Ask Nancy Archives
Do you have a baking, decorating or celebrating question for Nancy? Now is your chance to have it answered.
Check here each month, Nancy will select ten questions submitted by viewers and posting her answers here.
Ingredients Questions
Hi Nancy, When a recipe calls for sifted powdered sugar..as in buttercream frosting, do you sift first then measure or visa versa?
Aurora - from Sitka, AK
I want to make a simple vanilla cake recipe. What is better to use: all-purpose flour or cake flour? What is the difference between the two?
Jessica - from Ottawa, Ontario
When baking a cake from the box is it better to use water or milk? When a recipe or mix calls for water what is the best temperature to use – cold or warm?
Eliza - from Laredo, TX
When making buttercream icing, can you use butter flavored solid vegetable shortening?
Donna - from Greenfield, IN
Can butter flavored shortening be used instead of regular shortening for buttercream icing?
Stacy - from Katy, TX
Why is it important to use shortening when greasing a cake pan? Why shouldn't you use butter?
Iffa - from State College, PA
Can you substitute brown sugar for granulated white sugar? Do you substitute equal amounts or is there a certain ratio that is recommended?
Judy - from Branson, MO
What do you mean by sifted cake flour? Is that regular white flour or another kind of flour?
Jassie - from Houston, TX
Can you use chocolate chips instead of candy melts for making candy shells?
Charlynn - from Auburn, CA
I can't locate buttermilk. Is there something I can substitute?
Alejandra - from San Juan, Puerto Rico
In your recipes, you list confectioners' sugar as 4 cups, about 1 pound, but 1 pound is only 2 cups (1 cup is 8 ounces). Why are you listing this incorrectly?
Marie - from Bloomfield, NJ
I am allergic to corn. There are times I encounter a recipe calling for corn syrup. Do you have any suggestions for an alternative?
Porsha - from Langley, British Columbia
Why do some of the cake recipes say "no pudding in the mix" on your show? What difference does the pudding make?
Jane - from Richmond, IN
Many recipes call for heavy cream and no one really explains what heavy cream is. Is it half and half, coffee cream or whipping cream?
Marilyn - from Royal Oak, MI
Nancy, what is glucose and glycerin, and what are they used them for?
Charlotte - from Saskatoon, Canada
When a cake recipe calls for "milk," what type of milk should you use?
Pat - from Wilmington, DE
Your buttercream icing includes milk. I keep a kosher diet that does not allow mixing meat and milk. Can the milk be omitted or replaced with a different ingredient?
Rina - from Brooklyn, NY
The banana cake recipe you demonstrated calls for sour cream. I don't like sour cream, can I omit it? Can I substitute yogurt for the sour cream?
Lucy - from Acampo, CA
Hi, I've been watching your show for the past several months and I LOVE IT. I'm only in Grade 10, but I really enjoy decorating cakes. When making royal icing, is there any substitute for Meringue Powder, because I am not able to buy it where I live.
Melissa - from La Scie, Canada
I want to make a cake, but have no cake flour, just all-purpose flour. Would that be alright to use?
Victoria - from San Jose, CA
How can I make the strawberry mousse recipe into chocolate mousse?
Linda - from Bloomsburg, PA
Can all-purpose, cake and bread flour be used interchangeably?
Maria - from Indianapolis, IN
When doubling a recipe that calls for baking powder and baking soda, do you do exactly that or can you use less?
Lorena - from West Sacramento, CA
Can clear vanilla extract and pure vanilla extract be used interchangeably?
Debbie - from Oakland, CO
Hi! I live in the UK. Is baking soda the same product as bicarbonate of soda or the same as baking powder?
Mandy - from England, UK
Why do some cakes use baking soda and others baking powder?
Karina - from Gainesville, TX
What is the difference between confectioners' sugar and powdered sugar?
Dawn - from Prophetstown, IL
Can I flavor fondant? What would I use?
Jeannie - from Carlisle, IA
I only make cakes from scratch occasionally. What is the best flour to keep on hand?
Chris - from Virginia Beach, VA
Can vanilla rum replace vanilla extract?
Christine - from Wyoming, OH
How long does orange and lemon zest last after you "zest" it? And, what is the best tool to use to zest?
Connie - from New Albany, IN
Can you please tell me how do I know when to use baking cocoa vs. unsweetened cocoa in a recipe when the recipe does not specify?
Christine - from North Bethesda, MD
I recently took some baking classes, and the teacher said to use unbleached flour for cakes. Is this true of all cakes? What's the difference between unbleached all-purpose flour and regular all-purpose flour?
Norma - from Sparks, OK
What do you mean sticks of butter?
Mahnaz - from iran-tehran, NY
When a recipe calls for pure vanilla extract, can I use imitation vanilla? Will it change the taste of the recipe?
Ang - from Torrance, CA
Is "non-toxic artists' chalk" the same as "non-toxic chalk? Is it edible?
Elny - from Carlton, NSW
I want to cut a recipe in half, and it calls for 3 large eggs. How do I do this?
Tom - from Brookfield, WI
I love your show! It has gotten my 11-year-old daughter interested in baking and cake decorating. Our question: Is it necessary to sift powdered sugar when making buttercream icing? What difference does sifting make in the icing?
Kate - from Tomball, TX
Is it okay to not add an ingredient and use another ingredient?
Janadhi - from Houston, TX
How do you melt chocolate and Candy Melts?
Abigail - from Houston, TX
When making homemade rolled fondant, where can I buy the glucose and glycerin?
Diane - from Fall River, MA
What is heavy whipping cream?
Carolyn - from Elsemere, KY
What kind of flour besides all-purpose flour can be used to bake cakes from scratch? Can whole wheat pastry flour be used?
Alicia - from Harlingen, TX
Is it true that using a good quality expensive all-purpose flour will improve the outcome of each baked good product?
Jesenia - from Concord, CA
Is there anything you can use as a substitute for shortening?
Mary - from Alexandria, VA
Where do I find sifted confectioners’ sugar?
Crystal - from Bronx, NY
Is icing sugar and confectioners’ sugar the same thing?
Rebeca - from Kitchener, Ontario
When using applesauce instead of oil in baking a cake if the recipe calls for 1/2 cup of oil do I just add 1/2 cup of applesauce?
Alicia - from Harlingen, TX
When a recipe calls for 1-1/4 cups sifted cake flour, do I sift it before or after measuring the flour.
Pamela - from Phoenix, AZ
One of my children is lactose intolerant. Many cake recipes call for milk or sour cream. Can I substitute them with other ingredients, like apple juice or water?
Aviva - from Elazar, NV
Hi, Nancy, if clear vanilla extract is not available, can I use the regular vanilla extract or the powdered one?
Jane - from Jeddah, None
If a cookie recipe calls for canola oil can I use vegetable oil instead, and what is the difference between the two?
Vanessa - from San Marcos, TX
What is glycerine used for in icing?
Gail - from Syracuse, NY
Nancy, I can’t wait to try some of the many cake decorating techniques you have shown us. I notice that when I use butter or margarine in my buttercream icing, it has an ivory or off-white color. Can you help?
Jaimie - from Round Rock, TX
Hi Nancy. I like your recipe for dark chocolate cheesecake, but I want to know if heavy whipping cream is the same as heavy cream because in Puerto Rico I don’t know what to buy. Thanks.
Virgen - from Guayanilla, Puerto Rico
Can I use regular butter in cookies instead of butter flavored shortening?
Donna - from Auburn, CA
Why is Karo syrup used in the icing you use for writing?
James - from Azusa, CA
Hi! I want to know, if I can’t find self-rising flour, what can I use instead?
Susana - from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Hi Nancy. Is there any other ingredient instead of vegetable shortening to make buttercream icing?
Alejandra - from Chandler, AZ
Can I use whole wheat flour for baking a cake instead of white flour? If yes, how would I substitute?
Terry - from Wayne, NJ
Hi! I was wondering if I can use margarine instead of butter for the Roll Out Cookie Recipe?
Nathalie - from Caracas, Venezuela
Hi, Nancy. I am sending this mail from India. I simply love your drop flowers and would love to make them. The only problem is that I am unable to find Meringue Powder or egg white powder in India. Can I make royal icing with real egg whites then use that for the flowers? Will they be as well set as your flowers?
Medha - from Delhi, Delhi
In your Oatmeal Lace Cookie Recipe, is the butter salted or unsalted?
Linda - from Aurora, CO
Can I use margarine for the Roll-Out Cookie Recipe?
Nathalie - from Caracas, Venezuela
I bought self-rising flour instead of all-purpose flour. Can I use it the same as all-purpose for making cookies?
Jane - from Pinon Hills, CA
Why did my cake fall in the center? I just opened a new can of baking powder, however this is not the brand I usually use. I tried the recipe twice today and it happened both times. I’ve made this cake on many occasions and have never had a problem until today. Do you think I got a bad can of baking powder?
Deb - from Moline, IL
What is pastry flour and where can I buy it?
Ann - from Basking Ridge, NJ
I would like to use cherry pie filling instead of raspberry for filling in a white chocolate cake, would that work?
Carol - from Cecilia, KY
Why is it when I mix sugar, egg and milk to make a cake, it looks like cottage cheese. Please help me, I would like to learn how to make cakes, cookies, and other things.
Amarilis - from Bronx, NY
What is half and half?
Maria - from Nicosia, Cyprus
How can I replace the meringue powder? I’m from Peru and we don’t have the product available here.
Mayra - from Lima, Peru
Can I use Gum-Tex to make Gum Glue Adhesive?
Luz - from Roselle, NJ
Hi Nancy! Can I use salted butter to prepare cakes?
Olgamar - from Barquisimeto, Venezuela
Hi! I’m from Mexico and we don’t have buttermilk. What can I substitute?
Montse - from Tehuacan, Puebla
Hi Nancy! I love the lemon cake recipe you have but would like a substitute for the four sticks of butter. Can I use oil?
Mari - from San Francisco, CA
How many bars of butter make 2/3 cup?
Rebecca - from Tegucigalpa, Honduras
I made my own wedding cake 9 years ago and used Royal Icing to make drop flowers. That was the last time I needed Meringue Powder and have kept it in the refrigerator all this time. Is it still good after all this time?
Cat - from Huntingburg, IN