Cutting the fat in baked goods takes more thought and planning than with other types of foods. Although fat -- especially saturated fat -- is unhealthy and adds calories, fat ingredients are vital to the success of cakes, cookies, bread and muffins. While alternatives exist, using the right substitutes in the correct amounts makes the difference between baked goods that are both tasty and healthy and baked goods that are healthier but barely edible.
Step 1
Cut fat by substituting fruit puree for half of the butter in a recipe. For every cup of butter your recipe calls for, use ½ cup of butter and 1/4 cup of fruit puree. Mix in 1 tbsp. at a time of additional fruit puree if the batter looks too dry. Applesauce works well with cakes and cookies. Banana or peach puree is a good substitute when baking spice or chocolate cakes or muffins. Pear puree is good in coffee cakes and quick breads, and prune puree works in spice cakes, muffins, scones, chocolate cakes, coffee cakes, crumb crusts, brownies and cookies.
Step 2
Eliminate fat -- either butter or oil -- in muffins, quick breads and dense cakes by replacing it with squash or sweet potato puree. For every cup of fat a recipe calls for, use 3/4 cup of the vegetable puree. In addition to reducing fat in baked goods, squash and sweet potato puree create a tasty flavor when your recipe calls for seasonings such as cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger or cloves.
Step 3
Substitute ricotta cheese for up to 3/4 of the solid fat in baked goods that contain yeast. For every 1 tbsp. of fat, add 3/4 tbsp. of ricotta cheese and 1/4 tbsp. of solid fat.
Step 4
Look for recipes that use oil rather than solid fat. While cooking oil such as canola oil has 14 g of fat per tbsp. compared to 11.5 g per tbsp. of butter, only 1 g is in the form of saturated fat as compared to 7.3 g in butter. In addition, canola oil is sodium- and cholesterol-free, contains vitamins E and K and helps your body absorb fat soluble vitamins.
Step 5
Reduce solid fat or oil by up to 1/3 without making any substitutions. For the best results, limit this option to quick breads, muffins and cookies.
Tips and Warnings
- Cutting fat in baked goods by making substitutions may take some some practice -- and patience -- before you get it just right. The health benefits you derive, however, make it worth your time. When you bake with butter, each stick contributes 92 g of fat, 141 percent of your daily limit. Of these, 58 g are in the form of saturated fat, which is 290 percent of your daily limit.
Things You'll Need
- Fruit puree
- Vegetable puree
- Ricotta cheese
- Canola oil
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