Prioritize substitutions that protect gluten development and fermentation performance. Bread dough is less forgiving than quick bakes. Structure and fermentation can collapse with poor substitutions.
Reviewed by the CupOrGram Editorial TeamSources: King Arthur Baking, USDA FoodData CentralMethodology
Can I make bread without caster sugar?
Yes. Start with Granulated Sugar at 1:1 by weight, then adjust liquid or bake time in small steps after a test batch.
Top Recommendation
Granulated Sugar
Use 1:1 by weight
Works in almost everything. For meringues and delicate sponges, blitz granulated in a blender for 10-15 seconds first to approximate the finer crystal.
On CupOrGram, 1 cup of caster sugar is treated as 190 grams. Use the conversion page if you want the original ingredient weight before choosing a substitute.
Will granulated sugar work as a caster sugar substitute in yeasted dough?
Yes, at 1:1 by weight. Works in almost everything. For meringues and delicate sponges, blitz granulated in a blender for 10-15 seconds first to approximate the finer crystal. Bake-test before scaling up.