Yes, margarine and butter can be combined when baking to get the benefits of both. However, it may alter the taste and texture of the final product.
So let’s look deeper
Yes, margarine and butter can indeed be combined when baking to get the best of both worlds. While many recipes call for just butter or just margarine, mixing the two can lead to a final product that is both flaky and flavorful.
According to a New York Times article, “Each fat has its own characteristics in baking. Butter has a low melting point and dissolves easily into dry ingredients, which can make for a tender, crumbly texture. But it also has water and milk solids, which can lead to spreading when baked. Margarine tends to have a higher melting point and brings a rich, buttery flavor, but it can be prone to crumbling or being too firm when refrigerated.” By combining the two, you can balance out these characteristics to create a final product that is both delicious and well-textured.
It is important to note that the exact proportions of butter and margarine will depend on the specific recipe. Some recipes may call for equal parts of each, while others may call for slightly more of one or the other. A good rule of thumb is to start with roughly half and half, and adjust from there based on the texture and flavor of the dough.
Here is a table showing the nutritional information for a few different kinds of butter and margarine, as well as a popular butter/margarine blend:
| Brand | Calories per Tbsp | Total Fat (g) | Saturated Fat (g) | Trans Fat (g) | Cholesterol (mg) | Sodium (mg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butter | 100 | 11 | 7 | 0 | 30 | 80 |
| Margarine | 100 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 125 |
| I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter | 80 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 150 |
It’s worth keeping in mind, however, that baking with butter and margarine can alter the taste and texture of the final product. As renowned chef Julia Child once said, “With enough butter, anything is good.” So if you’re looking for a richer, more indulgent flavor and texture, butter may be the way to go. But if you’re looking for a lower-fat, plant-based alternative, margarine may be the better choice. Ultimately, it’s up to personal preference, so don’t be afraid to experiment!
See a video about the subject
The YouTuber in the video conducts an experiment to compare baking with butter and margarine. While margarine is cheaper, it may contain trans fats. She notes that butter smells better and has more fat, before proceeding to bake them in separate pans. Although there is no significant difference in time, the baked goods of butter are softer and have a better aroma, while the margarine baked goods have a better texture and are better suited for fondant cakes. However, she enjoys using both ingredients and finds that they taste good.
Other methods of responding to your inquiry
Combining two different fats such as margarine and shortening will give a recipe some of each fat’s best qualities. For example, by using both butter and shortening in a cookie recipe, you will get the wonderful flavor of butter, while the shortening will keep the cookies from spreading too flat.
Surely you will be interested
Can I use both butter and margarine in baking?
Margarine and butter can be used interchangeably in baking. Just make sure if a recipe calls for sticks of butter, you use sticks of margarine instead of the spreadable tub or the other way around.
Then, Can you use margarine with butter? You may come across recipes that call for butter AND margarine. This is simply to enhance the texture. When combined with butter, the hydrogenated oils in margarine create a lighter texture that butter by itself cannot. If you don’t want to use margarine, a number of natural oil-based spreads that will do the trick.
Similarly, Can I use half butter and half margarine in baking? But for plainer cakes we would suggest using half butter and half margarine and boosting the vanilla extract slightly. For pastry we would always suggest using butter as the flavour here is important, and you can always use half butter and half lard or shortening for a flaky crust.
Why is margarine not recommended in baking?
Butter’s high fat content is also what gives baked goods their texture. Margarine, which can contain more water and less fat, may make thin cookies that spread out while baking (and may burn). Butter is also the better choice for frying.
Keeping this in view, Is butter worse than margarine?
Response: Today the butter-versus-margarine issue is really a false one. From the standpoint of heart disease, butter remains on the list of foods to use sparingly mostly because it is high in saturated fat. Margarines, though, aren’t so easy to classify. The older stick margarines turned out to be clearly worse for you than butter.
Also to know is, Why is margarine worse than butter? Response to this: While butter is high in saturated fat, margarine is rich in unsaturated fat and sometimes trans fat. The health effects of saturated fat are highly controversial, and its role in heart disease has been downplayed in recent years. Conversely, scientists agree that trans fats, which are found in some margarines, raise the risk of chronic disease.
Similarly, Which is healthier, butter or margarine?
Response to this: “Sure, butter is creamy and spreadable, but it provides a significant source of saturated fat which in excess can lead to elevated blood cholesterol,” says preventive cardiology dietitian Julia Zumpano, RD, LD. “Margarine, made from plant-based fats and oils, is supposedly heart-healthier.
Also to know is, Is butter worse than margarine? Response will be: Today the butter-versus-margarine issue is really a false one. From the standpoint of heart disease, butter remains on the list of foods to use sparingly mostly because it is high in saturated fat. Margarines, though, aren’t so easy to classify. The older stick margarines turned out to be clearly worse for you than butter.
Besides, Why is margarine worse than butter?
In reply to that: While butter is high in saturated fat, margarine is rich in unsaturated fat and sometimes trans fat. The health effects of saturated fat are highly controversial, and its role in heart disease has been downplayed in recent years. Conversely, scientists agree that trans fats, which are found in some margarines, raise the risk of chronic disease.
Accordingly, Which is healthier, butter or margarine?
The answer is: “Sure, butter is creamy and spreadable, but it provides a significant source of saturated fat which in excess can lead to elevated blood cholesterol,” says preventive cardiology dietitian Julia Zumpano, RD, LD. “Margarine, made from plant-based fats and oils, is supposedly heart-healthier.