Lard/margarine instead of butter for baking?

[nonamemummy]

I have a box of unicorn shortbread mix in the cupboard I’d like to make with the kids today. It needs 80g unsalted butter but I only have margarine and lard. Can I use one those instead? I really don’t want to go to the shop just for a bit of butter

Margarine will be fine as long as it is one suitable for baking (it should say on the pack). I wouldn't use lard for shortbread, but my mum always uses a mix of lard and marg for pastry

Don't use lard! You can use margarine but it won't taste as good. If the marg is low fat you may have problems.

Yes, I use lard and butter mixed for pastry but that is different. Lard in its own wouldn't work taste wise and you would get a different bake.

My mum only uses margarine in cakes and they are amazing. I only use butter and mine are crap. I don't know if there is a connection though, might just be me!

I bake a lot and I use butter for fruit cakes and really rich ones and marg for others. Sponge cakes are always better when made with margarine. Butter is better in biscuits but for the sake of 80g I'd probably just use the margarine.

@Doyoumind

Yes, I use lard and butter mixed for pastry but that is different. Lard in its own wouldn't work taste wise and you would get a different bake.

Apologies if my post was ambiguous... I did mean NO to lard for OP but that lard could be used for pastry. Sorry for any confusion!

Thanks everyone. I just used the margarine and they seem fine. Couldn’t make them into the unicorn shape but managed to get them into circles. Haven’t tasted them yet though

Butter is better for shortbread but margarine will do. Margarine is also very good in sponge baking (and I say this as someone who believes that it should be a hangable offence to not use real butter on bread and margarine has no place anywhere except for baking)

Do not use lard. It will taste awful.