I'm a self confessed buttermilk fanatic, I often get asked questions about what buttermilk is and how to substitute for it because people don’t keep it “on hand.” The best answer to this is to say that buttermilk is a wonderful dairy product that makes for some delicious baked goods, and it should always be kept on hand if you like to bake more than just the occasional batch of chocolate chip cookies. Buttermilk is thick and has a tangy, buttery flavor – sort of like a cross between melted butter and sour cream. Despite its thickness, it is low in fat. Some people like to drink it plain, but it is usually best utilized in cakes, pancakes, breads and other dishes where it lends a lot of butter flavor without the extra fat of more butter or full-fat sour cream.
Buttermilk is so named because it was originally the liquid left over after the butter-churning process was complete. These days, buttermilk is cultured, made by adding lactic acid bacteria to [pasteurized] nonfat or low-fat milk to thicken it and give it a tangy flavor. The easiest substitute is to add 1 tbsp of vinegar to 1 cup of regular milk to curdle it and give it a sharper flavor. This also provides a similar level of acidity to buttermilk, so it will work in recipes in the same way (it doesn't have the buttery flavor of buttermilk, however).
Buttermilk is usually sold in smaller containers than regular milk and it is usually quite inexpensive (usually around a dollar, in my next of the woods). It has a longer shelf life than regular milk, so you have more time to use it up. With cakes, pancakes, breads, salad dressings to choose from, there are plenty of options to choose from.
Buttermilk in Baking
Buttermilk is ideal in baking because there's no fat and it acts very much like whole milk in pancakes and muffins. If you are going to substitute buttermilk for milk in your recipes, you'll need to change the amount of baking soda and baking powder as well. This is because of the higher acid content in buttermilk. You will usually need less baking soda or baking powder.
For each cup of buttermilk used instead of milk you will want to use 2 teaspoons less baking powder and add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda.
Powdered buttermilk is an option for baking. Unlike today’s liquid buttermilk, the dried form is actually made from the liquid that’s left after churning butter. This liquid is cultured and the water is evaporated, leaving a dried powder. Many supermarkets carry this product, made by Saco, in the baking section.
Powdered buttermilk can’t be reconstituted into liquid buttermilk, but it does work well for baking. Add the powder to the dry ingredients, and add water to the wet ingredients. (The package provides exact proportions.) I give liquid buttermilk an edge over powdered when it comes to the texture and flavor of baked goods, but the dry product does have its place in the baker’s pantry. One big advantage is that it lasts a very long time—up to several years—as long as it’s refrigerated after opening.
An easy way to make a quick buttermilk substitute is to add 1 Tbs. white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup whole milk and let it stand for 10 minutes. This “sour milk” can pinch-hit for buttermilk in most baked goods. (Don’t try using truly soured milk, which is milk that has spoiled and has an unpleasant flavor.) It will provide the acid for leavening and tenderizing, though the flavor won’t be as tangy or as pleasing as you get with regular buttermilk.
Yogurt also works: I've used plain low-fat or whole-milk yogurt in recipes when I've come up short on buttermilk, and it works fine.
The Effects of Baking With Buttermilk
Buttermilk is available in almost every dairy case in every supermarket, but it remains tragically unappreciated. Too sour for use on cereal or in your morning coffee, buttermilk can take your baked goods from "good" to "great" or from "great" to "extraordinary," adding not just flavor but improving texture and color. Take full advantage of this dairy ingredient after learning a few things about it.
Tangy Taste
The first and most obvious effect of baking with buttermilk is the taste of the final baked good. Buttermilk, like yogurt, results from the careful fermentation of milk with lactic-acid-producing bacteria. This gives buttermilk its tangy flavor, which adds complexity and depth to the finished baked good. A classic ingredient in buttermilk biscuits, buttermilk is a good choice for use in mild baked goods such yellow cake and sugar cookies.
Better Lift
Baking soda is an alkaline that, when it comes into contact with an acidic ingredient, produces carbon dioxide and lightens the dough. Food scientist Harold McGee, in "On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen" reports that unless all the baking soda is consumed by the reaction during baking, it often makes cakes or cookies taste bitter or soapy. Replacing half the milk in a recipe with buttermilk ensures that all the soda will get used without adding too much tang. Don't try this trick for recipes that call for baking powder, as it already contains the necessary acids.
Less Browning
Buttermilk can help you avoid overcooking your baked goods. McGee reports baked goods brown more readily in an alkaline environment. By changing the PH of your baked goods by using buttermilk, you can help keep yellow cakes, sugar cookies and other baked goods from browning too quickly. However, if your oven is especially prone to over baking or burning, use an oven thermometer, as even high-end ovens loose accuracy over time.
Tips and Considerations
Store all fresh buttermilk in the fridge. Although the acid in buttermilk slows microbial growth, buttermilk will still go bad if not kept cold. If you don't use buttermilk often enough to justify buying fresh buttermilk, "Cook's Illustrated" magazine recommends using buttermilk mix, which works just as well as fresh buttermilk. Also, ask your guests about food allergies before serving food made with buttermilk, as all milk products can be a food allergen.
I'm a self confessed buttermilk fanatic, I often get asked questions about what buttermilk is and how to substitute for it because people don’t keep it “on hand.” The best answer to this is to say that buttermilk is a wonderful dairy product that makes for some delicious baked goods, and it should always be kept on hand if you like to bake more than just the occasional batch of chocolate chip cookies. Buttermilk is thick and has a tangy, buttery flavor – sort of like a cross between melted butter and sour cream. Despite its thickness, it is low in fat. Some people like to drink it plain, but it is usually best utilized in cakes, pancakes, breads and other dishes where it lends a lot of butter flavor without the extra fat of more butter or full-fat sour cream.
Buttermilk is so named because it was originally the liquid left over after the butter-churning process was complete. These days, buttermilk is cultured, made by adding lactic acid bacteria to [pasteurized] nonfat or low-fat milk to thicken it and give it a tangy flavor. The easiest substitute is to add 1 tbsp of vinegar to 1 cup of regular milk to curdle it and give it a sharper flavor. This also provides a similar level of acidity to buttermilk, so it will work in recipes in the same way (it doesn't have the buttery flavor of buttermilk, however).
Buttermilk is usually sold in smaller containers than regular milk and it is usually quite inexpensive (usually around a dollar, in my next of the woods). It has a longer shelf life than regular milk, so you have more time to use it up. With cakes, pancakes, breads, salad dressings to choose from, there are plenty of options to choose from.
Buttermilk in Baking
Buttermilk is ideal in baking because there's no fat and it acts very much like whole milk in pancakes and muffins. If you are going to substitute buttermilk for milk in your recipes, you'll need to change the amount of baking soda and baking powder as well. This is because of the higher acid content in buttermilk. You will usually need less baking soda or baking powder.
For each cup of buttermilk used instead of milk you will want to use 2 teaspoons less baking powder and add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda.
Powdered buttermilk is an option for baking. Unlike today’s liquid buttermilk, the dried form is actually made from the liquid that’s left after churning butter. This liquid is cultured and the water is evaporated, leaving a dried powder. Many supermarkets carry this product, made by Saco, in the baking section.
Powdered buttermilk can’t be reconstituted into liquid buttermilk, but it does work well for baking. Add the powder to the dry ingredients, and add water to the wet ingredients. (The package provides exact proportions.) I give liquid buttermilk an edge over powdered when it comes to the texture and flavor of baked goods, but the dry product does have its place in the baker’s pantry. One big advantage is that it lasts a very long time—up to several years—as long as it’s refrigerated after opening.
An easy way to make a quick buttermilk substitute is to add 1 Tbs. white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup whole milk and let it stand for 10 minutes. This “sour milk” can pinch-hit for buttermilk in most baked goods. (Don’t try using truly soured milk, which is milk that has spoiled and has an unpleasant flavor.) It will provide the acid for leavening and tenderizing, though the flavor won’t be as tangy or as pleasing as you get with regular buttermilk.
Yogurt also works: I've used plain low-fat or whole-milk yogurt in recipes when I've come up short on buttermilk, and it works fine.
The Effects of Baking With Buttermilk
Buttermilk is available in almost every dairy case in every supermarket, but it remains tragically unappreciated. Too sour for use on cereal or in your morning coffee, buttermilk can take your baked goods from "good" to "great" or from "great" to "extraordinary," adding not just flavor but improving texture and color. Take full advantage of this dairy ingredient after learning a few things about it.
Tangy Taste
The first and most obvious effect of baking with buttermilk is the taste of the final baked good. Buttermilk, like yogurt, results from the careful fermentation of milk with lactic-acid-producing bacteria. This gives buttermilk its tangy flavor, which adds complexity and depth to the finished baked good. A classic ingredient in buttermilk biscuits, buttermilk is a good choice for use in mild baked goods such yellow cake and sugar cookies.
Better Lift
Baking soda is an alkaline that, when it comes into contact with an acidic ingredient, produces carbon dioxide and lightens the dough. Food scientist Harold McGee, in "On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen" reports that unless all the baking soda is consumed by the reaction during baking, it often makes cakes or cookies taste bitter or soapy. Replacing half the milk in a recipe with buttermilk ensures that all the soda will get used without adding too much tang. Don't try this trick for recipes that call for baking powder, as it already contains the necessary acids.
Less Browning
Buttermilk can help you avoid overcooking your baked goods. McGee reports baked goods brown more readily in an alkaline environment. By changing the PH of your baked goods by using buttermilk, you can help keep yellow cakes, sugar cookies and other baked goods from browning too quickly. However, if your oven is especially prone to over baking or burning, use an oven thermometer, as even high-end ovens loose accuracy over time.
Tips and Considerations
Store all fresh buttermilk in the fridge. Although the acid in buttermilk slows microbial growth, buttermilk will still go bad if not kept cold. If you don't use buttermilk often enough to justify buying fresh buttermilk, "Cook's Illustrated" magazine recommends using buttermilk mix, which works just as well as fresh buttermilk. Also, ask your guests about food allergies before serving food made with buttermilk, as all milk products can be a food allergen.
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