Your ultimate guide to baking substitutions
Our ultimate guide to baking substitutes covers many things, from what to do if you’re all outta eggs, to alternatives for butter, breadcrumbs and buttermilk. In many cases, these baking substitutes are a shoe-in for the real thing, leaving you with a delicious end result and happy taste-testers none the wiser.
Picture this: you’re on the brink of baking the best-ever chocolate cake for your Mum’s 60th birthday. Your apron’s tied, your glass baking dishes are at the ready, and you’ve assembled the ingredients in one decadently rich line. But what’s this – your cannister of cocoa powder is actually empty!
Before you have a total meltdown (let’s save that for the 300 grams of chocolate in the cake’s indulgent ganache), remember this: baking substitutes are a thing.
Just keep in mind, ingredients – even those in the same family such as different types of sugar – can have vastly different weights. So it pays to use a scale rather than a spoon or cup measurement when measuring to ensure a flawless baked good.
Breadcrumb substitutes
Short on breadcrumbs and have no stale bread? Crushing up rolled oats, cereal or crackers makes a darn fine substitute. Even if you’ve got an unleavened flatbread like matzo handy, simply grind it into matzo meal and – voila! – textbook breadcrumbs.
Butter substitutes
Earth to health nuts (and vegans) everywhere: half a cup of smooth apple sauce makes a decent butter alternative, and it’s a whole lot easier on our waistlines. You’re welcome! Margarine, coconut oil or vegetable oil are other successful baking substitutes.
Milk substitutes
If you’re happy to keep it in the dairy family, you can simply swap the milk in a recipe for an equivalent amount of sour cream or yoghurt. A tin of sweetened condensed milk works too, though you’ll need to use half as much and make up the rest of the volume with water.
Self-raising flour substitutes
For a great alternative, simply substitute one cup of self-raising flour for a cup of plain flour with 1 and a half teaspoons of baking powder added in. And hey presto! Watch your baking rise beautifully without a needless trip to the supermarket for a single ingredient.
Baking powder substitutes
For one teaspoon of baking powder, substitute with ¼ teaspoon baking soda plus ½ teaspoon cream of tartar.
Baking soda substitutes
Simply swap with four times the amount of baking powder, though keep in mind this will amp up the tanginess of any other sour or acidic ingredients.
Egg substitutes
Vegans take heart: a tablespoon of ground flaxseeds mixed with three tablespoons of water makes a fine baking substitute for a single egg (ideally, leave the mixture for five minutes before using). Three tablespoons of mayonnaise is another decent alternative, though you’ll want to use a good-quality whole egg mayonnaise – those acidic highly-processed versions will ruin your baking!
Buttermilk substitutes
Who wants to buy a tub of buttermilk for a recipe that requires a mere half a cup when you’ve got 2 litres of good ol’ milk sitting in the fridge? Never fear – simply substitute buttermilk with the same amount of milk soured with a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar. In an ideal world, let the mixture stand for around 10 minutes (or until it curdles) before using.
Honey substitutes
Short on honey? Maple syrup or molasses will do the trick, with agave or corn syrup other viable alternatives.
Keen to dig deeper into the baking substitute scene? Here are some of our favourite recipes from around the NEFF kitchen – perfect for employing your very own baking substitutes.
Chocolate self-saucing pudding
White chocolate and macadamia brownies
Raspberry and white chocolate muffins
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About NEFF
NEFF is a German-engineered kitchen appliance brand, with a product range that includes ovens, cooktops, rangehoods, coffee machines and dishwashers designed to make life in the kitchen a daily pleasure. For people who love to cook, NEFF gives you the tools to create meaningful connections, express your creativity and make memories. Because real life happens in the kitchen.
Learn more about NEFF here.
