It depends on what you are baking or cooking. Vegetable oil can substitute in some cases. Although it will change the characteristic of your end product because vegetable oil has less "shortening power" than vegetable shortening. Butter can substitute too but you would have to increase the volume and there is the risk of burning depending on what you are making. Lard can substitute too. Its really hard to give an answer that is good, safe without knowing what you are using the shortening for. If you are frying something it is another different matter too.
Vegetable shortening is made industrially by hydrogenating vegetable oil using a catalyst. It's not something you can really do at home.
Vegetable Shortening
Yes, you can melt shortening and use in a cake recipe. It will change the texture and possibly add heaviness to the cake, but it will still be good.
The same amount.
Yes, in some cake recipes, canola oil can be substituted for shortening.
In cakes: Increase the amount called for by 15% and use vegetable shortening or non-dairy margarine.
Vegetable oil and butter are two types of shortening. All fats and oils are shortening, and can be substituted for each other, but this will affect the flavour and texture of the food, as some shortenings have stronger and different flavours, and also have different melting points.
not for creaming sugar or for making a laminated dough. In general vegetable shortenings aren't that healthy and should be replaced by butter.
You can safely substitute liquid oil for solid shortening in baking ONLY if the recipe calls for the shortening to be melted first. You can substitute butter or margarine for shortening ( 1 cup + 2 Tbsp for each cup of shortening). You can also substitute 1/2 cup applesauce or prune puree for each cup of shortening.
Yes, but trans fats and hydrogenated fats are really bad for you--watch out!!
I always use butter. You may want to adjust the salt in the recipe if not using unsalted butter.
You can't really sub the two items. The texture would be way off. If you really had to do it, melt the shortening and measure out 13 cups of liquid.
depends what you want it to turn out like. you can put anything in anything but no saying it would taste good. hope i helped :)