Mama Has Some Recipes for Dessert

In the old south, most of the great recipes were developed by African Americans and poor white folks who couldn't afford anything but the simplest of ingredients. Many times they would find themselves out of something so they would have to make do with what they had.

If you find yourself in the same spot, here are some baking substitutions when you're making recipes for dessert you might find helpful:

1 cup Cake Flour : Put 2 tablespoons of cornstarch into a 1 cup measuring cup and fill it the rest of the way with All-Purpose Flour. Blend. Presto! You have cake flour.

1 cup Self-Rising Flour 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

1/2 teaspoon Cream of Tartar : 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar or lemon juice.

1 cup Buttermilk : Add a tablespoon of white vinegar (or lemon juice)to a cup of milk and let it stand for 5 to 10 minutes.

1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk : 1 cup nonfat dry milk, 2/3 cup granulated white sugar, 1/2 cup boiling water, 3 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter (mix in a blender or food processor until smooth).

Sour Cream : just use plain yogurt.

1 teaspoon Lemon zest : use orange or lime zest or substitute 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract.

1 cup Honey : 3/4 cup maple syrup plus 1/2 cup granulated white sugar

or 3/4 cup light or dark corn syrup plus 1/2 cup granulated white sugar

or 3/4 cup light molasses plus 1/2 cup granulated white sugar.

1 ounce Unsweetened Chocolate : 3 tablespoons cocoa powder and 1 tablespoon butter, vegetable oil or shortening

1 ounce Milk Chocolate : 1 ounce bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate and 1 tablespoon granulated white sugar.

1 teaspoon Baking Powder : 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar and 1/4 teaspoon corn starch.

1 tablespoon cornstarch : 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour.

1 cup Powdered Sugar 1 cup granulated sugar plus 1/8 teaspoon cornstarch processed in a food processor fitted with a metal blade.

1 cup Shortening : 1 cup butter or margarine for regular or butter-flavored shortening.

*DO NOT use vegetable oil for shortening when recipe calls for melted shortening.

1 teaspoon Ground Ginger : 1 teaspoon ground allspice.

1 teaspoon Ground Allspice : 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves and 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg.

1 teaspoon Lemon Juice : 1/2 teaspoon of white vinegar.

Enjoy these favorite southern recipes for desset:

Red Velvet Cake Recipe

Banana Nut Bread

Southern Peach Cobbler

Gooey Butter Cake

Banana Pudding

Hummingbird Cake

Key Lime Pie

Strawberry Shortcake

Funnel Cakes

Coconut Cream Pie

Cake Mix Cookies

Easy Brownie Recipe

Chocolate Mayonaise Cake with Whipped Peanut Butter Icing

Key Lime Cheesecake

Blondies

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

Homemade Butter Pecan Ice Cream

Return To Recipes For Desserts from Recipe For Banana Pudding

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