Is it possible to modify a beloved chocolate cake recipe?

hardlikearmour is a trusted home cook.

added about 1 year ago

You should be able to directly sub the butter for the margarine in the frosting. I would probably just use the Spectrum shortening in the cake. I would definitely not just try to find a different recipe or stray far from the original. Your friend has certain memories and expectations of what this cake is. It would be sad to disappoint him.

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Thanks! You are absolutely right about sticking close to the recipe. And using the Spectrum shortening is a great tip.

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Barbara is a trusted source on General Cooking.

added about 1 year ago

I also agree about changing the margarine to butter. Those old recipes come from a time when margarine was believed to be a healthy and tasty alternative to butter. My mother has tons of them, and she's always surprised at how much better everything tastes when you use butter instead.

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