Your cake batter is ready for a recipe to make delicious vanilla-flavored cakes, and when you reach out to the larder to pick the bottle of vanilla syrup, you find that not even a drop is there to spare...Now can you abandon your mission and sit smarting yourself? Or, ponder over what substitutes to use for vanilla flavoring, which will fit right in terms of the right flavor for your cake in this instance.

Vanilla flavoring is a typical kitchen essence, especially, when it comes to baking and making desserts. The extract has a neutral flavor.
So when you are out of vanilla extracts, what substitutes to use for vanilla flavoring?
•    Vanilla powder : If you have vanilla powder handy, then substitute a spoon of  vanilla extract flavoring for half the vanilla powder.
•    Vanilla beans and Vanilla liqueurs : Vanilla beans also prove to be a good substitute. One inch of fresh vanilla bean can provide one teaspoon of extract.
•    Almond extract : Almond extracts pitch in at times of such crisis by being a good substitute for vanilla flavoring. But, one point to remember is almond extracts have a strong flavor so an equivalent measure will be half a quantity of almond extract for one full quantity of vanilla flavoring. This substitute is also used in chocolate-based bakes, such as chocolate cookies or chocolate chips.
•    Essence of Sicilian flowers :  Products such as Fiori di Sicilia carrying the essence of Sicilian flowers can almost be the exact imitation of vanilla flavoring as they are equally neutral in flavor.
•    Maple syrup : The exotic maple syrup delivers well as a substitute for vanilla flavoring and can used in the same quantity as vanilla extract.
•    Vanilla flavored milk : Split the vanilla bean and remove the sticky part. Take milk in a vessel, add the bean, the sticky part to the milk and allow it to simmer for 15-20 minutes. What you get is vanilla flavored milk without the alcohol content.
•    Vanilla essence : This is a valuable substitute for vanilla extract and gives the required flavor, but doesn’t contain alcohol.
•    Others of the like, such as brandies and liqueurs can play a good role as a substitute for vanilla, but have to be used judiciously as they are distinctly flavored.

Now, whenever you see a recipe calling for vanilla flavoring, and you discover not having one in store, don’t  run amok with dough-smeared hands as our tips on what substitutes to use for vanilla flavoring makes everything fall back in place.

Photo courtesy :  instructables.com