A brown sugar substitute happens to be a fairly easy swap because you can make a homemade version of it using two other pantry staples. While there are all sorts of other swaps touted online ...

Muscovado sugar is prone to drying out, forming indestructible lumps that defy melting and can leave little lumps in your cake batter. Soften brown sugar in the microwave in a burst of 15-20 seconds.