Cakes and other baked goods

WE’RE NOT BIG BELIEVERS in concocting ersatz lowfat desserts. And this is even more true with baked goods. There is nothing like real butter for baking. And sugar and eggs not only add flavor but help baked goods to brown; and they keep them tender, too.

But certain types of cakes do lend themselves to adaptation, without sacrificing flavor, texture, or overall pleasure. The thing is to know which lowfat substitutions work and which aren’t worth the trouble.

Sour cream, for example, can be replaced, cup for cup, with lowfat or nonfat yogurt. We’ve done this for years in all sorts of cakes, muffins, and other baked goods, and the results are just as good. The yogurt adds a pleasant lightness, too. And just compare the figures: