# Lard ,shortening,vegetable oil,applesauce **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 11, 2001, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lard-shortening-vegetable-oil-applesauce/65075 "2001-05-11T06:52:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![justwannano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ab992/32.png) [@justwannano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justwannano)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2001, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lard-shortening-vegetable-oil-applesauce/65075/1 "2001-05-11T06:52:42Z")
Recently I’ve heard applesauce is substituted in some recipes to make it low calorie.Is there anything else that is used? ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Doris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@Sir\_Doris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Doris)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2001, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lard-shortening-vegetable-oil-applesauce/65075/2 "2001-05-11T08:20:03Z")
Prune puree. I did see a product called LighterBake around which was made of prunes, but haven seen it in a while. It only works in fairly dense cakes like fruit cake or brownies. ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2001, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lard-shortening-vegetable-oil-applesauce/65075/3 "2001-05-11T14:40:27Z")
A word of advice: don’t substitute applesauce in a waffle recipie. It sticks. ---
**Author:** ![JavaMaven1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cab0a1/32.png) [@JavaMaven1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JavaMaven1)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2001, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lard-shortening-vegetable-oil-applesauce/65075/4 "2001-05-11T16:29:36Z")
Mashed bananas work, but also in the same respect like the prune puree. Best for dense quick breads. If you’re replacing cream/sour cream, non-fat yogurt works quite well (just make sure you’re using a high-quality yogurt that is all milk, and doesn’t have gelatin/fillers in it). To make yogurt “sour cream”: line a sieve with cheesecloth or coffee filters, fill with yogurt, and place on top of a bowl. Let sit in the refrigerator for 24 hours to drain the excess liquid. You will have yogurt the thickness of sour cream that works as a great substitute (you can use this to top your baked potatoes and as a dip base, too). If you’re replacing eggs, best trick is to use the whites (those help with the leavening) and then use a substitute for the fat in the yolks. My experience has been to use a combination of these substitutes (you just have to experiment with some of them, and find what you like, as the textures will differ). I tend to go for the applesauce (because I dislike bananas), but I do keep a little fat (like a tablespoon of oil/butter) in the recipe just because it does help with the flavor. ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2001, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lard-shortening-vegetable-oil-applesauce/65075/5 "2001-05-11T16:32:17Z")
Boy. This isn’t at ALL what I thought this thread would be. I put applesauce in my pancake batter and it really kicks it up, just a tablespoon or so. Not as a substitute, just as an additive. jarbaby ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2001, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lard-shortening-vegetable-oil-applesauce/65075/6 "2001-05-11T17:06:58Z")
I have an extra jar of plum puree baby food which I bought when I was making a fat free chocolate cake. It tasted like a cake with plum baby food in it in my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2001, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lard-shortening-vegetable-oil-applesauce/65075/7 "2001-05-11T19:37:24Z")
I have used applesauce/juice as a sub for oils and it’s ok. It is NOT a low calorie alternitive just a low fat alternitive. Besides transfats, oils are needed and good for you (now mind you that’s coming from a low carb-er). Apple sauce has a lot of sugar and IIRC most have sugar added.