What It Means
An ingredient substitution is a stand-in for something a recipe calls for, measured so the recipe still works. Reliable swaps come from published charts, like the ones university extension services and baking companies put out, and they give an exact amount for each one. Some of those charts, King Arthur Baking's among them, also say where a replacement falls short.
Try It: Measure a Swap for What You're Out Of
Pick what you're out of and enter the amount your recipe calls for. The swap amounts come from the charts named on this page.
Amounts are the chart's ratio multiplied by what you entered.
How It Sounds at Home
- "We're out of buttermilk, what can I use instead?"
- "Can I swap yogurt for the crème fraîche?"
- "There's no cake flour, but there's cornstarch."
The Breakdown
How to make a swap
- Find the ingredient on a published chart from a source you trust, such as UNL Food's basic substitutions or King Arthur Baking's guides.
- Match the amount. Charts give the swap for a set quantity (1 cup, 1 teaspoon), so multiply it to fit your recipe.
- Do any prep the chart lists before you start mixing, like the 5 minutes buttermilk's stand-in needs to sit.
- Read any note about what the swap won't do, like the limits King Arthur Baking gives for a flax eggEgg substitute(1) A carton product made from egg whites, sold in place of whole eggs; (2) any ingredient, like flax meal and water, used instead of egg in a recipe. See more (see below).
- Write down what you swapped, so you know what to change next time if the result is off.
Try it today. Think of the three ingredients you run out of most and write their swaps on a card inside a cabinet door.
Common swaps from UNL Food, Iowa State University Extension and King Arthur Baking
| Out of | Use instead |
|---|---|
| 1 cup buttermilk | 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar, plus milk to make 1 cup. Let it stand 5 minutes. |
| 1 cup cake flour | 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour, minus 3 tablespoons, plus 3 tablespoons cornstarch |
| 1 teaspoon baking powder | ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon cream of tartar and ¼ teaspoon cornstarch |
| 1 cup crème fraîche | 1 cup sour cream or yogurt |
| 1 large egg, in pancakes, soft cookies or bars | 1 tablespoon flax meal stirred into 3 tablespoons cold water, left to thicken |
Good to Know
A swap that works in one recipe can fall short in another. King Arthur Baking says its flax egg stands in for an egg's liquid and rich mouthfeel but not its structure-building protein, and suggests it for pancakes, soft cookies and bars. When a chart names the kinds of recipes a swap suits, stay within them.
FAQ
What can I use instead of cake flour?
For 1 cup of cake flour, measure 1 cup of sifted all-purpose flour, take out 3 tablespoons, and add 3 tablespoons of cornstarch. Scale the same ratio for 2 or 3 cups.
How do you make baking powder from baking soda?
For 1 teaspoon of baking powder, mix ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon cream of tartar and ¼ teaspoon cornstarch. This swap comes from King Arthur Baking's guide to baking soda and baking powder.
What's a quick substitute for buttermilk?
Put 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar in a measuring cup, add milk to the 1-cup line, and let it stand 5 minutes. Use it cup for cup in place of buttermilk.
Do It in Buhata
Shopping
When you use the last of a baking staple, add it to the Shopping list in Buhata so the next recipe doesn't need a swap.
Open BuhataRelated Terms and Categories
- Buttermilk substitute
A stand-in for buttermilk: 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar plus milk to make 1 cup, left to stand 5 minutes before you use it.
- Egg substitute
(1) A carton product made from egg whites, sold in place of whole eggs; (2) any ingredient, like flax meal and water, used instead of egg in a recipe.
- Baking powder vs baking soda
Baking soda is a base that needs an acid in the recipe to make it rise; baking powder is baking soda already mixed with its own acid.
- Recipe scaling
Changing how much a recipe makes by multiplying every ingredient by one conversion factor: the yield you want divided by the yield it makes.
- Room temperature ingredients
Ingredients such as butter and eggs warmed from fridge-cold before baking; King Arthur Baking puts room-temperature butter at about 68°F to 72°F.
Sources
UNL Food (University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension), "Basic Ingredient Substitutions"; Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, AnswerLine, "Substitutions for Common Foods"; King Arthur Baking, "How to substitute for buttermilk"; King Arthur Baking, "What's the difference between baking soda and baking powder?"; King Arthur Baking, "How to make homemade egg replacer"
- food.unl.edu/article/ingredient-substitutions
- blogs.extension.iastate.edu/answerline/2014/01/23/substitutions-for-common-foods
- www.kingarthurbaking.com/blog/2019/01/28/how-to-substitute-for-buttermilk
- www.kingarthurbaking.com/blog/2021/09/10/baking-soda-vs-baking-powder-substitutions
- www.kingarthurbaking.com/blog/2015/07/12/make-homemade-egg-replacer
Last updated .