# White sugar replacement?



## CyberSlag5k (Aug 21, 2007)

I do a lot of baking, and I end up using a lot of sugar. I'm open to low sugar recipes, but for the recipes that I do like, I'd like to be using a lot less sugar. For example, my cupcake recipe:

Flour - 2 cups
*Sugar - 2 cups
*Egg Whites - 2
Baking Soda - 2 tspn
Vanilla extra - 1 tspn
Crushed Pineapple - 20 oz can
Bake at 350 for about 18 minutes

The above makes awesome cupcakes, especially when topped with a little whipped cream. Give it a shot. But 2 cups of sugar.... that I could do without.

Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but sugar, in a recipe such as this, acts only as a sweetener, right? I'm not creaming any butter or anything, so I don't think it's really doing anything for the texture. So, and I'm going to try this anyway, do you think I could substitute a half of a cup of the sugar for 2 tablespoons of honey? The amount is arbitrary, if that's too much or too little, I'd like to know, but I'm thinking the honey can add some sweetness, and actually some good flavoring given the recipe, and make my cup cakes a bit healthier.

Is this the right way to go about doing this? Can anyone recommend some other ways to cut sugar and other unhealthy ingredients out of recipes without dramatically impacting the outcome?

Thanks!


----------



## bethzaring (Aug 21, 2007)

I do a lot of baking, and also try to cut down on the amount of white sugar I use.  For the above recipe, I simply would not use it. I would look for another recipe that uses less sugar.

In most/all recipes I use less white sugar than what the recipe call for.  I am currently making some impossible pies that call for one cup sugar.  I use 3/4 cup sugar or slightly less than 3/4 cup sugar.

I have found trying to substitute honey for sugar in baking to be unsatisfactory.

So my advice, carefully look at recipes.  I discard many recipes just based on high sugar, or fat, content.  And always reduce the amount of white sugar called for in any recipe.  Even if it is too portion out the amount called for, and shake some back into the sugar jar.


----------



## Chausiubao (Aug 21, 2007)

Whats wrong with using honey? I'd heard that you need to adjust the amount of water in any recipe where you substitute honey, as there is already some in the honey, but I had yet to try it.


----------



## bethzaring (Aug 21, 2007)

Chausiubao said:


> Whats wrong with using honey? I'd heard that you need to adjust the amount of water in any recipe where you substitute honey, as there is already some in the honey, but I had yet to try it.


 
Technically, there is nothing wrong with using honey to replace white granulated sugar in baking.

Baking is a rather precise, chemical reaction.  Most recipes have been developed using white sugar.  If you wish to replace the sugar with honey, you can not have any expectations that the finished product will resemble what you set out to bake.  I am sure it will be edible, it just will not look or taste like the recipe title.  Honey will alter the flavor, and to a great extent, the texture of the baked good.

You will have better luck using a recipe that was developed to use honey.


----------



## Caine (Aug 21, 2007)

I haven't purchased white sugar in over a decade. I use turbinado or demerara sugar, and I usually cut the quantity in the recipe in half, at least. 

But regardless of whether you use white sugar, brown sugar, turbinado sugar, demerara sugar, powdered sugar, superfine sugar, molasses, or honey, it's ALL sugar and it's STILL 15 calories per teaspoon.


----------

