Can I substitute honey for sugar in baking?

Ever wondered whether you can substitute honey for sugar in your cakes and biscuits? Food magazine editor Sophie Gray answers this important question for bakers who are looking to make the swap.

Can I substitute honey for sugar in baking?

Yes, with some experimenting. Honey is 2-3 times sweeter than sugar and around 20 per cent water so you’ll need to adjust your recipe, reducing the total amount of sweetening and liquid. I would use ½ cup honey for 1 cup sugar, roughly, and reduce the overall liquid by ¼-⅓.

Honey is naturally acidic so you’ll need to include around ¼ teaspoon baking soda per cup of honey to ensure baked goods rise. Bake them at a slightly lower temperature as honey burns quicker than sugar.

This first appeared in Food magazine.

Follow Food on Facebook and Instagram.

Image via : Getty Images.

Sophie Gray