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Substituting Ingredients

Out of baking powder and out of time? Need to replace butter with vegetable shortening right now? Unsure if six ounces of chocolate chips make a cup? Find all the correct measurements and perfect substitutions right at your fingertips. Bookmark our cheat sheet, below, and turn your baking problems into sweet solutions.

Easy Conversion Calculator
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Substitution Charts
  • Eggs & Dairy Substitutions
  • Dry Substitutions
  • CH® Sugar Packaging Equivalent
  • Butter, 1/2 cup or 1 stick.........7 tablespoons vegetable shortening
  • Eggs, 2 large.........3 small eggs
  • Egg yolks, 2.........1 whole egg
  • Light cream, 1 cup.........7/8 cup whole milk + 3 tablespoons butter
  • Margarine, 1/2 cup or 1 stick.........7 tablespoons vegetable shortening
  • Mascarpone cheese, 8 ounces.........8 ounces regular cream cheese
  • Milk, 1 cup.........1/2 cup evaporated + 1/2 cup water
  • Milk, 1 cup.........1/4 cup powdered whole milk + 1 cup water
  • Sour cream, 1 cup.........1 cup evaporated milk + 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • Sour milk, 1 cup.........1 tablespoon lemon juice + whole milk to make 1 cup (let stand 5 minutes)
  • Whipping cream, 1 cup.........3/4 cup whole milk + 1/3 cup butter
  • 3/4 cup whole milk + 1/3 cup butter.........1 cup buttermilk
  • Milk, 1 cup.........1 cup skim milk + 2 tablespoons butter
  • Sour cream, 1 cup.........1 cup plain yogurt

 

  • Baking powder, 1 teaspoon.........1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar + 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • Cake flour, 1 cup.........1 cup minus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • Flour, 2 tablespoons.........1 tablespoon cornstarch, arrowroot, potato starch or quick cooking tapioca
  • Coconut, 1 cup grated.........1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
  • Pumpkin spice, 1 teaspoon.........1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg and 1/8 tsp ground ginger or clove
  • Unsweetened chocolate, 1 ounce.........3 tbsp cocoa powder + 1 tbsp butter

 

  • Granulated Sugar 1 packet.........1 teaspoon
  • Granulated Sugar, 1 lb.........2 1/4 cups
  • Granulated Sugar, 2 lbs.........4 1/2 cups
  • Granulated Sugar, 4 lbs.........9 cups
  • Confectioners Sugar, 1 lb.........3 3/4 cups*
  • Confectioners Sugar, 2 lbs.........7 1/2 cups*
  • Confectioners Sugar, 4 lbs.........15 cups*
  • Brown Sugar, 1 lb.........approximately 2 1/3 cups**
  • Brown Sugar, 2 lbs.........approximately 4 2/3 cups**
  • Brown Sugar, 4 lbs.........10 cups**

*unsifted **firmly packed