Looking for the top butter choices for baking? Keep reading!
Baking a cake requires a lot of ingredients. Butter is one of the major requirements. Since the beginning of time, butter has been used to add flavor to foods. It can be used to cook, bake, or spread on bread.
With so many types of butter today, American Butter or European Butter? It may be difficult to pinpoint the best butter to bake with.
This article will highlight the types of butter that can bake and their differences. It will also disclose the benefits of having butter in your nutrition.
Before we move on – you can use any type of oven to bake in, but we hope that you’ll consider a high quality bread maker. Specifically, we recommend the one below –
- Bakes a large traditional rectangular shaped 2-pound loaf; Gluten Free and Custom Menu settings will accommodate gluten free and organic baking ingredients.
- Bakes a large traditional rectangular shaped 2-pound loaf;Electrical Rating:120 volts
- Dual kneading blades to knead the dough thoroughly.
- Quick baking cycle prepares breads in about 2-hour.
- Includes a measuring cup and measuring spoon.
Last update on 2024-10-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Unsalted Butter
Unsalted butter is also referred to as ‘sweet cream butter’ or ‘sweet butter’. This is because it is made from fresh cream. The word sweet distinguishes it from other cultured and sour butter. It is the most versatile type of butter and can be used in both cooking and sautéing.
Unsalted butter can be made from milk, cream or both. It has 80% fat and has a golden yellowish color when in block form.
Sweet butter is the best to use for baking cakes. This is because; you are in control of how your baked product will taste like. Flavor in baked products is everything! Sweet cream butter does not include salt. Hence, you can regulate the amount of salt you need.
Besides, salt is also used as a preservative hence butter that is salted will automatically have a longer shelf life compared to unsalted butter. But, on the positive side, this is a really good thing. With a shorter life span, unsalted butter is fresher when you compare the two. This means all baking recipes that include sweet cream butter have fresh butter in them.
Salted Butter
Just like the name, this butter is mixed with salt. The inclusion of salt gives taste to your butter and also preserves it. If you love salty-sweet foods, this is the butter to use.
Also, if you do not bake often, salted butter is a better option. It has a longer shelf life compared to sweet buttercream.
It is, however, important to note that different brands have different salt proportions. Nevertheless, the general equation is ¼ teaspoonful for a ¼ lbs. of butter.
Organic butter
The only difference between organic butter and the rest is that this is made from cows that have had no contact with growth hormones or antibiotics while feeding. The cows feed on 100% organic feeds which are free of fertilizers and pesticides.
Milk produced from these dairy cows, in turn, produces organic butter. It can be quite expensive but guarantees no chemicals used during the whole process.
It is the healthiest butter you can consume. It has more Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and Omega-3 fatty acids. The organic butter can be used for baking cakes and other pastries.
European Style Butter
The European Style Butter has the highest butterfat content ranging from 82-86%. Normally, the American Butter content is 81%.
It is ideal for baking and cooking. Since it has less water content, it produces fluffier cakes and tender, flakier pastries. The butter also has a distinct tangier flavor.
However, due to its high-fat content, most people reduce the required amount of butter needed while using European Style butter in a recipe.
Whipped butter
Are you too worried about the fat content in butter while baking? Worry no more. Whipped butter is a suitable option for you.
Like the name implies, whipped cream is regular butter with a slight difference. Nitrogen gas has been whipped into it making it lighter. It is best for spreading especially in cold temperatures but can be used in baking.
Compound Butter
Compound butter is also referred to as flavored butter. This is traditional butter mixed with spices, herbs, honey, garlic, among other ingredients for a unique taste.
If you love diversifying in cooking, compound butter may be what you are looking for. Its rich unique taste in your cakes will generate more creativity.
It has a relatively low-fat content. It is best for anyone too cautious about their health. Although the whipped baked cake may not feel or look like European-style butter, it does the job too.
Having discussed the top butter you can incorporate in your baking dough, here are the benefits of consuming butter.
Benefits of baking with butter
A powerful source of vitamins
Yes, butter has high amounts of 5 vitamins. These are Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin E ( rich anti-oxidant), Vitamin B12, and Vitamin K ( protects from osteoporosis and heart diseases)
It is also rich in minerals such as manganese, iodine, copper, zinc, chromium, and selenium. They help in bone repair and growth.
Powerful anti-oxidant
Natural butter has high levels of carotene which is nutritional value on the human body. Carotene is either converted in oxidants or vitamin A.
When converted into oxidant, it helps boost your immune system and becomes a disease-fighting compound. On the other hand, if carotene converts to Vitamin A, it helps the parts of the body that have fat-soluble membrane just like itself. These parts include the skin, mouth, eyes, throat, digestive and urinary systems. It helps in cell growth and repair as well as protection from infectious diseases.
Vitamin A also boosts the production of lymphocytes. Lymphocytes are what defend the body against viruses and diseases.
Anti-cancer properties
Through a wide case study, it has been shown that beta-carotene and vitamin A obtained from butter reduces the risk of prostate and colorectal cancer. The Vitamin A antioxidants have also proved to slow stop cancerous growth.
Improved intestinal conditions
butter has glycosphingolipids, a fatty acid that can protect you from gastrointestinal diseases. This fatty acid adds a mucus layer on the gastrointestinal membrane walls inhibiting any bacterial infectors from binding to it.
Healthy sex
Vitamin A and D in butter are responsible for a healthy sexual performance. They aid in the development of the brain and the nervous system. The exclusion of these vitamins plus Vitamin E, men and women would become nutritionally sterile.
Nutritional absorption
Organic butter has high CLA and Omega-3 fatty acids. They also have Activator X, a mysterious vitamin only found in grass-fed cows. This vitamin ensures every nutritional bit in a nutrient is absorbed in the body. Also, it increases the body’s efficiency.
Some of the top kinds of butter for baking cakes
- Kerrygold – Kerrygold is sweet, rich, and has an intense yellow coloring thanks to the grass fed cows that feast on the green grasses of Ireland. One of my favorite things about this butter is that it’s always smooth and soft, even right out of the fridge. This butter is the only one we buy and is a family favorite. Not only of our family here in the US but also our family in Ireland.
Last update on 2024-10-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
- Land O Lakes – Land O Lakes is the standard American Butter for many bakers and households in the US. It tastes delicious and is reasonably priced. You can also find it at any grocery store. Although it’s not as smooth or soft as some of the other European style butters (because of the lower fat content), it’s still a solid choice for baking. It’s great for pie crusts and cream puff recipes.
- Important - Refrigerated items are perishable and tend to have short shelf lives - some of these can be as little as two weeks from the date of receipt - if you are ordering a large quantity, or are otherwise concerned about expiration dates, consider a frozen product.
- Ships refrigerated, CANNOT be cancelled after being processed.
Last update on 2024-10-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
- Cabot Creamery – Cabot sources their cream exclusively from family farms and makes a rich tasting butter.
- Trader Joes – This is a budget organic butter but is still high quality and very tasty. Still, you have to be near a Trader Joe’s in order to buy it!
- Organic Valley European style butter – This is probably the top organic, non-GMO, hormone free, pesticide free, and USDA organic butter. It’s 84% fat and tastes super creamy with loads of butter flavor.
Looking for a specific butter use?
Top choice for buttercream frosting –
Organic Valley is the top choice for buttercream frosting. It’s neutral color, high fat content, and European yogurt culture makes it an ideal choice.
Top choice butter for crust, puff, and pot pies –
Land O Lakes takes the cake for this category. It produces a flaky, crispy, and light crust and other baked goods that just can’t be breat.
Best table butter –
All of these butters are high quality and can be used as table butter. You can’t go wrong with any of them. Personally? At my home we use Kerrygold our baked goods and for pretty much everything else!
Wrapping up with the best butter for baking
Whether you’re looking for cultured butter for baking a pie crust, baking cream puffs, or baking a birthday cake, these top butter picks won’t let you down.
