What does anyone think, can I substitute Vitalite (Veg oils of which sunflower oil 38.8%) for Crisco? I've never seen it before but according to wiki it's a veg oil margarine (least I think it is!) - any help appreciated

What were you thinking of making and do you need it to be vegetarian/vegan/kosher?

For frying any veg oil will do. For baking you could use marge.

It's a rather elaborate cake that I've been asked to recreate (I still can't believe my bro would pay £2 a slice(!) for it, but there you go) - it needs to have a buttercream filling that can be shaped (and remain solid enough to have a coffee ganache to be poured over it)

I've found a few recipes that will allow me to create the individual parts, but they're mostly American (Crisco go figure! ) and as the rest of the ingredients are rather pricey I'd prefer not to risk them, so I'd thought I'd see if anyone had used this Crisco stuff before and knew what it was like (I probably should have said all this in the op - doh! ).

I was eyeing up trexx in the supermarket, it's more like a veg oil butter than a marg, maybe it would be better to keep the firmness - depends what this Crisco stuff is like really (that said I have Vitalite in the fridge so I'd prefer to use that!)

ETA: The recipe calls for Crisco & butter, so there must be some reason that it needs to be different.

You may want to wait for more informed answers but my mam always used a Butter & Lard mix for "shortening". Not sure if that is what you want though.

Hi. I had this problem when I moved here from the states 12 years ago. I was told to use lard, but my recipes didn't taste like they should.

Trex and White Flora, which are solid vegetable fats, are excellent substitutes. When measuring you use the exact amount that you would if you were using Crisco. They are both white in colour as Crisco is. Texture-wise Crisco appears to be more creamy. Trex and White Flora are creamy as well but when you spoon the product from the container they tend to 'crinkle' instead of a smoothness, like say for example, Nutella. I’m not sure if that makes sense.

Both Trex and White Flora work a treat with no difference in the taste of my recipes. I don't notice much difference between the two products except that maybe Trex has a little bit smoother texture than White Flora but is negligible.

It is common in a lot of American recipes to use both Crisco and butter. Crisco actually has a product called Butter Flavor Crisco. Since Crisco, Trex and Flora don’t really have a taste as such, the butter will add more flavour. This is most noticeable in my Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. A friend of mine (who is Canadian) is also a chef for a Manor here in the UK and recommends both as well.

If you have any problems deciphering any of the other ingredients these pages helped me loads!

UK - US/Canada and other Substitutions and Make Do's
http://www.recipezaar.com/bb/viewtopic.zsp?t=219191
and also
British Measurements & Cooking Terms
http://www.recipezaar.com/bb/viewtopic.zsp?t=104691

I hope this helps. Good Luck!

I knew this would be the place to ask! Summerwine you gem, that's exactly what I needed to know, thank you I've bookmarked those links as well (I see it says golden syrup can be used as a corn syrup sub, that's what I was planning to do, nice to have it confirmed ).

Cheers for the help both of you - looks like I'm off to the shops this afternoon

Fantastic Specktater! I'm glad you found what you needed. I must say I am really curious about this cake you are making. I would love to see the recipe. Corn syrup in a cake and your brother would pay £2 a slice for? Hmmm, sounds like it is a bit complicated. I love those type of recipes.

Not that you may be interested, but my hubby loves Chocolate Gateau so thought I would make him one with cherries. I followed the directions perfectly....2 round pans then slice each in two layers; so basically a 4 layer cake. Okay...then the filling in between each of the layers...cherries, chocolate cream frosting etc. WOW!...it was huge...as in tall. It looked like the Tower of Pisa..PMSL. He did love the taste of it all even though the presentation was pretty off...LOL. He still ribs me about that one yet tells me how lovely it was. Ahhh...the trials and tribulations.

Please let us know how your endeavours turn out. Cheers!

You do realise that these solid 'vegetable' fats are fully hydrogenated trans fats don't you? Combine that with corn syrup and you have substances that the human body was never designed to tolerate and so literally have heart disease waiting for you with open arms. There is no safe minimum for either products.

Crisco used to be a carpet shop where I come from! So this post read totally odd until I got the jist of it!

Well the boy can be a numpty when it comes to stuff like this (just when I thought he couldn't find anything worse value than those sub sandwich things!) but it was an amazing piece of cakery (though far too sweet for my tastes really, I could only manage a quarter of the slice which suited mr sweet tooth!)

It's called a bumpy wumpy cake. It had a coffee sponge base that was really moist and shaped like a flan case (this is the bit that has the corn syrup), which was filled to the brim with a layer of toffee mousse. Next came a dome shaped buttercream mound (this is where the Crisco comes in, it's mixed with evaporated milk and sugar to make a dense sweet cream). Then the whole lot was covered with a sticky coffee icing (that didn't crystallise at all) and topped with dark choc curls.

I found a picture of a similar one (called lumpy bumpy cake) here: http://www.sidolidesserts.co.uk/page...umpy-bumpy.php


Sounds like he wants you to make it again (and I'd love if you'd pm me the recipe, I have an inkling I know someone who would adore a tower of choc cream and cherries! sounds delicious mmm )

Sheesh! that does look sweet...too sweet for me but hubby would like it...LOL. It really looks complicated as well! When are you donning your apron? Does your brother usually come to you for cooking/baking requests?

The Chocolate Gateau recipe is from a cookbook called 500 Fabulous Cakes and Bakes. I have chores that I have to get sorted, but I'll type it up later and send it to you.

Just to save you typing, you could photograph the recipe and pop the photos online.

I'll be doing a practise run this week when I can find time and will do the final number when the boy and his mates next come for dinner. This is the first time he's asked me to do anything like this, but I'm really enjoying working it all out and he and his friends are such appreciative eaters it's a pleasure to do it.

I have never found a good substitute for Crisco!!

I've had something very similar, having lunch at Collectibles of all places! They do 2 courses for about 6 quid, and lumpy bumpy cake was the dessert of choice. And my word, it was wonderful! Your bro has good taste, hope he enjoys it