Banana Bread--need help asap!

[potato_moose]

The kids got me up early this morning (it's only just before 7am here) and I thought I'd mix up some quick bread for breakfast. This is a recipe we have been wanting to try. I have everything for it except I am out of the high-oil trans fat free margarine that I use for baking. Could I use vegetable oil as a replacement? Would I use the same amount?

TIA


Banana Bread (lighter recipe)

How do you make a good thing even better? By reducing the calorie and fat content of this irresistible banana bread. Ripe bananas and unsweetened applesauce ensure that the bread stays moist and tender.

Prep Time:15 min
Start to Finish:3 hr 25 min
Makes:2 loaves (24 slices each)

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1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup margarine, softened
1/2 cup fat-free cholesterol-free egg product
1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (3 to 4 medium)
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts, if desired

1. Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease bottoms only of 2 loaf pans, 8 1/2x4 1/2x2 1/2 inches, or 1 loaf pan, 9x5x3 inches.
2. Mix sugar, applesauce and margarine in large bowl. Stir in egg product until well blended. Add bananas, buttermilk and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt just until moistened. Stir in nuts. Pour into pans.
3. Bake 8-inch loaves about 1 hour, 9-inch loaf about 1 1/4 hours, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides of loaves from pans; remove from pans and place top side up on wire rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours, before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days.

[testkitchen45]

I'm a little out of my league here, but want to help. Try this website:

http://www.foodsubs.com/Fatsoils.html#fat

I think the above site says that you can sub oil for your margarine. However, this link (below) might say differently:

http://www.joyofbaking.com/IngredientSubstitution.html

The latter site recommends butter or solid veg shortening, not oil.

I wonder if you'd be better off subbing applesauce? Or using some oil plus more banana? :confused:

HTH. :)

[potato_moose]

I'll try those websites, thanks. One of the comments did say not to try using all applesauce and no oil--apparently the results were not palatable.

[potato_moose]

Ok, so I did try oil. That substitution website suggested 3 parts oil to 4 parts solid fat, so I put in 3 Tbs of oil since the recipe called for 1/4 cup of margarine. Unfortunately, then DH got up and I got confused and told him that the recipe called for 1/2 cup of margarine and he said, "Well, that would be 6 Tbs of oil, not 3." So I added 3 more Tbs. Then I realized that the recipe only called for 1/4 cup of margarine.

Oops! The result was very good, a bit dense, probably owing to the fact that I put so much oil in, but it had very good banana flavor, and had the right amount of sweetness for us. We'll try it again next time with a little less oil.

Thanks for your help Testkitchen!