Ultimate Guide to Baking Substitutions

Are you allergic or intolerant to certain foods? Do you ever run out of ingredients when you’re baking? Baking substitutes are the answer.

It’s so frustrating to find a recipe you want to make and find that you can’t have some of the ingredients or you’ve run out of the ingredients.

If you sign up to receive baking tips and recipes, you’ll also get a baking substitutions guide featuring even more substitutes for dairy, eggs, gluten and nuts.

LEAVENING AND RAISING

Leavening and raising ingredients help to make your bakes light and fluffy.

BAKING POWDER

• 1 tsp baking powder = ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda + ½ tsp cream of tartar + ¼ tsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp baking powder = ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda + ¼ tsp lemon juice

CREAM OF TARTAR

• 1 tsp cream of tartar = 1 tsp lemon juice

YEAST

• 1 tsp yeast = ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda + ½ tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp yeast = 1 tsp baking powder

EGGS

• 1 egg = ¼ cup applesauce
• 1 egg = 1 tsp baking powder + 2 tbsp water
• 1 egg = ½ banana, mashed + ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 egg = 1 tbsp flax seeds +  3 tbsp water
• 1 egg = ¼ cup vegan yogurt

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FAT

Fat substitutes can be needed especially if you’re allergic to dairy.

BUTTER

• 1 cup butter = 1 cup dairy-free margarine
• 1 cup salted butter = 1 cup dairy-free margarine + ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup butter = 1 cup coconut oil
• 1 cup butter = ½ cup fruit puree

NUT BUTTER

• 1 cup nut butter = 1 cup sunflower seed butter
• 1 cup nut butter = 1 cup pumpkin seed butter

OIL

• 1 cup oil = 1 cup applesauce
• 1 cup oil = 1 cup fruit puree
• 1 cup oil = 1 cup dairy-free margarine, melted
• 1 cup oil = 1 cup coconut oil, melted

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LIQUID

Liquids are often dairy based. Fortunately, there are a variety of dairy-free substitutes.

BUTTERMILK

• 1 cup buttermilk = 1 cup dairy-free milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 cup buttermilk = 1 cup dairy-free yogurt
• 1 cup buttermilk = 1 cup dairy-free milk + 1 ½ tsp cream of tartar

CONDENSED MILK

• 1 cup condensed milk = 1 cup cream of coconut (NOT coconut cream)
• 1 cup condensed milk = 1 cup homemade dairy-free condensed milk

CREAM

• 1 cup cream, light = ¾ cup dairy-free milk + ¼ cup dairy-free margarine
• 1 cup cream, half and half = ⅞ cup dairy-free milk + 2 tbsp melted dairy-free margarine

MILK

• 1 cup milk = 1 cup dairy-free milk

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GLUTEN

Gluten alternatives are more readily available nowadays.

CAKE FLOUR

• 1 cup cake flour = ¾ cup gluten-free flour + 2 tbsp cornstarch

FLOUR

• 1 cup flour = 140g gluten-free flour blend
• 1 tbsp cornstarch = 1 tbsp arrowroot
• 1 tbsp cornstarch = 1 tbsp potato starch

OATS

• 1 cup oats = 1 cup gluten-free buckwheat flakes
• 1 cup oats = 1 cup gluten-free millet flakes
• 1 cup oats = 1 cup gluten-free quinoa flakes

XANTHAN GUM

• 1 tsp xanthan gum = 1 tsp guar gum
• 1 tsp xanthan gum = ½ tsp agar agar powder
• 1 tsp xanthan gum = 1 tsp psyllium husk powder

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SUGAR

If you’ve run out of sugar or want to use something different, there are a selection of substitutes.

BROWN SUGAR

• 1 cup brown sugar = 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar = 1 cup sugar + 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 cup brown sugar = 1 cup sugar + 1 tbsp molasses

CORN SYRUP

• 1 cup corn syrup = 1 cup golden syrup
• 1 cup corn syrup = 1 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup corn syrup = 1 cup honey
• 1 cup corn syrup = 1 cup sugar + ¼ cup water/dairy-free milk

HONEY

• 1 cup honey = 1 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup honey = 1 cup corn syrup
• 1 cup honey = 1 ¼ cup sugar + ¼ cup water/dairy-free milk + ½ tsp cream of tartar

SUGAR

• 1 cup sugar = 1 cup coconut sugar
• 1 cup sugar = ¾ cup honey (reduce liquid by 3 tbsp)
• 1 cup sugar = ¾ cup maple syrup (reduce liquid by 3 tbsp)

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FLAVOURING

There are so many different flavours you can have in baking. Some common flavours and their alternatives are listed below.

CHOCOLATE

• 1 ounce chocolate = 3 tbsp chocolate chips
• 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate = 3 tbsp natural unsweetened cocoa +  1 tbsp oil/dairy-free margarine, melted
• 1 ounce sweetened chocolate = 3 tbsp natural unsweetened cocoa + 1 tbsp oil/dairy-free margarine, melted + 3 tbsp sugar

COCOA

• 3 tbsp natural unsweetened cocoa =  3 tbsp dutch processed cocoa + ⅛ tsp cream of tartar/lemon juice
• 3 tbsp natural unsweetened cocoa = 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate + ⅛ tsp bicarbonate of soda (reduce fat by 1 tbsp)

GROUND ALMONDS

• 1 cup ground almonds = 1 cup ground sunflower seeds

LEMON

• 1 tsp lemon zest = 1 tsp orange zest
• 1 tsp lemon zest = 1 tsp lime zest
• 1 tsp lemon zest = ½ tsp lemon extract
• 1 tsp lemon juice = 1 tsp orange juice
• 1 tsp lemon juice = 1 tsp lime juice

MARSHMALLOWS

• 1 ounce marshmallow cream = 4 melted marshmallows
• 8 marshmallows = 1 cup mini marshmallows

NUTS

• 1 cup chopped nuts = 1 cup chopped seeds
• 1 cup nuts = 1 cup seeds
• ½ cup nuts = ½ cup raisins

VANILLA

• 1 tsp vanilla extract = ½ vanilla bean
• 1 tsp vanilla extract = 1 tsp lemon extract

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EQUIPMENT

If you haven’t got certain equipment, you can still bake.

BAKING PAPER A.K.A. PARCHMENT PAPER

• 1 sheet baking paper = 1 sheet foil (grease the foil with oil or dairy-free margarine)
• 1 sheet baking paper = 1 silicone baking mat
• 1 sheet baking paper = grease tray with oil or dairy-free margarine

ALUMINIUM FOIL

• 1 sheet foil = 1 sheet baking paper

BAKING TRAY A.K.A. BAKING SHEET

• 1 baking tray = 1 muffin tin
• 1 baking tray = 1 bottom of a cake tin

CONCLUSION

There are so many ingredients you can substitute in baking, especially if you’re allergic or intolerant to certain foods.

What substitutes do you use when baking? Let me know in the comments.

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In the 1st issue, you will receive a free baking substitution guide containing dairy, eggs, gluten and nut substitutes.