If you've run out of milk or it's gone sour, don't fret if you need it to bake your favorite cakes, cookies or other baked goods. You can avoid a trip to the grocery store if you happen to have some whipping cream around, which you can dilute to substitute for milk in a pinch.
The Ol' Switcheroo
When substituting ingredients for milk, the Pillsbury website recommends using 1/2 cup of evaporated milk mixed with 1/2 cup of water to fill in for 1 cup of whole milk. Because you can substitute whipping cream in equal amounts for evaporated milk or half-and-half, you could also use an equal mixture of whipping cream and water to substitute for milk. While this won't taste exactly like milk for drinking purposes, it should do the job in your recipe. In fact, the higher fat content of whipping cream may even make your completed baked goods taste richer.
What's the Difference?
Whipping cream has a high fat content, around 35 percent, while milk has a fat content of anywhere between 0 and 3.5 percent, depending on the type of milk. Keep in mind that diluted cream will still have a higher fat content than milk, if that is a health concern for you when substituting it for milk. Note that you can also substitute equal amounts of coconut milk for milk or equal parts half-and-half and water; these options have less fat.