Baking Substitutes Guide

Leavening agents

These are often the result of our leavening agents becoming too old. It is also important to know how to use your substitutes for example. Unlike baking powder, baking soda needs to be activated by the presence of another active acid ingredient. So there must be lemon or citrus ingredients in your recipe for baking soda to work. Read the difference between baking soda vs baking powder

Baking powder & Baking soda

• 1 tsp of baking powder = 1/4 tsp baking soda + 1/2 tsp cream of tartar.
• 1 tsp Baking soda = 2 tsp baking powder and omit salt in the recipe.

Sweet substitutes

Sugar substitutes

• 1 cup white sugar = 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar = 1 cup white sugar + 2 tsp molasses
• and 1 cup sugar = 1 cup coconut, maple, or date sugar
• 1 cup powdered sugar = 1 cup granulated sugar blended with 1 tsp cornstarch (cornstarch works as an anti-caking agent)

Syrup substitutes

• 1 cup molasses = 3/4 cup dark corn syrup, maple syrup, or honey. (note – molasses has a distinct flavor that you can’t get from substitutes)
• 1 cup molasses = 3/4 cup Brown sugar
• and 1 cup maple syrup = 1 cup honey or agave syrup with 1 tsp of vanilla extract.
• 1 cup light corn syrup = 1 1/4 cup white sugar + 1/3 cup water.

Flour substitutes

• 1 cup all-purpose flour = 1 cup bread flour or 1 1/3 cup cake flour
• 1 cup cake flour = take 1 cup all-purpose flour and replace 2 tbsp of the flour with 2 tbsp of cornstarch

Fat

Butter substitutes

• 1 cup unsalted butter is the same as 1 cup salted butter
• 1 cup salted butter = 1 cup vegetable shortening or 7/8 cup lard + 1/2 tsp salt
• and 1 cup unsalted butter = 1 cup vegetable shortening or 7/8 cup lard.
• 1 cup butter = 1 cup vegan butter with 1/2 tsp less salt in the recipe
• 1 cup butter = 1 cup margarine (margarine has more water content than butter so it is not recommended for frosting

Oil substitutes

• 1 cup vegetable oil = 1 cup canola, avocado, or coconut oil.
• 1 cup oil = 1 cup of applesauce, mashed bananas, and pumpkin puree.

Dairy substitutes

• 1 cup buttermilk = 3/4 cup yogurt with 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1 cup plain yogurt = 3/4 cup Greek yogurt with 1//4 cup whole milk
• and 1 cup sour cream = 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 cup whole cream = 1 cup skimmed milk + 1 tbsp butter
• 1 cup cream = 1 cup milk + 2 tbsp butter
• For non-dairy substitute – 1 cup milk = 1 cup almond milk or 1 cup cashew milk or 1 cup oat milk

Egg substitute

for one large egg

• 1/4 cup mashed banana + 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseeds + 3 tbsp water (soak for 5 minutes then blend before using)
• 1/4 cup applesauce + 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp chia seeds + 1/3 cup water (soak for 5 minutes to thicken before using)
• 1/3 cup dairy-free yogurt such as soy, oat, almond, cashew, etc
• combine 1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil +1 tbsp baking powder + 1 1/2 tbsp of water
• 1/4 cup pureed silken tofu
• 3 tbsp mayonnaise

for one egg whites

• Use 3 tbsp chickpea liquid (aquafaba)

for one egg yolk

• Use 1 tbsp soybean oil (lecithin)

Yeast substitutes

• 1/4 oz (1 packet) active dry yeast = 2 1/4 tsp active dry, rapid-rise or instant yeast. For better rise, active dry yeast needs to be added to the liquid to activate before adding to the flour
• 1/4 oz (1 packet) instant yeast = 2 1/4 tsp active dry, rapid-rise or instant rise. Instant yeast can be added directly to the dry flour.
• and 1/4 oz (1 packet) active or instant yeast can be replaced with 1 cup sourdough starter or levain. Reduce 1/2 cup liquid and 1/2 cup flour in the dough to compensate for the ingredients in the starter) The dough rise time and proof time will increase as per sourdough baking.