Baking a cake calls for buttermilk you do not have butermilk what can use?

Here are several alternatives you can use in place of buttermilk in your cake recipe:

1. Sour Cream: Substitute buttermilk with an equal amount of sour cream. Sour cream will add a similar tang and moisture to your cake.

2. Plain Yogurt: You can also use plain yogurt as a 1:1 replacement for buttermilk. Make sure to use plain, unflavored yogurt for best results.

3. Homemade Buttermilk: If you have regular milk handy, you can make a quick buttermilk substitute at home. Mix 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes until it thickens and starts to curdle. This will give you a close approximation of buttermilk.

4. Milk and Lemon Juice: Another simple substitute is to combine 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. The acid in the lemon juice or vinegar will react with the proteins in the milk, creating a buttermilk-like consistency.

5. Milk and Cream of Tartar: Similar to the lemon juice method, you can mix 1 cup of milk with 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar. The cream of tartar will react with the milk to produce a slightly acidic and thicker mixture.

When substituting buttermilk with any of these alternatives, make sure to adjust the amount of baking soda or baking powder in your recipe accordingly. Some of these alternatives may have a slight impact on the flavor and texture of your cake, but they should provide a suitable replacement for buttermilk.