Instructions

1. If planning to make an infused olive oil, such as one flavored with vanilla beans or citrus rind, make your infusion at least two weeks before you plan to bake so it has time to develop its flavor.

2. If you are not using a flavored olive oil, buy one that will not compete with the flavors of your recipe. Extra-light grade olive oil works best for baking because it has a bland taste that blends well with just about any bread or cake recipe.

3. Switch out the vegetable oil called for in your recipe with an equal amount of olive oil. For example, if the recipe calls for one-third cup of vegetable oil, you can use one-third cup of olive oil in its place.

4. Use a portion of olive oil in recipes that call for butter--exchanging all of the butter in a recipe for olive oil will noticeably affect its flavor. For example, a cookie recipe that call for a half-cup of butter should use no more than one-fourth cup of olive oil to maintain a hint of butter flavor.

5. Continue to grease and flour your baking pans as required in your recipe--using olive oil will not protect against sticking. Alternatively, you can use a non-stick baking spray.