Whenever we lighten recipes, our primary goal is to reduce fat, cholesterol, and calories. Not all substitutions work for all recipes, so experiment to find what works best. Following are replacements for common ingredients, and well as alcohol substitutions.
Baking chocolate (1 ounce)
* 3 tablespoons dry cocoa plus 2 teaspoons sugar and 1 tablespoon water
Butter or margarine (1 tablespoon)
* 1/2 the amount called for in recipe, or
* 1 tablespoon reduced-calorie margarine
Buttermilk (1 cup)
Combine 1 cup milk plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white distilled vinegar in a small bowl. Let stand 1 minute; proceed with recipe.
Cake flour
All-purpose flour may be substituted for cake flour. One cup cake flour equals 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons.
Cream or half-and-half (1 tablespoon)
*1 tablespoon evaporated skimmed milk
Egg (1 large)
* 1/4 cup egg substitute, or
* 2 large egg whites
Pecans, chopped (1/2 cup)
*1/4 cup toasted (this works for any type of nut)
Sour cream (1/2 cup)
*1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt, or
* 1/2 cup nonfat sour cream
(for baked goods, add 1-1/2 teaspoons flour to each 1/2 cup of yogurt or nonfat sour cream)
Whole milk (1 cup)
*1 cup skim milk