Use This Kitchen Staple Instead Of Oil For Super Shiny And Smooth Baked Goods

One avenue of culinary creativity chefs and bartenders have enjoyed exploring is recreating classic foods in totally different realms — take for example, cocktails, chips, and even ice cream inspired by pizza. Christina Tosi, founder of Milk Bar, partnered with Hellmann's to dream up — and produce — a sweet take on a BLT sandwich. The Mayonnaise-Frosted Sweet Sandwich Kit features mayonnaise frosting, a sweet sandwich bread loaf, and slices of tomato jam. But mayonnaise frosting isn't the only way to use this popular condiment in baked goods. And, although a mayonnaise-frosted sweet sandwich may sound unexpected, it is possible to seamlessly incorporate mayo into any of your favorite recipes, as a clever oil substitute.

When it comes to swapping out oil for the most moist results, Tosi says, "mayo is the best swap. If you think about the makeup of it, it's eggs, it's oil, it's salt, it's sugar." This makes it an all-in-one emulsified version of several ingredients that are typical in baked goods. That said, because mayo contains more than just oil, you will probably need to adjust the other ingredients in your cake. Cut down on the salt or sugar slightly, for example. In fact, "you may not need any acid at all in terms of lemon juice or vinegar or buttermilk to activate your leavening ingredients," Tosi continues. She explains that you can swap out the oil for mayonnaise on a one-to-one ratio; but be sure to make adjustments to the other ingredients as needed. And your end result is a moist bake which stays that way for days: "I bake with mayo because it keeps a cake moist on day two and day three, because that moisture stays in, because it's emulsified," she concludes.

While mayo's fairly neutral flavor lends itself to most baked goods, it can really elevate some over others (especially when using one of the best brands of mayonnaise, or one like Duke's, which is considered the best mayo brand among chefs). "Mayo lends itself to chocolate cake and citrus cakes the best because it's bringing in acid where acidic flavor is the main star of the cake," says Christina Tosi. For a milder cake like vanilla, mayonnaise is still an acceptable substitute, it just doesn't necessarily bring anything extra-special in terms of flavor.

Beyond cake, mayonnaise works very well in brownies and cookies, too. "A brownie made with butter is delicious, to be very clear," Tosi says, "but a brownie made with an oil-based thing like mayonnaise or olive oil ... is much more shiny and dense and moist, which I love." Mayonnaise has a unique effect on cookies, causing them to develop a sandy texture. Tosi recommends embracing this distinctive texture by amping it up: "I would lean into it, like put some filo in it, put some Chex in it, things that are going to lend itself to a sandy nature," she says. If you prefer the flavor of browned butter in your dishes, this is still possible to achieve with mayo, as the sugar within it will start to caramelize as you melt it. Finally, adding mayonnaise to pudding or frosting makes it easier to achieve a smooth and glossy texture. The results can be "Hella shiny and hella smooth," says Tosi, "and the mouth feel is untouchable, next level."