Flour Substitutions (1 cup)
| Missing | Substitute |
|---|
| All-purpose flour | 1 cup + 2 Tbsp cake flour OR 1 cup minus 2 Tbsp bread flour |
| Cake flour | 1 cup AP flour minus 2 Tbsp, replace with 2 Tbsp cornstarch |
| Self-rising flour | 1 cup AP flour + 1.5 tsp baking powder + 1/4 tsp salt |
Sugar Swaps (1 cup)
| Missing | Substitute |
|---|
| Brown sugar | 1 cup white sugar + 1-2 Tbsp molasses |
| Powdered sugar | 1 cup granulated sugar + 1 Tbsp cornstarch — blend until powdery |
| Honey (for sugar) | 3/4 cup honey replaces 1 cup sugar — reduce other liquids by 2 Tbsp |
Dairy & Egg Swaps
| Missing | Amount | Substitute |
|---|
| Buttermilk | 1 cup | 1 cup milk + 1 Tbsp lemon juice or vinegar — let sit 5 min |
| Butter | 1 cup | 1 cup shortening + 2 Tbsp water OR 3/4 cup oil |
| Egg (binding) | 1 egg | 1 Tbsp ground flax + 3 Tbsp water — let sit 5 min to gel |
Pro Tip: Baking is chemistry — substitutions change the reaction. Swapping flour or sugar usually works; swapping eggs or leavening is risky. If a recipe calls for 3+ eggs, that's structural — a flax egg won't cut it. Accept the texture will differ.