Baking is a pretty therapeutic experience, but it can all go south if you realize you’re missing a key ingredient in the middle of a recipe.
The art of baking isn’t just about measuring and mixing—it’s about creative crisis management. Learning how to substitute different ingredients will save your sanity, as well as help you create marvels in the oven.
Keep on reading this list to learn all the basic baking substitutes that you already have in your kitchen and how to make the most out of them.
1 – Vegetable Oil
Every kitchen has at least one variety of vegetable oil. What you don’t know is that this simple ingredient is a lifesaver when it comes to baking.
If a baking recipe calls for fat, such as butter or margarine, you can use vegetable oil instead—as long as you closely consider the flavor profile.
For example, olive oil imparts a distinct flavor to your baked goods. While this might be a good addition to focaccia, it wouldn’t pair well with vanilla cake.
Ideally, you want to choose the most neutral vegetable oil. This includes corn, canola, and sunflower.
You’ll need to use one cup of vegetable oil for each cup of butter. Keep in mind that the consistency of the batter or dough might be runnier and less creamy.
Alternatively, if a recipe calls for vegetable oil, butter is also the perfect substitute.
2 – Baking Powder
Most bakery creations require a leavening agent. Fortunately, most of these products are interchangeable.
Baking soda is among the basic ingredients in many recipes, but you can get away with using baking powder. The main difference between the two is the activation.
Baking soda requires a type of acid to release gas, causing your baked goods to rise. On the other hand, baking powder already includes an acid in the mixture, in addition to the baking soda.
Accordingly, you should adjust the ratio since baking powder contains additives. A good rule of thumb is to use one teaspoon of baking powder for each ¼ teaspoon of baking soda.
3 – Milk
Dairy is an essential part of baking. Yet, recipes always seem to require a type of milk other than the one I actually have in the fridge!
Through years of trial and error, I learned that you can create any dairy variety if you have plain milk.
Here are all the different ingredients you can make:
- Buttermilk: Milk + lemon or white vinegar
- Half and Half Cream: Milk + tablespoon of butter
- Heavy Cream: ⅔ cup milk + ⅓ cup butter
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: 1 cup milk + 2 tablespoons evaporated milk + 1 cup sugar + 3 tablespoons butter
4 – Flour
You need flour for most baked treats, so you probably already have it. However, in some cases, you might need cake or bread flour rather than standard all-purpose flour.
As the name suggests, all-purpose flour should work for all recipes. If you want to follow a recipe to the tee, though, you can still make your own cake or bread flour.
For cake flour, all you need is ¾ cup of all-purpose flour and ¼ cup of cornstarch. This way, you’ll get the same airy texture of cake flour, as you’ll reduce the protein content.
All-purpose flour only requires a tablespoon of vital wheat gluten to create bread flour. This isn’t an ingredient I’d suppose you readily have in your pantry, so I’d suggest kneading the dough for longer, so you can activate all the gluten in the all-purpose flour.
5 – Aquafaba
Aquafaba is one of those miracle ingredients you never knew you needed. Whether you’re vegan or have an egg allergy, it’ll come in handy.
This liquid gold is a by-product of chickpeas, closely resembling the consistency of egg whites. It gives an identical texture, which is especially perfect for meringues, marshmallows, and cakes.
If you don’t have canned chickpeas, aquafaba is pretty simple to make. All you have to do is rinse the chickpeas and cook them in water for thirty minutes to an hour. Then, you’ll have the best egg alternative!
6 – Molasses
Molasses might not be the first thing that you’d want in your baked goods. However, a teaspoon of this sweet syrup goes a long way.
If you’re making cookies or brownies, brown sugar should be at the top of your ingredient list. If you have none, using regular granulated sugar plus a tablespoon of molasses will work wonders.
Not only will the molasses create a deep gold color, transforming your cookies, but it’ll also give them a sweet, nutty flavor.
Sarah is the founder of Baking Kneads, LLC, a blog sharing guides, tips, and recipes for those learning how to bake. Growing up as the daughter of a baker, she spent much of her childhood learning the basics in a local bakery.