Substitutes change texture or flavour slightly — they're rescues, not always perfect
matches. Quantities are for the amount shown; scale them with your recipe.
Out of something mid-recipe? Pick it and get a tested swap.
| Instead of… | Use |
|---|---|
| 1 cup buttermilk | 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar + milk to make 1 cup (stand 5 min); or 1 cup plain yogurt |
| 1 egg | ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce; or 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water (rest 5 min); or ¼ cup mashed banana |
| 1 tsp baking powder | ¼ tsp baking soda + ½ tsp cream of tartar |
| 1 cup self-raising flour | 1 cup plain flour + 1½ tsp baking powder + ¼ tsp salt |
| 1 cup cake flour | 1 cup plain flour, remove 2 tbsp, add 2 tbsp cornflour |
| 1 cup sour cream | 1 cup plain Greek yogurt |
| 1 cup heavy / double cream | ¾ cup milk + ⅓ cup melted butter (won't whip) |
| 1 cup brown sugar | 1 cup white sugar + 1 tbsp molasses |
| 1 tbsp cornflour (thickening) | 2 tbsp plain flour |
| 1 cup honey | 1¼ cup sugar + ¼ cup extra liquid |
| 1 tsp cream of tartar | 2 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar |
| 1 cup whole milk | ½ cup evaporated milk + ½ cup water; or 1 cup skim milk + 1 tbsp butter |
| 1 tsp vanilla extract | equal amount maple syrup, or another extract to taste |
| 1 cup breadcrumbs | 1 cup crushed crackers, crushed cornflakes, or rolled oats |
Most substitutions work because you're recreating the same role in the recipe — acidity (buttermilk), lift (baking powder), binding (eggs) or structure (flour). Acid-based swaps like buttermilk need a few minutes to react before use, and egg replacers vary by what the egg was doing: binding, moisture or leavening.