I have someone who wants me to make a cake for their daughters birthday...no problem, but they want a cake that has no oil in it, or frosting with no vegitable shortning in it. Does anyone know if I can use butter rather than vegitable oil in a cake mix or do you have a recipe without oils? Also, does anyone know if the Wilton frosting that is pre-made in the tubs have any oil or shortening in it? I can make my own, but it has a ton of shorening in it. Any recipes without? Thanks all! Brandy

I think there is a DH cake mix that is called buttery. (could be called something else) I made it the other day. It didn't require adding any oil.
Also the recipe on this site called, Gooey Butter Cake I does not require any oil. I have not made that one yet but I want too.

not sure about the icing...hopefully someone else might know.

good luck.

If you are using a boxed cake mix, you can substitute applesauce for the oil. It's supposed to make it low-cal and also very moist. As for the icing, there is a recipe on this site called Best Buttercream icing. It's has no shortening in it. I have never made it so I don' t know how it tastes or decorates. Good luck!

For the Icing you could make an Italiam Meraigue (sp?) Buttercream. That does not have oil or shortening, just butter.

HtH
Mel

The Cake Mix Doctor book has cake recipes that use butter but not oil.

Here's the link for Martha Stewart's Italian Meringue Buttercream recipe. It uses all butter. She also has a recipe on her site called Meringue Buttercream for Flowers (or something like that). It can be used to ice a cake, too, and the recipe makes a big batch.

http://www.marthastewart.com/page.jhtml?type=content&id=recipe1980&contentGroup=MSL&site=living

Also, here is the all-butter buttercream recipe I use sometimes:

1 to 1 1/2 cups (2 to 3 sticks) real butter (doesn't have to be unsalted)
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 pounds powdered sugar
1/2 cup milk, room temperature

Beat softened butter on the low speed of an electric mixer for about 1 minute. Add the vanilla and beat until incorporated. Add the powdered sugar, a few cups at a time and add the milk, a little bit at a time, still beating on low. Use only enough milk to achieve the consistency you would like.
I usually use somewhere between 2 and 3 sticks butter when I'm using this recipe.
This stays good for 2 days at room temp, or you can store it in the fridge for a week.

hollyPJ - how does that icing taste? is it really rich tasting? what about crusting?

thanks.

My favorite cake mix is actually Pillsbury's Golden Butter Recipe. Yummmy! No oil!

as far as boxed cake, I think better crocker is the best. They actually have one called Butter recipe white and butter yellow, they are both very good. I'll have to ask around for the icing.

You can also just omit the oil from the cake mix recipe. It will bake just the same.

The Martha Stewart icing is rich, creamy, and not as sweet as a regular powdered sugar buttercream. Everyone in my family who tried it, loved it. It smoothes quite well. It does not crust at all, but it pipes really nicely for borders and even flowers. You just have to chill it a bit if it starts to get too soft, and make sure your hands aren't hot! I kept a bowl of ice next to me while I was decorating to put the piping bags on when I wasn't using them. If it starts to separate or look chunky after being in the fridge, you can just let it soften on the counter a little and rebeat it on low until it comes back to the original consistency.

The recipe I posted is also quite rich tasting, but I think it's delicious. It does crust some, but maybe not as much as you're used to with Crisco icing. I've added 1 TBS flour before and that seems to help. I've heard that other people add meringue powder to buttercream to help it crust, but I've never tried it. You could do a forum search and I'm sure you'd find some posts about that. This icing isn't as easy to smooth as Crisco buttercream, but I've had reasonable success with chilling the cake for 10 minutes or so after icing it as smooth as possible, then using Viva paper towels to help smooth the surface.
Because of the butter, the color of this icing is off-white. If you want a whiter icing, you can add Wilton Icing Whitener. It works pretty well.
By the way, if you make this icing and it seems to soft to work with, you can add more powdered sugar. Or, if it seems too stiff, add more milk.

The recipe we always use in England
is
4oz butter
8oz icing sugar
splash of vanilla extract.

Simply mix well together. It is quite a rich icing and does crust well