Common Ingredient Substitutions in Baking

It happens all the time. You are getting ready to bake something and you realize you are missing an ingredient. Or even worse, the grocery store seems to be constantly sold out of something you need (why is buttermilk so hard to find?!). This post will go over some substitutions for common ingredients so you can get back to baking.

Buttermilk

1 cup buttermilk = 1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice + 1 cup milk

Instructions: Mix together 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice and 1 cup of milk. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before using.

Why it works: The acidic nature of the vinegar or lemon juice slightly curdles the milk, providing the tang you get from buttermilk.

Heavy Cream

1 cup heavy cream = 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter + 3/4 cup milk or half and half

Instructions: Melt 1/4 cup of unsalted butter and mix it with 3/4 cup of milk or half and half. Not to be used as a whipped cream substitution since this mixture cannot reach stiff peak.

Why it works: Heavy cream has a higher butterfat percentage than whole milk or half and half, so adding butter to milk or half and half achieves the same goal.

Cake Flour

1 cup cake flour = 2 tablespoons cornstarch + 7/8 cup all purpose flour

Instructions: Add 2 tablespoons to a 1 cup measuring cup and fill the rest of the cup with all purpose flour. Thoroughly whisk or sift together before using in a recipe.

Why it works: Cornstarch lowers the gluten production in all purpose flour, making it act more like cake flour.

Baking Soda/Baking Powder

1/4 tsp baking soda = 1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking powder = 1/4 tsp baking soda + 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Instructions: Replace 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda in a recipe with 1 teaspoon of baking powder. Replace 1 teaspoon of baking powder in a recipe with 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar and use immediately.

Why it works: See this post for details about the similarities and differences between baking soda and baking powder.

Brown Sugar

1 cup brown sugar = 1 cup granulated sugar + 1 tbsp molasses

Instructions: Mix 1 cup of white granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon of molasses.

Why it works: In mixing granulated sugar in molasses, you are making brown sugar. It’s as simple as that.

Cream of Tartar

1/4 tsp cream of tartar = 1/2 tsp lemon juice

Instructions: When making meringue or other things that use cream of tartar as an egg white stabilizer replace every 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar with 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice.

Why it works: Like cream of tartar, lemon juice is an acid. Acid helps stabilize the protein structure of whipped egg whites. Learn more about the science of whipping egg whites here.

Powdered Sugar

1 cup powdered sugar = 1 cup granulated sugar finely ground in a blender

Instructions: Blend granulated sugar until it becomes a powder.

Why it works: Another easy one - you are simply making your own powdered sugar.