When a baking recipe calls for oil or “neutral oil,” most of us instinctively grab vegetable oil.But there is a whole pantry of options out there, options that come with not only different price points and potential health perks but also different baking outcomes.The type of oil you use affects more than just flavor; it also changes the crumb structure, moisture retention, and even the color of your cake.

We wanted to find out what really happens when you swap oils in the same cake recipe—seven times over.(Yes, we baked and ate seven cakes for you.You’re welcome.) Here is what we tested, along with the price per ounce (in our Birmingham, Alabama, area) for a little budgeting help.

We judged them on flavor, texture, rise, and overall deliciousness, plus we kept an eye on the health benefits.The Lineup VEGETABLE OIL: $0.07/ounce CANOLA OIL: $0.11/ounce GRAPESEED OIL: $0.23/ounce LIGHT OLIVE OIL: $0.46/ounce AVOCADO OIL: $0.50/ounce LIQUID COCONUT OIL (also known as fractionated coconut oil): $0.51/ounce ALGAE OIL: $1.31/ounce How Each Oil Baked Up VEGETABLE OIL (Control) The trusty standby Bake: Even rise, no cracking Flavor: Clean Texture: Moist but not greasy, even crumb Health note: Affordable and dependable but higher in omega-6 fatty acids, which should be balanced wit

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