Sugar-free baking

Sugar does more than sweeten a bake: it browns, tenderizes and holds moisture, so replacing it takes some care. The University of Georgia Extension notes that foods baked with sugar substitutes may not brown as much as foods made with regular sugar.

Its advice includes spraying the dough or batter with nonstick vegetable spray to aid browning, and not replacing more than half the sugar in baked goods recipes with a sugar substitute. Using part real sugar often gives better texture and volume than using a substitute alone.

Because substitutes differ, bakers choose ones that stay stable in the oven and follow the package directions, which may call for changing the liquid, the baking time or the leavening. Results are often paler and may be less tender, so a test run before serving for a special occasion is wise.