If you're on a baking mission, don't let a few missing ingredients floor you.
Flour, eggs and butter might be the natural building blocks of many a bake, but without them, you can still succeed! Afterall gluten-free and vegan diets depend on vegan or gluten free baking alternatives recipes for cakes and dessert.
Baking is a science, and understanding the function of each ingredient, you can easily swop in some strong alternatives, like aquafaba for egg whites and milk and lemon juice in place of buttermilk.
So, instead of thinking what you don't have... why not start thinking how to use what you do have!
Below is a list of some of the key baking ingredients, and how you can work around them when the cupboard's bare.
Baking Substitutes
Baking without Eggs
Baking without eggs is absolutely do-able. Have you heard of the magic egg white qualities of aquafaba? the leftover chickpea water that you might have otherwise have thrown away can easily be whipped into a meringue and aerate cakes. And that's just for starters ....
Here are 7 egg substitutes that will change the way you bake.
Get baking with these eggless recipes:
Eggless custard, Eggless chocolate muffins or Eggless shortcrust pastry
Butter substitutes in baking

Fats are easy to substitute in baking. Olive oil, avocado and coconut oil are just a few ways in which you can add another dimension your cakes, cookies and muffins.
Discover 5 vegan substitutes for butter
Milk substitute in baking
You don't need to be a vegan or have a lactose intolerance to enjoy milk substitutes made from plants, seeds and nuts. Coconut milk and almond milk are two of the most popular vegan milk options and both are great for drinking, baking and cooking.
Check out 6 great dairy free milk substitutes
Sugar substitute for baking

Maple syrup, honey or golden syrup swop in easily for sugar as do tinned fruit or sweet vegetables. Alternatively, you could even having a go at making brown sugar if your recipe calls for it.
From agave nectar to fructose here are 10 natural sweeteners to choose from.