Recipes

[jkmcem]

I found 2 recipes that are over 50 years old. Each one has shortening in the ingredients. What can I use as a substitute?

[D Kay]

Butter or margarine?

[Group 5 minus 1]

Why do you want to subsitute? 

[Marp]

@jkmcem,  what kind of recipes are they?

There are many acceptable substitutes for shortening but which to use successfully depends on what is being cooked.

Ghee, butter, coconut oil, lard are just a few of the most recommended substitutes.

When deciding which to use keep in mind that a one to one measurement is not always acceptable.  There is usually little difference in the measurement but the difference could make or break your recipe.

[jkmcem]

I am not familiar with shortening. One is a fruit cake recipe. The other one is a date nut cake recipe

[wagirl]

I have a couple old, old recipes from my mom, that uses shortening--and when I tried to substitue--they didn't turn out at all--went back to shortening and it was day and night goodness--better keep to the recipe, IMP.

[Desertdi]

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@jkmcem wrote:
I am not familiar with shortening. One is a fruit cake recipe. The other one is a date nut cake recipe

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@jkmcem 

[RedTop]

@jkmcem 

Shortening is Crisco.  Substituting anything else for the solid shortening will change the texture of both cakes dramatically, as well as the taste.  

If these cakes are old favorites, my suggestion is to make them exactly by the recipe to get the taste you remember, or find another fruit cake and date nut cake recipe that call for the ingredients you want to use.  

Do not mess with 50 year old recipes!  

[River Song]

You must remember that butter/margarine have water in them and won't work as a substitute for Crisco in some recipes.  It changes the fat-to-liquid ratio in the recipe.

[ECBG]

Also, if your chosen substitute is more liquid than shortening, your recipe is more likely to fail.