Old-fashioned Substitutions

I’m not usually a fan of making substitutions in recipes. Most of the substitutions I see are based on misguided ideas about what’s healthy.

That’s why I was so glad to see the last few pages of Favorite Recipes, published by the Women’s Fellowship of the First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, Claridon, OH, in 1969. These substitutions were just in case you were out of one ingredient and couldn’t make it to the store.

For these You may use these
1 whole egg, for thickening or baking 2 egg yolks.
Or 2 tablespoons dried whole egg plus 2½ tablespoons water.
1 cup butter or margarine for shortening 7/8 cup lard, or rendered fat, with ½ teaspoon salt.
1 square (ounce) chocolate 3 or 4 tablespoons cocoa plus ½ tablespoon fat.
1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder 1½ teaspoons phosphate baking powder.
Or 2 teaspoons tartrate baking powder.
Sweet milk and baking powder, for baking Equal amount of sour milk plus ½ teaspoon soda per cup. (Each half teaspoon soda with 1 cup sour milk takes the place of 2 teaspoons baking powder and 1 cup sweet milk.)
1 cup sour milk, for baking 1 cup sweet milk mixed with one of the following:

  • 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • or 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • or 1 ¾ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup skim milk 4 tablespoons nonfat dry milk plus 1 cup water.
1 tablespoon flour, for thickening ½ tablespoon

  • cornstarch
  • potato starch
  • rice starch
  • or arrowroot starch

Or 1 tablespoon granulated tapioca.

1 cup cake flour, for baking 7/8 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup all-purpose flour, for baking breads Up to ½ cup bran, whole-wheat flour, or corn meal plus enough all-purpose flour to fill cup.

Got any other good ones?