Why is vegetable oil used in cakes?

Oil is commonly used in cake recipes because it helps to keep the cake moist. I would recommend any of the oils on this list (from a health perspective). It would probably be best to do some further research as to which of these oils have the most mildlest taste, as to not ruin the flavor or your cake. read more

The purpose of the fat is to coat the protein, in this case the flour, in order to keep it from mixing with the other liquids. If the flour can't mix it can't form gluten, which would make the cake chewy. The result is that vegetable oil makes baked goods lighter and moister. If you want a chewy bread you would use little or no oil. read more

Vegetable oil is a very common ingredient called for in baking recipes. It appears on ingredient lists for everything from pancakes to layer cakes, and can make for a very moist and tender cake. Many recipes don’t specify what kind of vegetable oil to use when baking, however. read more