For many "healthy bakers," substituting oil for apple sauce is second nature — the swap can result in baked goods that are low in calories and fat, though they might be a little extra chewy. It's one of the many tricks health-conscious bakers use to make guilt-free goodies.
But we're also firm believers that dessert should be dessert, and if that means butter and cream, so be it. Which is where mayonnaise comes in.
According to Jasper J. Mirabile, Jr., second-generation owner of Jasper's Italian Restaurant and Marco Polo's Italian Market in Kansas City, replacing oil with mayonnaise makes for a better chocolate cake.
And mayo doesn't just apparently make for a spongier cake, it also cuts the sweetness, Mirabile Jr. explains to the Kansas City Star.
Unsurprisingly, the concept for a mayonnaise cake came from Hellmann’s Mayonnaise and dates back to 1927.
If you find the idea of adding mayonnaise to cake mix unappetizing, you aren't alone. Mirabile Jr. admits his company stopped mentioning mayonnaise in the name of their popular chocolate cake because many customers are afraid of the word.
Mayonnaise has long been considered one of the most hated condiments around, thanks to its jiggly and somewhat slimy texture — though we must point out, sour cream has the same look and feel to it and is a popular ingredient in many baked goods.
So maybe mayo cakes aren't so strange after all. And even if you try it and hate it, there are many ways to make use of a jar of mayo so your money won't go to waste.
Would you try baking with mayonnaise? Let us know in the comments below.
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