Cheap baking substitutes and how to make...

When baking, sometimes you just don't need an entire tub of Mascarpone cheese, or buying an entire bag of cake flour is just too much. Try one of these cheap baking substitutes. Make Mascarpone cheese for just a fraction of the price and whip up easy buttermilk with ingredients in your fridge. Save money with these cheap baking substitutes.

Tip: Use Ctrl F to quickly find what you're looking for. Remember, these are only substitutions and may not work perfectly in every recipe.

Biscuit mixture (Bisquick)

(6 servings) Mix together  2-1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons of baking powder, 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar, 1/2 cup of shortening, 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cut shortening into flour, baking powder, sugar, salt mixture.

Bread flour

For one cup of bread flour, combine 1 cup all-purpose flour with 1 teaspoon of wheat gluten


Buttermilk

For each cup of milk (I usually use 2 per cent), add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice.

Cake flour

For each cup of all-purpose flour, add 2 tablespoons of corn starch. 

Chantilly cream

Beat together 1 cup of heavy cream 2 tablespoons of caster (fine) sugar, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Creme Fraiche

Mix together 1 cup of heavy cream with 1 tablespoon of buttermilk, yogurt or sour cream. Straight sour cream is also a good substitute although it will add a more sour taste to your recipe.

Heavy cream

Stir together 3/4 cup of milk (I use 2 per cent) with 1/3 cup of butter or margarine (melted).  Note: This is not to be substituted to make whipped cream.


Mascarpone cheese

For each cup of Mascarpone cheese, use 3/4 cup of regular fat cream cheese with 1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream.  

Self-rising flour

For each cup of all-purpose, add 1 1/4 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.

Sour cream

In a processor, mix together 1/3 cup of milk with 2 teaspoons of lemon juice with 1 cup of cottage.cheese.

1 cup of plain yogurt can also be used, Greek yogurt is usually better because of its thicker consistency. Otherwise you can strain plain yogurt.


Didn't find what you're looking for? Check out this ingredient substitution chart.