Nutritionists recommend consumers limit their intake of oils, fats and sugars. It is no coincidence that these are the staples of any baker's pantry. These high-fat, high-calorie ingredients make baked treats taste so good, and at the same time they are treats, and should only be consumed in limited amounts. While many baking ingredients, like spices contain few if any calories, most ingredients reside on the high-end of the calorie counter.
Sugar
Baked goods glean their sweetness from sugar. Once so rare it was referred to as white gold, one teaspoon contains just 16 calories. One cup of sugar contains approximately 774 calories, and confectioner's, or powdered sugar, which combines ground granulated sugar with cornstarch, contains 467 calories per unsifted cup.
Butter
The JoyofBaking.com points out that butter creates the unique texture and flavor consumers expect in baked goods. One tablespoon of butter contains 102 calories. Many baked goods call for an entire stick of butter. This adds 816 calories to the treat.
Vegetable Oil
Vegetable oil provides fat and moisture to many baked goods. It also provides 124 calories in each tablespoon. In a recipe calling for one-quarter cups of vegetable oil, 496 calories will be contributed to the final product. In an effort to reduce the caloric content of many prepackaged backed good mixes, some recipes recommend replacing the vegetable oil with unsweetened apple sauce.
Vegetable Shortening
Cookies and pie crusts depend on the moisture and fat of vegetable shortening for body and texture. One tablespoon of vegetable shortening contains 115 calories. Baking with the butter-flavored variety contains 110 calories per tablespoon. Many baking recipes call for up to one-half cup of shortening, increasing its caloric count by 880 calories.
Sweetened Condensed Milk
Popular in fudge bars and sticky-sweet treat, sweetened condensed milk may be one of the highest-calorie baking ingredient on the market. One ounce contains 122 calories, and one cup of the sweet milk contains a whopping 982 calories. Bakers can opt for low-fat sweetened condensed milk, which still contains a total of 696 calories.
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