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It’s no secret that I love a good baking substitution hack.

Whether it’s knowing how to whip up a buttermilk substitute, how to make powdered sugar, or how to make self-rising flour, these tricks save me from having to go to the grocery store on a regular basis.

Today we’re going to talk about cake flour: what it is, why you use it, and how to make a simple cake-flour substitute using all-purpose flour.

The post Cake Flour Substitute appeared first on My Baking Addiction.

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As much as I try to stay on top of my grocery lists and keep a well-stocked pantry, I bake so many things throughout the week that it is not uncommon for me to start making a recipe and realize I’ve run out of a key ingredient.

That’s when I turn to some of my handy baking basics tricks to save the day.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to whip up a buttermilk substitute or brown sugar substitute in order to finish a recipe. Even knowing how to make self-rising flour comes in handy more often than you’d think! 

With the holidays coming up, I know I’ll be going through pounds and pounds of powdered sugar and I’m bound to run out at some point, probably while making chocolate crinkle cookies.

So now seemed like a great time to share how to make powdered sugar! With this simple powdered sugar substitute, you won’t have to make a mid-recipe run to the store again.

The post How to Make Powdered Sugar appeared first on My Baking Addiction.

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There have been far too many times when I’ve been smack in the middle of making a recipe only to realize I am out of an ingredient.

Sometimes I can quickly run to the store to get the missing ingredient. But more often than not, I either just can’t run out or I don’t want to.

That’s when having some simple substitutes up your sleeve comes in handy. Knowing things like how to whip up a simple buttermilk substitute or how to make self-rising flour can save not just your recipe, but also your sanity.

If you find yourself in a pickle and without the right kind of brown sugar for making anything from peanut butter blossoms to apple crumb pie, give this brown sugar substitute a try!

The post Brown Sugar Substitute appeared first on My Baking Addiction.

Do you ever just get a dessert craving and have to make something right then?

Obviously I’m a little baking obsessed, so it shouldn’t surprise you that I will often decide to make something randomly. 

Whether it’s Fresh Strawberry Bread, Moist Banana Cake, or The Best Chocolate Cake, there’s nothing more disappointing than getting halfway into making a recipe and realizing that I’m out of buttermilk.

It’s even worse when it happens after I have put on my comfy clothes for the evening and do NOT want to go to the store.

Luckily, I’ve got a few quick and easy buttermilk substitute tricks in my back pocket just for times like this. Once you know how to make this tangy baking staple, you’ll be able to whip up any number of baked goods on the fly no matter what you have in your fridge!

The post How to Make Buttermilk (4 Easy Substitutes) appeared first on My Baking Addiction.

I love having a well-stocked pantry, fridge and baking cabinet.

But no matter how well stocked I keep my kitchen, there are simply times when I need to dig into my bag of tricks and make homemade versions of some ingredients.

I can’t tell you how many times I have needed to whip up some buttermilk substitute or a batch of pumpkin pie spice in the middle of a baking project.

Today I’m back with another helpful baking tip: How to make self-rising flour at home!

Maybe you didn’t realize you were out of self-rising flour until you were halfway through making Beer Bread. Maybe you can’t find it at your store. Or maybe you live outside of the United States and it isn’t readily available to you.

Whichever the case, use this method to mix up as much self-rising flour as you need!

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I cannot tell you how many times I’ve started pulling out the ingredients for a recipe and realized that I didn’t have any buttermilk on hand. It’s just not something that is regularly in our fridge.

Instead of bribing Eric to make a quick run to our local market or placing an Instacart order, I typically just skip both of those and make a quick and easy buttermilk substitute at home.

Buttermilk is an ingredient that I only pick up from the grocery store if I know I’ll be using most of it, like if I’m making blueberry biscuits or multiple batches of buttermilk pancakes.

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With Peanut Butter Love week well underway, I wanted to offer those of you with peanut allergies some alternative options and knew exactly who to enlist for this informative post. Katie Goodman of the gorgeous blog, goodLife {eats} is here today to share her knowledge of peanut allergies and peanut butter alternatives. Katie has become one of my favorite people; she’s smart, adorable, helpful, and takes the most amazing photos you’ll ever lay your eyes on.  Head over to goodLife {eats} and be sure to bring your appetite because she’s sharing everything she finds good in the kitchen and in life.

Is it just me or does it seem like peanut butter is becoming increasingly popular for use in recipes? During my childhood the only peanut butter goodie that I remember eating was a simple peanut butter cookie. But peanut butter isn’t just for cookies and sandwiches anymore.

I’ve seen peanut butter frosting, peanut butter torte, peanut butter cake, peanut butter and jelly bars, and that’s just the sweets. It’s no secret that cooks and bakers are becoming more and more creative with how they use ingredients and all sorts of fun flavor combinations are popping up on the web. Unfortunately, for those suffering from a peanut allergy, this is not good news.

Peanut butter is tasty and something that I think many of us consider an all-American comfort food. When my son Logan was diagnosed with a peanut allergy 5 years ago it meant a big change was in order. Logan allergy is severe enough to induce anaphylactic shock.

Not all Reactions are Equal

Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening allergic reaction that can happen within moments of exposure to the allergen. During anaphylaxis the body releases histamine, which effects the body in a number of ways, most notably – a swelling of the airways. Other symptoms may include: difficulty breathing and/or swallowing, hives, swollen lips, vomiting, and dizziness.

Some are lucky enough to have very minimal reactions. Others just avoid peanuts and do not have to worry about cross-contamination. Those like Logan have to avoid peanuts, anything processed on shared equipment or in the same facility as peanuts. And, finally, a select few can’t even be in the same room as peanuts without consequences (though some believe that is debatable).

As you can see, severe peanut allergies are not something to be taken lightly. Additionally, repeated exposures to the allergen will often cause faster and more serious reactions each time.

Food Blogger Peanut Allergy Experiences

“My cousin-in-law was admitted to the hospital after a reaction was caused when the table next to her ordered a Thai dish with peanuts that was cooked tableside.” – Shaina Olmanson

“It would be so nice if I could even eat products that are manufactured in a facility with peanuts and tree-nuts. That alone would make life a lot easier.

“I make a lot of homemade recipes, but when you need something quick, want to eat out, or when a friend offers you a snack…you wouldn’t have to agonize over it. Chocolate is a huge problem for me. So many varieties aren’t safe due to cross-contamination.” – Tracy

In the News

Duke University has produced some promising research on peanut allergy treatments over the past couple of years. Through this research, Duke has been investigating the possibility that a child’s peanut allergy can be desensitized, thus providing peace of mind for parents – treatment like this should only be done under doctor supervision. Do not attempt to treat a peanut allergy like this on your own.

“At the start of the study, these participants couldn’t tolerate one-sixth of a peanut,” Burks said. “Six months into it, they were ingesting 13 to 15 peanuts before they had a reaction.” 1

“A treatment like this means that some families won’t need to be as concerned about their children taking a bite of something that has peanut in it and could cause a life-threatening reaction,” said Wesley Burks, MD, chief of the Division of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology at Duke and senior author of the study. “It would really provide them a margin of safety.” 2

I can only dream about the day that research such as this will become a widely available treatment option, but for now we’ll have to settle for some simple peanut butter alternatives. In the past 5 years since Logan’s diagnosis I have learned a lot about peanut allergies.

5 Peanut Butter Alternatives

Depending on your level of allergy, you still may have multiple alternatives to peanut butter. If you aren’t sure what nuts are safe for you or how strict you need to be, make sure to discuss this with your allergist before eating any of the listed peanut butter alternatives.

1. Soy Nut Butter – I.M. Healthy SoyNut Butter doesn’t contain peanuts, tree nuts of any type, sesame, dairy, egg, wheat (gluten), or shellfish making it a perfect product for someone with multiple allergies (unless that includes a soy allergy). Additionally, they manufacture their products in a facility free of those ingredients to eliminate cross contamination.

2. Sunflower Butter – Sun Butter is another great alternative for those who might have tree-nut allergies. Sun Butter products are all processed in a peanut-free and tree-nut free facility, making them an excellent choice for people with peanut and/or tree nut allergies .

3. Barney Butter – Barney Butter is my favorite. Available in creamy or crunchy, it is an almond butter that is processed in a dedicated Almond Only facility. Meaning that with this particular brand, you don’t have to risk cross contamination with peanuts. Hurray!

4. Other Nut Butters – If you don’t suffer from a severe peanut allergy and also don’t suffer from tree-nut allergies, many other widely available nut butters (such as almond, cashew, macadamia) might serve as an acceptable alternative.

5. Nutella – I know this is a different flavor, but I recently learned the Nutella is not processed with peanuts, so it’s safe for even Logan with his severe peanut allergy. My kids really enjoy Nutella sandwiches since peanut butter isn’t an option. Plus, you can substitute Nutella in recipes calling for peanut butter for a different taste while still maintaining a similar consistency.

Popular Peanut Butter Recipes Made with Alternatives

• Sun Butter Buckeyes
• Almond Butter Cookies
• Almond Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
• Vietnamese Summer Rolls with Almond Butter Dipping Sauce
• Flourless SunButter Chocolate Chip Cookies

The post Baking with Peanut Butter Alternatives {Peanut Allergies} appeared first on My Baking Addiction.