Following on from my Simple Measurement Conversion Guide, I thought it would be a good idea to add my Baking Substitutions guide as well. While I cannot claim any form of copyright or originality of the substitutions, there are very few places that list these.
So, when you run out of sour cream or eggs, here are some ingredients you can use instead.
Eggs (per egg): Choose the best one based on what taste you are trying to create
- ¼ Cup Silken Tofu
- 1 TBSP Ground Flax Seed plus 3 Tablespoons of Water
- ¼ Cup Unsweetened Applesauce
- 3½ Tablespoons Gelatin Mix (1 Cup Boiling Water + 2 Teaspoons Gelatin)
- ½ Cup Mashed Banana
Oil (per cup): What you use will depend on if your dish is sweet or savoury
- Fruit Puree
- Sour Cream
- Yoghurt
- Banana
- Melted Butter
- Coconut Oil
White Flour (per cup): When substituting something for white flour the rule is to mix different types of substitutes together to get the right flavour and texture, at least two but three sometimes is better. Also, use Grams instead of Cups. 140 Grams of any mixture below will equal 1 Cup of Flour.
- Coconut Flour
- Almond Flour
- Cornmeal
- Rice Flour
- Oat Flour
- Rolled Oats
- Soy Flour
White Sugar (per cup):
- ⅔ Cup Agave Nectar*
- ¾ Cup Honey*
- 1 Cup Chopped Dates (puree with 1 Cup of liquid after soaking for 1 hour)
- 1 Cup Mashed Ripe Banana
- 1 Teaspoon Stevia
*You will need to reduce the liquid in the overall recipe for both of these substitutions.
Salt (per teaspoon):
- ½ Teaspoon Lemon Juice
- Dulse Seaweed Flakes (to taste)
- Dried Celery Flakes or Powder
Milk:
- Almond Milk
- Coconut Milk
- Soy Milk
- Oat Milk
- Rice Milk
Buttermilk (per cup):
- 1 cup Sour Cream
- 1 cup Plain Yogurt + 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda + 3 Tablespoons Butter
- 1 cup Milk + 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice + 3 Tablespoons Butter
Butter:
- Vegetable Shortening
- Earth Balance Spread
- Coconut Oil
- Avocado
Yeast:
- Double Acting Baking Powder
- Equal Parts Baking Soda + Lemon Juice, Vinegar or Buttermilk
Sour Cream (per cup):
- 1 cup Plain Yogurt + 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 1 cup Silken Yogurt + 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice Blended
Cocoa Powder:
- Carob Powder
Conclusion
As baking can sometimes be a very finicky operation, not all recipes will come out with the exact same texture when you make certain substitutions.
You may need to practice and perfect your favourite recipes with these. Also, consider moving towards weighing ingredients over using measuring cups. Think in terms of flavours, texture, and how each ingredient affects it when you make substitutions.