The Best Sour Cream Substitute For Your Baking Needs

When a baking recipe calls for sour cream, it's for a very good reason. It's like a miracle ingredient to any cake batter due to its high-fat content and tang, making for a soft crumb and fluffy texture. Another key trait is the fact that it is sour: The acidic nature of the cream also makes the cake less prone to browning and gives the cake a better rise by activating the baking soda.

However, if you happen to have none on hand or want to switch your ingredients up, Greek yogurt makes a perfect replacement. Although there are other substitutes for sour cream out there, Greek yogurt is really the closest you can get to it if you're baking because of its similar properties in flavor and texture — it has a strong tang and acidic flavor due to its fermentation and has a similar creamy consistency to sour cream.

Another reason Greek yogurt makes an excellent alternative is that you can use the same amount of it as you would sour cream — so there's no need for confusing calculations or changes in ratios. It essentially plays the same role in baking, especially for cakes, loaves, and muffins, where the baked good requires a fluffy crumb and less browning. 

Although it has less fat than sour cream, whole-milk Greek yogurt is still just as good in a cake batter due to its bright flavor. You could even make the swap in a boxed cake mix that calls for sour cream to give it that homemade touch. Just make sure to stick to whole-milk Greek yogurt, as this has already been strained of any excess whey or liquid, making it thick and creamy. And aside from it being lower in fat, it has more protein than sour cream as well, which makes it a healthy yet delicious alternative.