Substitutions

Below is a list of substitutions that I find most useful.  For a more complete list, I suggest you consult the Cook’s Thesaurus.

Baking Powder, double acting
1 teaspoon 1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 5/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
Buttermilk
1 cup 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar plus enough regular milk to make 1 cup (allow to stand 5 minutes)

Note that this is a very poor substitution for buttermilk and should only be used in an absolute emergency.

Chocolate, unsweetened
1 ounce 3 tablespoons cocoa plus 1 tablespoon butter or regular margarine or vegetable oil
Corn syrup
1 cup 1 1/4 cup white sugar plus 1/3 cup water OR 1 cup honey OR 1 cup light treacle syrup
Cornstarch
1 tablespoon 2 tablespoons flour
Flour, cake
1 cup 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Flour, self rising
1 cup 1 cup minus 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour plus 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt
Herbs, fresh
1 tablespoon – 1 teaspoon dried leaf herbs
– 1/2 teaspoon ground dried herbs
Mayonnaise (in salads or salad dressings)
1 cup – 1 cup sour cream
– 1 cup yogurt
Pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon plus 1/4 ground teaspoon ginger plus 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice plus 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Yeast, compressed
1 cake (3/5 ounce) – 1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
– Scant 2 1/2 teaspoons loose active dry yeast