made with butter. Oil cakes tend to bake up loftier with a more even crumb and stay moist and tender far longer than cakes made with butter. Cakes made with butter often taste better than oil cakes.
What can be substituted for vegetable oil in baking?
Melted butter also works as a 1:1 swap for vegetable oil in baked goods — try browning the butter for even more flavor! If you are cutting calories or fat from your diet, here’s another great sub for vegetable oil: In baked goods, replace up to half of the vegetable oil with plain unsweetened applesauce.
Can I substitute butter for oil in carrot cake?
Not all carrot cake recipes have oil, but those that do usually have wholemeal flour instead of white flour, and the wholemeal absorbs the oil somewhat, which gives you a moist cake. You can substitute butter for oil in muffins, which is faster than melting butter, and still produces great muffins.
What is the conversion of butter to oil?
Simply use an oil to butter ratio of 3 : 4. This means that for every three parts of oil (e.g., three tablespoons), you need to take four exact parts of butter (4 tablespoons in our example). That’s it!
Can you use butter in a cake mix?
And the simplest way to make a cake mix taste even better is to change up the fat. Which is why I always substitute an equal amount of melted butter for vegetable oil, which is typically called for on the cake mix box. Melted butter serves the same purpose as oil, while also adding richness and depth to the cake.