For years we've used artificial sweeteners in coffee, tea and lemonade. Recently the companies that made products like Equal and Splenda household names have tapped into a new market: baking.

So, how do they rate in baked goods?

Consumer Reports recently tested 13 artificial sweeteners in lemonade, cakes and cookies to see how well they tasted in each. There seems to be a trend in the market that many makers are offering alternative sweeteners meant for baking, says Jamie Hirsh, an assistant health editor at the magazine.

The magazine found that artificial sweeteners made from a sugar blend produced better baked goods than those made with aspartame or saccharin, the highly controversial artificial sweeteners found in products such as Equal and Sweet 'N Low, respectively.

Estee Fructose, the type of sugar found in fruits and honey, produced the best-tasting cake and cookies but did not cut that many calories. A piece of cake made with sugar had 77 calories, whereas one made with Estee Fructose only cut those calories to 72.

However, there are some alternatives that fare well in baking.

Domino Pure D'Lite Sugar Blend and Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking reduced calories by a third to a half and produced tender cakes and cookies with little artificial-sweetener aftertaste. Domino Pure D'Lite cut calories to only 51 for a slice of cake.

The report calls this a possible "fooler," or one that could easily be disguised for a "real" cake. Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking cut calories to 38 per slice of cake, and was also listed as a "fooler."

But one sweetener to avoid in baking is Equal Granular, she says. The sweetness literally "baked out" of the cake.

"The bottom line was you can't completely take out the sugar and expect the product to taste exactly the same," Hirsh says.

The complete results of Consumer Reports' bake-off is featured in the October issue of the magazine, now out.