Many recipes call for milk, but aren’t so good about specifying which type. And, uh, while we’re at it, what’s with all the “half-n-half,” “heavy cream,” “whipping cream,” etc. Boy, there are just too many milks to choose from! Well, when it comes to baking, fattier is better! I mean, really, if you’re on a diet, you’re not reaching for a piece of chocolate cake, anyway, so you may as well make it taste good, right? :) So, when a recipe calls for “milk” (with no other specifications), always make sure it is whole milk–and room temperature!
Well, though I am no dieter, I do only drink Skim milk. For me, it’s the only way to justify reaching for that chocolate cake! But, as I soon discovered, it is expensive to keep whole milk, skim milk, heavy cream, etc, etc in my fridge at all times. So, substitute! In a good way, of course (as we all know I hate substitutions). In this case, below is a nice list of how to get that consistency you’ve been looking for when you’re stuck with only skim milk in the fridge (gasp!)
One cup whole milk=
- 5/8 cup skim milk + 3/8 cup half-and-half
- 2/3 cup 1% milk + 1/3 cup half-and-half
- 1 Tablespoon heavy cream + remainder of 1% milk
- 3/4 cup 2% milk + 1/4 cup half-and-half
- 7/8 cup skim milk + 1/8 cup half-and-half
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons heavy cream + remainder of skim milk
One cup half-and-half=
- 3/4 cup whole milk + 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 2/3 cup skim milk + 1/3 cup heavy cream
One cup heavy whipping cream=
- one cup evaporated milk (evaporated milk will not whip; only use as replacement in cooking)
And, while we’re at it, if you are really desperate and have ZERO milk in the fridge, but simply must have some cake, grab a can of evaporated milk and use half evaporated milk + half water = whole milk. It’s an approximation, but it will get some good cake in your belly. After all, isn’t that the whole point?