So, you just finished watching the famous episode of Hell’s Kitchen where Gordon Ramsay made the delicious banana bread? We are pretty sure that you would want to bake the banana bread right away.
You run to the kitchen, collect all the ingredients, only to find out that you don’t have shortening, that’s a nightmare! However, you have nothing to be worried about because we have added the substitutes for shortening in banana bread. So, let’s check out the details about different substitutes!
Substitute For Shortening In Banana Bread
1) Margarine Or Butter
In case you are looking for the shortening of banana bread, you can easily opt for margarine or butter without any second thoughts. The best thing is that margarine or butter perfectly suits the flavor of banana bread. On the other hand, if you are too conscious about fats, you can opt for low-fat margarine or butter. However, the low-fat margarine or butter will not melt easily, which means it might impact the effectiveness as shortening.
As far as the amount of margarine or butter is concerned, you can use a similar amount of these substitutes as shortening. In case you are measuring by volume, add one tablespoon of butter or margarine for one tablespoon of shortening. On the contrary, if you are measuring by weight, it’s best to add 25% more margarine or butter. In addition, if the recipe has salt, it’s best to reduce the quantity of margarine or butter as the substitute for shortening.
On top of everything, the users can add some amount of flaxseed powder with margarine or butter, which makes a perfect replacement for shortening. However, experts suggest that you add the flaxseed powder to margarine or butter only if you are baking cookies. So, in case you are baking the banana bread, go with simple margarine or butter.
2) Vegetable Oils
If you have ever read the ingredients on shortening packaging, you would know that shortenings are made from vegetable oil. That being said, vegetable oil can be used as a substitute for shortening. If you ask our choice, we would suggest that you opt for olive oil because it’s the healthiest options out there. As far as the quantity is concerned, use the same amount. For instance, if you had to add one cup of shortening, just add one cup of vegetable oil, and you will be good to go.
3) Apple Sauce
If you like your banana bread extra sweet, apple sauce makes a perfect substitute for shortening. It’s safe to say that apple sauce will make the texture dense. That being said, if you had to add one cup of shortening to banana bread, just add a half cup of apple sauce, and it will go fine. It’s essential to note down that apple sauce is available in sweetened as well as unsweetened form. On the other hand, if you are using the sweetened apple sauce, just reduce the sugar quantity in the batter.
4) Prunes
In particular, we are talking about the pureed prunes. The pureed prunes can be substituted for shortening in banana bread. Generally, it’s known to be a great replacement for baking, which is why it’s optimal for baking bread. In case you cannot find pureed prunes, you can also add the mashed banana in place of shortening. If you use mashed bananas, it’s best to use them in a similar quantity as shortening.
5) Animal Fats
The animal fats usually include suet and lard, and both of them are fine substitutes for shortening. Be it suet or lard, both of them are non-hydrogenated fats that don’t have artificial additives, and the taste is amazing. However, keep in mind that animal fats tend to have a higher saturated fat quantity. Generally, lard is the most suitable optimal substitute. While using lard as the substitute, make sure to use it in a lesser amount as compared to shortening.
For instance, if you have to replace one cup of shortening, remove two tablespoons from one cup of lard, and you are good to go. Some people also use fresh cream as the substitute for shortening, but it doesn’t go well with banana bread. This is because the fresh cream goes well with milky recipes, such as milk cookies. So, go with animal fats!