Tips and Tricks

Measurement and temperature conversions

1 cup = .5 pint (liquid) = 16 Tablespoons

1 ounce = 28 grams

350 degrees Fahrenheit = 176 degrees Celsius

1 Tbs. = 3 tsp.

High altitude baking

This requires some guesswork and trial and error. That said, there are a few tricks:

• Use less leavening agent. Because of the decreased air pressure, baked goods tend to rise faster and then fall flat (and hard) as a board at high altitude. So if your recipe calls for 1 Tbs. baking powder, you may want to use 2 tsp. instead.
• Use extra-large or additional eggs. This helps the chemical balance of the cake or baked good, and helps keep it moist and fluffy.
• I’ve read that you should both increase the liquid and the flour, but that seems a bit counterproductive to me…  I usually just adjust the leavening and maybe add a little more moisture.
• Don’t over-mix ingredients, and try to resist your temptation to keep opening the oven to check on your treats – they will fall!

Substitutions

• To reduce fat: Applesauce in place of some or all of the oil (in baked goods)
• Baking powder/baking soda: I had to learn this because it´s hard to find pure baking soda in Mexico, so I mainly use baking powder. Turns out baking powder has baking soda in it, along with constarch and cream of tartar so you can substitute baking powder for baking soda, but not vice-versa unless you have the other two ingredients. If you are using powder in place of soda, you need to use 2 or 3 times as much – unless of course you are baking at high altitudes (see above). Here is more information about the chemistry involved.