Alternatives to Common Baking Ingredients
Have you run out of a key ingredient for your favorite recipe? Don't stress—you might have something comparable on hand already.
- Butter. Margarine or shortening work as well as butter in most cakes and quick breads, although the finished product may look and taste a little different from one made with real butter. You can also add artificial butter flavor improve the taste if you're using unflavored shortening.
- Self-rising flour. If you're out of self-rising flour (or if you just don't keep it on hand), replace it with plain flour sifted with baking powder. For 1/2 cup of self-rising flour, substitute 1/2 cup of plain flour plus 1 level teaspoon of baking powder.
- Chocolate. For 1 ounce of baking chocolate, mix 3 level tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder with 1 tablespoon softened butter, margarine, or vegetable oil.
- Milk. For 1 cup whole milk, use 1/2 cup evaporated milk plus 1/2 cup water. You can also rehydrate dry powdered milk as directed on your package of powdered milk and use that in place of regular milk.
- Baking powder. To make up 1 teaspoon of baking powder, use 1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda, 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar, and 1/2 teaspoon ground rice. Or use 1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda plus 1/2 cup yogurt or sour cream (omit 1/2 cup of some liquid from the recipe).
- Sugar. For 1/2 cup of granulated sugar use 1 cup honey, golden syrup, or corn syrup and reduce the liquid in your recipe by 1/2 cup.
- Dark brown sugar. For 1/2 cup of dark brown sugar combine 3/8 cup white sugar and 2 tablespoons molasses or black treacle. Keep in mind, however, that syrup, honey, and treacle will make your baking heavier than regular brown sugar.
- Eggs. If you have spare yolks in the refrigerator (after having used the whites for a sorbet or meringue, for example), use 2 yolks mixed with 1 tablespoon water to substitute for a whole egg. If you have egg whites in the fridge left over, you can mix 2 whites with 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil.
Author Bio
Stefani Anderson
Stefani is an assessment developer for an online university. She earned a degree in language, editing, and anthropology from Brigham Young University. Her favorite thing is to travel the world, chronicle her adventures, and help others celebrate memories. Learn more about Stefani...
Simple, Fluffy, Tasty Pancakes
You love a good pancake every now and then. Don't get bored with the same old, same old—a few tips will keep it ...
Discover More
Something Different on the Barbecue
Ready for something different at your barbecue? You don't have to do much to make your next grilling a memorable one.
Discover More
Recipes and Cookbooks
Do you have unreadable recipe cards? Or a mess of recipe clippings? Find out how to clean up all your recipe messes.
Discover More
Comments