I live in Pennsylvania and the grocery store we go here is called “Giant”. They run a magazine “Healthy Ideas”, it’s a monthly issue and it’s free for the consumers to pick it from the stands they have as soon as entering the store. It’s a small magazine with 30 pages but has a lot of vital information, regarding health, latest findings and especially interesting recipes using in-season fruits and vegetables. I’m mentioning it here because, sometimes we don’t take time to look at what the stores are offering other than selling their products. So please take time to look around and find out what your store has to offer you.
In April 2008 issue I found the following information about substituting other flours for white flour while baking. For 1 cup sifted all purpose white flour, substitute:
1. 1/4 cup soy flour plus 3/4 cup white flour
2. 1/3 cup wheat germ plus 2/3 cup white flour
3. 1/3 cup whole wheat flour plus 2/3 cup white flour
4. 3/4 cup coarse cornmeal
5. 3/4 cup rice flour
6. 1 cup rolled oats
7. 1.5 cups oat flour.
It was also mentioned that these substitutions may require additional leavening, so add 2.5 teaspoons baking powder per cup of flour to compensate. These alternatives to white flour will result in a heavier yeast bread product.
My question, is it just 2.5 teaspoons of baking powder on the whole while using any one of the above substitution or 2.5 teaspoons in addition to the original quantity of baking powder mentioned in the recipe if using white flour as it is.
April 16th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
that’s a nice info, Madhu! It is so helpful. Can we use besan also the same way?
April 16th, 2008 at 8:07 pm
I’m glad that you like this page. But sorry Uma, I’m not sure about that.
July 31st, 2008 at 9:01 am
I don’t know for sure, but should think it should be 2.5 tsp on the whole. I was thinking I would need 5 tsps for a cake or cookie recipe asking for 2 cups of flour and that seems to much.
The cake/ cookie would probably rise and collapse upon itself.
August 19th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
Thanks!!!!
September 5th, 2008 at 5:12 am
I found the flour substitutions very useful being a vegetarian, got an inspiration to make maize flour halva it was yum. Same method as wheatflour was used.
January 29th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
The entire site is very useful for vegans and vegetarian. Desserts, Pastas, Dosas. Recipes are pretty healthy too. I liked the idea of making pudding and dosa of brown rice even bhishi bhel bhat. I was thinking of making dosa of brown rice and was always skeptical. Not anymore. I am going to try it soon esp with the beans and brown rice. Just other day I made it with mixture of dals.
Madhuram’s cooking is inspirational. She helped me a lot suggesting alterations for my recipe after trying herself.
Madhuram, keep posting recipes every alternate day as you are doing now. We all are eagerly waiting for continuous updates.
Thank you very much for your kind words of appreciation. It’s very encouraging. I guess I’m going to disappoint you tomorrow because I’m not posting anything.
January 30th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
Yes definitely.
August 16th, 2009 at 11:05 pm
Hi Madhu,
This is an absolutely a great vegan cooking site. Keep that creative of yours in cooking flowing. I have a question, if a recipe calls for all purpose flour, can i substitute it with Self Raising flour since its baking without eggs. Would self raising flour help raise the height of the cake?
Please advise.
Thanks.
Thanks Jeya. Yes self raising flour can be used when baking eggless. But you have to also consider what other leaveners (baking soda/powder) are used in the recipe and adjust it accordingly.