What to Substitute for Vegetable Oil in Cake Mix
At ECBG, we make everything in-house from scratch (you’ll never find a box of cake mix in our kitchens!), but we are also all about accessibility and convenience—especially for home bakers. And when you’re baking at home, sometimes you just need a quick and easy fix. Cake mixes can be a great solution!
Have you ever started baking and then realized you didn’t have all of the ingredients you needed? Yes, yes ideally you’d have looked ahead of time and realized that you were missing something, but sometimes it just happens and then you’ve gotta figure out what you’re going to do about it.
Even when you only make box cakes, you can sometimes find yourself without a critical ingredient—even though you only really need about 3 ingredients total. Maybe the most likely culprit? Vegetable oil because, if you don’t use it very often, you may not even realize you ran out. Instead of trying to run out to the store, you might be able to swap in common ingredients you have around the house that’ll do the job just as well as vegetable oil. From the expected potential stand-ins like butter and coconut oil, to ingredients you maybe never would’ve guessed (mayo, anyone?), here’s what you need to know about what you can substitute vegetable oil for in cake mix.
What Does Vegetable Oil Do in Cakes?
To help you figure out what you might be able to substitute for the vegetable oil in your baked goods, you need to know what vegetable oil (or canola oil, if that's what you normally use)actually does in a cake:
Adds moisture: Vegetable oil is a fat, so it can help add moisture to your cake and make the texture soft and tender.
Gives a neutral flavor: Because it doesn’t really taste like anything, the flavors of your cake, filling, and frosting can really shine instead of competing with the flavor of the oil you’re using. Sometimes you want that olive oil or buttery flavor, but other times, you want your other flavors to really shine.
Makes for a consistent texture throughout: Using vegetable oil instead of butter or coconut oil makes the cake’s texture fluffy and uniform, which means you won’t end up with any weird dry spots.
But while vegetable oil can do a lot for your cake, there are pros with other ingredients too. Regardless of why you’re subbing in something else for vegetable oil in your cake mix, here’s what you should know about a few of the potential swaps:
You can boost flavor: Olive oil and coconut oil will lend their flavors to the cake, so if you’re looking for a flavor boost, that’s one way to do it. Olive oil cakes are great with chocolate. Coconut oil cakes are delicious with both vanilla and chocolate.
You can cut some calories: While cake is, well, cake, if you’re looking for a sneaky way to switch up your ingredients for health reasons consider swapping in applesauce in place of the vegetable oil.
You can add even more moisture: Bump up the moisture in your cake by using yogurt instead of vegetable oil.
Need to know what else you can use instead of vegetable oil if you’re in a pinch? Here are some of the best things to use if you need to substitute vegetable oil in cake mix.
The Best Vegetable Oil Substitutions for Cake Mix
1. Butter
Butter will add a richer flavor to your cake. If you’re going to use it as a substitute for vegetable oil, make sure you're using melted butter to make it more similar to oil than creaming it like you would for cookies. Your cake will be decadent and delicious, but may have a slightly different texture than if you had used vegetable oil. You'll end up with a rich cake with the added flavor of butter. What's not to like?
Pro tip: Melt your butter before using! Unsalted butter is best since you can’t control the amount of salt in your cake mix, but you can use salted butter in a pinch.
2. Applesauce
Unsweetened applesauce is actually a sneaky great substitute for vegetable oil. Whether you’re making a conscious decision to use a healthy substitute or you just happen to have some on hand, this low-fat swap adds moisture and a subtle sweetness to your cake. It's a great idea if you're looking for some sneaky health benefits.
Pro tip: Applesauce is an especially great swap for spice cakes, carrot cakes, or if you’re going to swirl cinnamon buttercream on top of your cake.
3. Greek Yogurt
Only have some of the vegetable oil you need, but not all of it? Add some Greek yogurt to your cake mix for a unique flavor. It’ll be super moist and a little bit tangy with a delicious texture. Bonus: you’ll add a little protein to your cake.
Pro tip: Make sure you’re using plain Greek yogurt or, if you have to, a vanilla version.
4. Coconut Oil
You can also use melted coconut oil as a vegetable oil swap. If you use a refined coconut oil, it shouldn’t add a ton of coconut flavor, but if you use a regular coconut oil, it will add a bit of flavor to your cake, which is perfect for a chocolate, coconut, or vanilla cake (or one that you’re going to give a fruity twist!).
Pro tip: It's always a good idea to make sure your eggs and other ingredients are at room temperature, but that’s an especially good idea if you’re using a fat that could solidify if it gets cold (like coconut oil) and cause chunks in your dry ingredients.
5. Avocado
Making a chocolate cake? You could swap in avocado! For a buttery rich flavor without any added dairy, use about 1 cup of very well-mashed avocado for every cup of oil called for in the recipe.
Pro tip: Don’t use this swap with a yellow cake or your batter will turn green. Looking for a similar ingredient that won't turn your batter a different color? Try avocado oil, which will give you a neutral oil flavor like vegetable oil and will keep the batter the same color.
6. Mayonnaise
It might sound weird, especially if you’re not particularly a mayo person, but since mayonnaise is made from eggs and oil, it can absolutely be a great substitute in a cake mix. Mayo will add tons of moisture and richness to your cake and no one will ever guess you added it because it's such a mild flavor. Use 1:1 mayo to vegetable oil.
Pro tip: Make sure you’re using a high-quality unflavored mayo so you don’t end up with a chipotle or garlic-flavored cake by accident.
7. Nut Butters
Peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, hazelnut butter, or even tahini can all be great alternatives for vegetable oil in cake mix. These add-ins will definitely affect the flavor of your cake, so make sure you’re coordinating your flavors when you pick your substitution. They’ll also add a nice nuttiness and sweet taste to the finished cake.
Pro tip: Nut butter is especially good in a chocolate or caramel cake.
FAQs
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For the most part, they generally shouldn’t make a big difference to the overall bake time. Still, it’s a good idea to pay close attention toward the end of baking so you don’t overbake your cake. Plus, some ingredients can make your cake denser, which might require longer baking. Bake your cake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, the edge of the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan, and the cake springs back when touched.
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Each of these options will be a good substitute for vegetable oil. You can use whichever one seems like the best fit for what you’re baking. If you’re making a vanilla cake, you probably don’t want to use avocado because it’ll make the cake green. If you’re making a spice cake, coconut oil might not be your favorite choice.
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Some of these substitutes will definitely make your cake taste a bit different than you’re used to, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Think of it more as putting your own stamp on a boxed mix. As long as you consider what flavor it might add to your finished product, you’ll be okay!
No matter why you’re looking for a substitute for vegetable oil in boxed cake mix, you have more options than you might think. Next time you realize you've run out of vegetable oil, consider one of these vegetable oil substitutes. Depending on the flavor of the cake you’re making, what you want your vegetable oil substitute to add to your cake, and what you have around the house, you can find the right alternative for your cake mix.
