A year ago, we couldn’t have imagined people being so fearful of running out of eggs that they’d turn to smuggling cases across the Mexican border or renting chickens with portable coops to keep them in steady supply. But here we are.
A jaw-dropping surge in egg prices — triggered in part by shortages resulting from last year’s massive avian flu outbreak— has done wonders for raising the stature of this humble grocery staple, which has been relatively inexpensive and readily available through most of our lifetimes.
Many of us have taken to scrolling the internet for egg-free alternatives. Advice abounds online, for example, on the tastiest tofu scramble. And when it comes to baking, various pureed fruits and vegetables can serve as a binding agent in the way that eggs do.
Lately, savvy vegan bakers have mainstreamed the idea of whipping aquafaba, the liquid drained off a can of chickpeas or white beans, as they would egg whites, and folding them into batters to lighten them.
Also in baking, bananas, dates, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, and avocado can sometimes be substituted for eggs. Silken tofu, yogurt, and chia or flax seeds, which turn to gel when soaked in liquid, can also do the trick.
These clever workarounds are intriguing. But having no dietary restrictions, I had never been curious enough to try them out for myself. The other day, however, I decided to bake a cake from an old family recipe — not just because of what was in it, but what wasn’t.
I came across Nana’s Applesauce Cake with Caramel Frosting while flipping through the spiral-bound notebook of recipes my grandmother, who we called “Dodie,” had written out by hand some 30-plus years ago for my sister and brother-in-law’s first Christmas together.
As the food writer of the family, I have become the guardian of this precious heirloom, and harbored the idea that I might actually make some of these recipes and polish them up to spread among Dodie’s other offspring.
This particular recipe was one Dodie had inherited from her mother, aka “Nana,” whose baking skills were legendary. Scanning its ingredients, I could practically smell the cozy spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves wafting from Nana’s wood-burning stove.
A wave of nostalgia swept over me as I opened cupboard doors and happily realized I already had everything I needed to make it. But oddly, one ingredient this recipe didn’t call for was eggs.
No eggs? Why was that? Could Dodie have left them out by mistake? Eggs, after all, are as fundamental to cake-baking as flour and sugar. Any food scientist can explain the chemistry of how they provide richness, moisture, levity, and structure like no other ingredient, while ensuring that the cake browns properly and doesn’t crumble at first bite.
Undoubtedly our Nana, baker-extraordinaire that she was, intuited all of this. Perhaps there were egg shortages in her day too. Or maybe substituting other ingredients for eggs was a way to economize – it’s hard to say for sure.
When substituting eggs in baking, one ingredient gets recommended more often than any other: applesauce. And that was the case in this eggless cake recipe of Nana’s. I could finally use up those nearly-forgotten little plastic tubs hiding on a back shelf before they expired.
Before I started making a mess in my kitchen, I reached out to an expert for a quick consult: my longtime friend Anne Byrn, who has authored more than a dozen books on baking, including “The Cake Mix Doctor” series, and writes a bi-weekly Substack called “Between the Layers” focused on this subject.
In devising a handful of vegan cake recipes for her most recent cookbook, “A New Take on Cake,” she experimented with all those alternatives and concluded that applesauce, hands-down, was her favorite.
“Applesauce is really like this magical ingredient,” she told me. “A lot has to do with the pectin which acts as a binder as well as an emulsifier, pulling the other ingredients together, much in the way that eggs do.”
She also noted that unsweetened applesauce is cheap, convenient, and mild enough to meld easily with any number of flavors, as her vegan chocolate cake recipe with Nutella frosting attests.
The ingredients are similar to the ones called for in Nana’s recipe, and by my calculations, she very well could have come up with her version around the same time, when she would have been eking out a living to support her growing family by running a boarding house in Milwaukee.
I called Anne back to report my success. “I think the lesson in all of this is that we’ve become so accustomed to having eggs at our disposal, we limit ourselves in learning more about baking,” she mused.
If you want to experiment with substituting applesauce for eggs in a cake recipe, she suggests using 1/4 cup applesauce for each egg called for.
“So maybe instead of agonizing over egg shortages, we lean into the challenge and try to connect with similar experiences before us. We might learn something new,” she told me.
“Plus, it’s cake after all. It’s going to be delicious. And if it doesn’t quite live up to our expectations, well, that’s what frosting’s for.”
I made this recipe of my great-grandmother’s according to how it was written, with a few adjustments for clarity. Although it dates back at least a century, its old-fashioned taste will likely never go out of style. The applesauce provides the necessary moistness and binding that eliminates the need for eggs.
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for dusting the pan)
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ cup shortening (plus extra for greasing the pan)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons margarine (or butter)
⅓ cup evaporated milk (plus a little more, if needed)
⅔ cup packed brown sugar
one-eighth teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar
1. Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
3. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the shortening and brown sugar on medium speed until well-blended. Blend in the applesauce.
4. Pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture and stir just until combined. Fold in the walnuts. Pour into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then remove from the pan and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
5. Make the frosting: In a small saucepan, bring the margarine or butter, the ⅓ cup evaporated milk, the brown sugar, and salt to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat, add the vanilla and powdered sugar, and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until smooth.
6. Spread the frosting over the cake immediately while the frosting is still warm. If it becomes difficult to spread, heat a little milk in the same saucepan and drizzle over the top to loosen it up. Let the frosting firm up completely before slicing.
7. Wrap the leftover cake in foil or plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 4 days.
An earlier version of the recipe for frosting omitted the salt.
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You want to do without eggs in baking and cooking or you lack a chicken egg in the fridge for a spontaneous baking session? No problem! Applesauce as an egg substitute is the solution!
Eggs are practical binders for pancakes and sauces and they make the cake really nice and fluffy. So cooking and baking without eggs is actually not a good idea, is it?
Nevertheless, many now give up animal products such as eggs. Applesauce as an egg substitute is a good solution and a great alternative for those who can not tolerate eggs!
We will now show you how to replace eggs with applesauce, what you need to pay special attention to and why homemade applesauce is best for this.
You’ll be surprised because baking or cooking egg-free is really easy!
What properties have eggs in baking and cooking?
Open your recipe book and you’ll find an egg in almost every recipe. Especially in baking it is one of the main ingredients.
Eggs make cakes and co. delicious. Egg yolk is a natural binder and ensures that flour, sugar and the rest becomes a smooth dough. The egg white is also versatile. It makes the cake loose and airy and serves as a moisturizer.
But not everyone wants to bake with eggs. Some they beat literally on the stomach, others want to eat vegan and still others have simply forgotten to buy eggs. For all there is a solution: applesauce as an egg substitute!
The fruit puree on apples has similar properties to eggs. You can hardly notice a difference. That is why you can also Prepare pancakes without egg.
How to replace eggs with applesauce?
So, in terms of cooking, eggs already have good properties. But if you want to do without eggs in baking and cooking, you can use the classic applesauce.
We are convinced: egg-free tastes at least as good!
Applesauce is a great egg substitute. It is one of the simplest alternatives for egg. You might be thinking “Huh, how do you do that?”, but we’ll explain!
In fact, applesauce is considered one of the classics when it comes to replacing eggs. Applesauce is best used with moister types of dough such as pancakes, muffins, cookies or very moist sponge cakes. Applesauce holds these types of dough together and adds the necessary moisture.
The inherent flavor of applesauce is almost completely lost during baking and it becomes tasteless. This is often not the case with other fruit purees. Applesauce is not a substitute for sugar or other sweeteners.
How much applesauce for one egg?
Rule of thumb: 60 to 80 grams of applesauce replace one egg. Where 60 grams is a substitute for a medium chicken egg and 80 grams for a large egg.
So you can use applesauce for delicious cakes as well as for savory recipes. Applesauce as an egg substitute is suitable for almost all cakes and cookies.
There’s applesauce in these protein brownies!
What to look for when using applesauce as an egg substitute
There are a few things to keep in mind if you want to use applesauce as a substitute for eggs. In and of itself it is very simple.
You replace one egg with 60 to 80 grams of applesauce; that’s very roughly two to three tablespoons.
For that extra helping of “juiciness”, you can add a teaspoon of vegetable oil to your pastry, like. Coconut oil, rapeseed oil or sunflower oil.
We advise you to replace no more than two to three eggs with applesauce. From larger quantities, the cake may be firmer than with eggs.
If you want your baking result to be looser, you can simply add half a spoonful of Baking powder or Baking soda mix with it.
If you want to get a crumbly dough, you should just use less applesauce.
Ready-made applesauce often has a fairly high sugar content and is quite sweet. Most of the flavor is already lost during baking. You should still take it into account.
We recommend that you either use unsweetened applesauce directly or simply make your own applesauce quickly.
Why DIY applesauce is best as an egg substitute
Homemade applesauce makes a great egg substitute because you can control the sugar content and consistency.
Ready-made products often contain ingredients that you may not need for your recipe.
Less sugar? A touch Cinnamon, Cardamom or nutmeg? Thicker or more liquid consistency? You can control all that when you cook your own applesauce quickly.
Try these pumpkin cookies with applesauce!
How you can easily make applesauce yourself
It could hardly be easier. We’ll show you how to make your own applesauce in just five steps!
Depending on how sweet and spicy you want your puree, you can also add sugar, ginger or Cinnamon mix into the applesauce.
We show you a recipe without sugar and Co. so you are completely flexible in baking.
By the way, for the applesauce you can use wizened apples. They can be wonderfully transformed into fruit puree and thus saved from the garbage can.
Sidefact: Pectin is an important ingredient in apples. This fiber stimulates your digestion and provides a long-lasting feeling of satiety. Furthermore, it binds toxins such as lead and mercury in the body. Applesauce is not only a good egg substitute, but also makes you feel full for a long time.
By boiling down applesauce is stored in a sealed container can be kept for quite a long time (several years). So you can prepare a larger portion if needed.
Pour the puree into several small jars rather than one large jar. Once the jar is open, you must use it up within a few days.
Glass canning jars with twist-off lids are best. You should rinse them with boiling water before filling. When you If you want to preserve fruit porridge, check out this tutorial!
- First you have to wash the apples. Then cut them into quarters and core the pieces. Finally, cut the quarters into small cubes.1 kg apples
- In the second step, cut the lemon in half and squeeze it.1 tsp lemon juice
- Now put the apple cubes with the lemon juice and some water into a pot. You cook the apple pieces covered for 15 to 20 minutes until they are nice and soft.60 ml water
- Take your pot off the stove. You can now finely puree the apple cubes with a fork or a hand blender. Depending on how liquid you want your puree to be, you can add warm water.
- Once you have reached your desired consistency, boil the applesauce again. Now you can season it or, after cooling, immediately turn it into cakes or pancakes.
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Cooked too much applesauce? This is how you preserve it for 1 year!
Our conclusion
Baking without egg is not possible? On the contrary, it is quite easy to replace eggs in the kitchen.
Grade applesauce offers a simple alternative to eggs. It is almost tasteless and makes your pastry juicy and fluffy.
Here you will find many delicious recipes on the subject of “baking without eggs”. Collect a few inspirations and start baking!
To browse further
Martin Poole/Digital Vision/Getty Images
For anyone who bakes regularly, making substitutions for baking recipes is a normal – if occasionally tricky – part of life. Some ingredients are relatively straightforward to exchange for each other, but finding an egg substitute can be difficult. If you’re reducing fat and cholesterol, baking for people with an egg allergy or vegan family member, or just plain out of eggs, applesauce is one potential substitute to get a similar final product without changing the original recipe too much.
What Eggs Do
Eggs are hard to replace, because they play so many roles in baking. Much of an egg’s volume consists of water, so they account for a good portion of your recipe’s liquid. Emulsifiers in the eggs help those liquids combine with the fat and other ingredients. Bakers count on eggs to trap some of the air that acts as a leavening agent and leavens and lightens the finished product. Sometimes that lift comes from whipping the egg whites; other times it’s because their proteins, along with proteins in the flour, help trap expanding gasses from the baking powder or baking soda. Eggs also help enrich and soften the crumb of baked goods, like brownies, quick breads, chocolate chip cookies, or cupcakes. It’s difficult for any one substitute to adequately do all of those things.
The Best Egg Substitute
Unsweetened applesauce can be one of the easiest substitutes, because it’s inexpensive and available even in the most remote areas. A whole egg is about 1/4 cup by volume, and 1/4 cup of applesauce makes a suitable substitute for that single egg in most baked goods. Half a cup of applesauce can also replace two eggs in many recipes — though the differences in texture will become more obvious. If your recipe calls for three eggs or more, applesauce and most other substitutes become problematic. Recipes containing that much egg usually rely on the eggs to provide much of their structure, and applesauce has no comparable proteins.
Adjustments
Applesauce isn’t a direct replacement for eggs, so you might find that a few further adjustments can improve the finished results in your baking. If you find that your egg-free batter doesn’t mix well, giving finished cakes and muffins an inconsistent and coarse texture, it needs some help during mixing. Some grocery stores and most bulk food stores sell lecithin in liquid or granule form, and this emulsifier acts like egg yolks to help your other ingredients mix. If your baked goods have a low, dense structure, add some extra baking powder to replace the lost leavening power of the eggs. If you find your baked goods unpleasantly chewy, add a small amount of extra fat to compensate for the lost richness of the egg yolks.
Other Substitutions to Use in Place of Eggs
If you have an allergy sufferer or vegan in the household, it’s helpful to have a few other substitutions and techniques in your arsenal. Other purees, such as cooked pumpkin or mashed banana, work better in some recipes. Avocado puree is an especially good egg replacement, thanks to its high fat content. Aquafaba – the liquid found in a can of chickpeas – is a good substitute as well, and will whip up into peaks the same way egg whites do so you can make meringue. Soft silken tofu is another versatile substitute, serving as a main ingredient in many vegan baked goods. A tablespoon of ground flaxseed or chia seeds, soaked in 2 tablespoons of water, provides fiber, emulsifiers and a powerful gelling effect. You can buy xanthan gum, guar gum and similar thickeners in many bulk food stores, and these are used in some vegan recipes. They’re also included in many commercial egg-replacement products.
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It is not possible to determine how many cups of apple sauce are equal to 2 eggs as this conversion is not a standard form of measurement. Even if it were, it would depend heavily on the size of the eggs and the exact measurement of the cups of apple sauce.
Generally, a cup of applesauce is equivalent to about 1/2 cup of egg white, meaning that 2 eggs would roughly equate to 1 cup of applesauce. However, it is best to not rely on this approximation if you are attempting to substitute one for the other in a recipe, as it can lead to unpredictable results.
How much applesauce do I use to substitute for 1 egg?
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When substituting applesauce for 1 egg, you will need to use ¼ cup (or 4 tablespoons). Applesauce is a great replacement for an egg in recipes, as it will still provide moisture and structure, while adding some natural sweetness.
When substituting applesauce for an egg, it is a good idea to reduce other liquid or fat components in a recipe to balance out the moisture of the addition of applesauce. For best results, it is usually best to use applesauce that is not too chunky or overly processed.
It should have just the right consistency for creating a good bond with the other ingredients. When it comes to choosing applesauce for baking, the flavor should be taken into consideration, as it can add its own flavor to the baked goods.
What is the equivalent of 1 egg?
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The equivalent of one egg depends heavily on what method you are using to substitute it. For most baking recipes, a great alternative to one egg is ¼ cup of applesauce or mashed banana. For binding ingredients together, a tablespoon of ground flaxseeds or chia seeds mixed with three tablespoons of water is a great substitution.
If you are making dishes that rely on egg whites, the equivalent is two tablespoons of meringue powder or two tablespoons of arrowroot powder with three tablespoons of water. For dishes that need egg yolks, dissolve one tablespoon of cornstarch with two tablespoons of water as a replacement.
If you are looking for a vegan substitute for whole eggs, chia or flaxseed meal mixed with three tablespoons of warm water is a suitable replacement.
What can I use instead of 1/2 cup egg substitute?
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If you don’t have a store-bought egg substitute, you can use other ingredients to replace the 1/2 cup of egg in a recipe. A quarter cup of yogurt, blended soft tofu, mashed banana, and even applesauce can all replace some of the egg’s binding and flavor functions, depending on what type of recipe you’re making.
Additionally, for recipes that call for liquid eggs, you may substitute 2 tablespoons of cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons of water for each egg. Other combinations you may use to substitute 1/2 cup of egg include 1/4 cup of silken or soft tofu blended with 1 tablespoon of oil, or 1/4 cup of mashed potatoes mixed with 1/4 cup of mashed beans.
You can also simply use 3 tablespoons of chia seeds soaked in 3 tablespoons of water until they gel. All of these replacement options can help you avoid using the store-bought egg substitutes.
What can I substitute for 1 egg in a recipe?
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If you need to substitute an egg in a recipe, there are several alternatives you can use depending on the type of recipe and its desired outcome.
For binding, you can use:
-1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons of water
-1 tablespoon of chia seeds mixed with 3 tablespoons of water
-1/4 cup of mashed banana
-1/4 cup of applesauce
-1/4 cup of plain yogurt
-3 tablespoons of mayonnaise
-3 tablespoons of mashed silken or soft tofu
-1 tablespoon of arrowroot mixed with 3 tablespoons of water
For leavening and rising, you can use:
-1 teaspoon of baking powder for every 1 egg
-1 tablespoon of white vinegar plus 1 teaspoon of baking soda for every 1 egg
-1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar plus 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda for every 1 egg
For moisture, you can use:
-1 tablespoon of vegetable oil plus 1/4 cup of water for every 1 egg
-1 tablespoon of melted butter plus 1/4 cup of water for every 1 egg
-1/4 cup of softened and mashed fruit for every 1 egg
What can replace 2 eggs?
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If you need to replace two eggs in a recipe, there are several ingredients you can use to get the desired texture, flavor, and binding properties.
To replace eggs that are used as a binding agent, you can use chia seeds, psyllium husk, ground flaxseed, and a variety of starches. Chia seeds can be soaked in water to create a gel that binds ingredients together, while psyllium husk, ground flaxseed, and starch (such as cornstarch, tapioca starch, or arrowroot starch) can also be mixed with water to create a similar binding effect.
To replace eggs that are used to add moisture and richness to a recipe, you can use mashed banana, applesauce, yogurt, nut butter, mashed avocado, or tofu.
To replace eggs that are used to create a fluffier texture and lightness in a recipe, you can try one of several different methods. Using a combination of cream of tartar and water, you can make a meringue-like substitute.
Other options include whisking together 1 tablespoon of melted butter and 1 teaspoon of baking powder, or a combination of 1 tablespoon of oil, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, and 1 tablespoon of water.
In summary, there are a variety of ingredients you can use to replace two eggs in a recipe depending on what function the eggs were used for. Such ingredients include chia seeds, psyllium husk, ground flaxseed, mashed banana, applesauce, yogurt, nut butter, mashed avocado, tofu, cream of tartar, melted butter, oil, and baking powder.
Can I substitute applesauce for eggs in a box cake mix?
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Yes, you can substitute applesauce for eggs in a box cake mix. A good ratio to use is a 1/4 cup of applesauce for every one egg listed in the recipe. You can also use other egg substitutes such as banana, flaxseed meal, or soaked chia seeds to substitute instead of eggs.
When using applesauce to make a box cake mix, you may want to reduce the amount of oil the recipe calls for to keep the cake from becoming too dense. Applesauce can also add natural sweetness, so you may want to consider using less sugar than the recipe calls for.
Additionally, when using applesauce, it’s important to mix all the ingredients together until they are evenly combined and no lumps of dry ingredients remain.
What can I use if I don’t have enough eggs for cake mix?
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If you don’t have enough eggs for cake mix, there are a few alternatives that you can use. One option is to omit the eggs altogether and use a combination of oil and water instead. Simply mix 1/4 cup of vegetable oil for every egg called for in the recipes and add 1/4 cup of water to replace the missing egg.
Another option is to use a substitute such as applesauce or plain yogurt. You can replace each egg with 1/4 cup of applesauce or plain yogurt. You could also try using a “flax egg” as a replacement. To make a flax egg, mix 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed and 3 tablespoons of hot water and let it sit for 10 minutes until it becomes a gelatinous mixture.
Lastly, you can replace each egg with one mashed banana. This is a great way to add some natural sweetness and versatility to any baking recipe.
How many eggs is 1 cup of applesauce?
It is not possible to substitute 1 cup of applesauce for 1 cup of eggs. Applesauce is a fruit puree with no egg content, whereas a cup of eggs would typically consist of 2 large eggs. Applesauce is commonly used as an egg replacer in vegan baking recipes because it helps bind ingredients together, and can provide moisture when baking.
However, it cannot be used as an exact egg substitute in baking in a one-to-one ratio. It can be used as part of a substitute egg mix including some other ingredients such as chia or flax seeds, and it can also be used to make certain egg-free dishes such as eggless French toast.
Ultimately, it would not be possible to substitute 1 cup of applesauce for 1 cup of eggs.
How do you measure 3 eggs?
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Measuring 3 eggs is relatively simple. The most accurate way is to weigh them on a kitchen scale. If you do not have a kitchen scale, then you can measure them using volume. One large egg usually has a volume of about 3 tablespoons or 1/4 cup, so you would need 3/4 cup or 9 tablespoons of egg in total.
To measure, crack the eggs into a large bowl or measuring cup one at a time and whisk them to break them up. Then, use either a measuring spoon or measuring cup to collect the desired amount of egg. Continue with the remaining eggs until you have a total of 3/4 cup or 9 tablespoons.
How many eggs make up 1 cup?
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One cup of whole eggs or egg whites, including the shells, roughly equates to about 7 to 8 large eggs. If you are using egg whites from large eggs, one cup is equal to around 7 to 8 large egg whites.
If you are using egg yolks, one cup is equal to around 12 to 13 large egg yolks. It’s important to measure by weight for the most accurate results.
Does egg size matter in baking?
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Egg size does matter in baking, as the egg serves as the leavening agent that helps the batter to rise and helps bind the ingredients together. In most recipes, either a large or extra-large egg are used, as these will provide the right proportion of egg and other ingredients to help obtain the desired result.
This is especially important when making cakes, where the chemical reactions of the ingredients are especially dependent on the amount of eggs added.
When a recipe calls for a specific egg size, it’s usually best to stick to the specified size. It’s important to realize that different sizes of eggs will have different nutrient contents, with large eggs providing more protein, fat, and cholesterol & smaller eggs providing less.
However, if you’re in a pinch, or don’t have the correct size egg, it is possible to make adjustments. Generally, recipes will call for a large egg and you can substitute a medium or even a small egg.
To compensate for the difference, try to add a teaspoon of liquid such as water, milk, or vegetable oil per egg to make up for the difference in volume.
Ultimately, the size of the egg being used in a recipe can make a difference in the outcome, which could mean the difference between a successful or unsuccessful bake.
What to Do If recipe calls for 3 eggs only have 2?
If a recipe calls for 3 eggs but you only have 2, there are alternative ingredients you can use to make up the difference. One option is to use a quarter-cup of applesauce to replace the one egg. Another option is to use three tablespoons of a plant-based egg replacer substitute such as Ener-G Egg Replacer.
You can also mix together 1 tablespoon of flaxseed meal with 3 tablespoons of water to serve as a vegan egg substitute. Adding a teaspoon of baking powder to the recipe can also help provide the leavening needed and make up the difference in eggs.
Additionally, you can use 2 egg whites or 2 yolks instead of 3 whole eggs depending on the specific recipe.
How do I substitute eggs in baking?
• 1/4 cup applesauce: especially good for adding moisture and sweetness to baked goods.
• 1/4 cup mashed banana: great for adding moisture and sweetness, and best in quickbreads, pancakes and muffins.
• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water: this substitute must sit for about 10 minutes to thicken. It’s great for vegan and gluten- free recipes as it adds both moisture and binding power.
• 1/4 cup of vegetable or vegan butter: with this substitute, you’ll also need to increase the liquid ingredients in the recipe by 1 or 2 teaspoons to keep the batter moist. This is good for adding richness and flavor to baked goods.
• 1/4 cup of full-fat, unsweetened yogurt: works best in cakes and can be used in place of sour cream.
When using a substitute, a batch of cookies or cake might not be as light and fluffy as if you’d used eggs; however, if you’re equipped with the right ingredients and a bit of creativity, it’s certainly possible to achieve delicious results.
We’ve all been there: you’re in the kitchen ready to whip up a delicious batch of cookies. You go to pull out the ingredients and alas, you’re out of eggs. Or maybe you’re baking for someone with dietary restrictions or an egg allergy.
While it might seem straightforward to swap ingredients for what you have on hand—like maple syrup instead of vanilla extract in a pinch—substituting eggs requires extra thought. According to professional baker and blogger Mimi Council, you need to decipher what role eggs play in an original recipe before you make the switch.
“Before we bake without eggs, we need to know what eggs bring to baked goods so they can be properly replaced,” Council writes in her book Effortless Eggless Baking. “It’s all about replacing the eggs with something that can act in a similar way.”
Eggs contribute to the moisture, leavening, and texture in most pastries. Since baking is a science, trying to figure out how to make cakes, cookies, and pies without eggs can be especially difficult. Luckily, we’re here to demystify some of the most common egg substitutes that will help you make your favorite desserts.
Unsweetened Applesauce
You can use a quarter-cup unsweetened applesauce for one egg. It adds a delicate sweetness, moisture, and even a bit of binding power from the fruit’s natural pectin. Because it’s more dense than an egg is, it might change the texture of your baked goods. Some people supplement this swap with a teaspoon of baking powder to encourage more fluffiness. In her cookbook, Council uses applesauce instead of eggs in cakes, muffins, and cookies.
Mashed Banana
You can swap in a ripe medium mashed banana for every large egg, but this substitution doesn’t work for every recipe. Bananas have plenty of starches and sugars that help your baked goods develop a beautiful golden brown crust. However, the flavor is too distinct to work for certain recipes. It can also incorporate lots of moisture, which isn’t ideal if you’re looking for fluffiness. Bananas work wonderfully in pancakes, brownies, and banana bread (obviously).
Aquafaba
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You may not be familiar with this ingredient, but it’s probably already hanging out in your pantry. Aquafaba is the name for the liquid inside your can of chickpeas. You can use three tablespoons for every egg in many recipes to serve as a binding agent that gives your desserts structure. It can also be used in place of egg whites, because you can easily whip them up into a fluffy consistency. Pro tip: you can also use aquafaba to make vegan versions of your favorite foamy cocktails like Pisco Sours.
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Known adorably as a “flegg,” a flaxseed mixture is a great egg substitute. Simple combine one tablespoon of ground flax seeds with three tablespoons of water for every large egg you need. Then, after roughly 20 minutes, the mixture gelatinizes into a slimy, vegan version of an egg.
While it’s definitely a cool science experiment, flax seeds are famously finicky in baking recipes. Depending on how old the flax seeds are, how coarsely they’re ground, and how long they sit in water, their binding power can vary in your desserts. To avoid a kitchen disaster, we recommend using flax eggs in recipes that don’t require many eggs to begin with (like pancakes or cookies).
Chia Seeds
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Chia seeds are similar to flax seeds and use the same ratio (one tablespoon of seeds for every three tablespoons of water). If you’ve ever grown a Chia Pet, you know how slimy and thick these superfood seeds can become. Chia seeds can bind food together when baking just like an egg can. But, like a flax egg, it’s recommended to use them in recipes that call for only one or two eggs.
Silken Tofu
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If you’ve never had silken tofu before, you’re missing out. Beyond being the jiggly, melt-in-your-mouth base for dishes like Korean soft tofu stew and Mapo tofu, silken tofu is an excellent stand-in for eggs. Its creamy, dense texture is perfect for adding moisture to your baked goods, especially brownies. You can also use it to make homemade vegan mayonnaise—just blend it up with some neutral oil for a creamy spread.
Baking Soda And Vinegar
Yogurt & Sour Cream
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Tangy dairy products like yogurt and sour cream are a great swap when making egg-free desserts. As long as you make sure you’re using full-fat varieties, these ingredients can incorporate lots of moisture to your recipes. In addition, the lactic acid that comes with the fermentation process helps to break down the gluten from the flour and makes your cakes more tender. You can even use one of the wide variety of non-dairy yogurts that have hit the market in the past few years. All you need to do is incorporate a quarter cup of plain yogurt to replace one egg.
Heavy Cream
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The high fat content of heavy cream makes for a good swap when baking without eggs. It adds plenty of moisture and a rich, creaminess to things like cakes or quick breads. Beyond that, it can also be used as an egg wash, according to Council. If you’re looking to make it dairy-free, you can use full-fat coconut cream instead.
Gabby Romero is Delish’s editorial assistant, where she writes stories about the latest TikTok trends, develops recipes, and answers any and all of your cooking-related questions. She loves eating spicy food, collecting cookbooks, and adding a mountain of Parmesan to any dish she can.
What can you substitute for eggs in cake mix?! If you’re in a pinch and need an easy substitute for eggs that will actually work, we’ve got you covered!
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Have you ever needed a substitute for eggs in cake mix? I sure have! There have been many occasions when I started mixing up a boxed cake mix and then realized I had no eggs. What is there to do?!
Luckily, there are plenty of substitutes you can use to replace eggs in cake mix. In fact, there are seven! And I will tell you about every one of them so you can pick the best egg substitute for your specific type of cake.
Why Do You Need Eggs in Cake Mix?
Before I tell you about all the great egg substitutes, I wanted to quickly explain why you need eggs in cake mix (or any cake, for that matter!). Eggs are pretty important to cakes in a few different ways. Here is a little look at what eggs do:
- Eggs act as a binder, holding the ingredients together so that the cake doesn’t just crumble apart. Think of how firm eggs get when you cook them in a skillet. The proteins in the eggs get just as firm when they bake in a cake. Think of the eggs as the glue that holds your cake together!
- Eggs also help leaven a cake. They expand as they bake and help the cake rise, making it nice and fluffy.
- Eggs add fat to the cake mix, giving it a rich and creamy taste and texture.
Eggs do a lot! They are not an ingredient you can really skip. However, they are an ingredient you can replace. So, let’s dive into that!
If you’re looking for a substitute for eggs in cake mix, try one of these ideas:
Applesauce is a great, easy substitute for eggs in cake mix. It has a nice fruity taste that goes well with most sweet cakes. It also makes the cake very moist.
Cake mix made with applesauce will be a little more dense. Only replace up to four eggs in one recipe or your cake will come out a little bit rubbery. Luckily, most box cake mixes only require one or two eggs, so applesauce will work perfectly!
Replace one egg with ¼ cup of unsweetened applesauce—both store-bought and homemade applesauce will work. Mix it into the cake mix as you would if you were using an egg and you are ready to bake!
Mash up a ripe banana and you have a perfect egg substitute. Just like applesauce, bananas will give your boxed cake mix a fruity flavor and a little bit of extra sweetness. It will also help the cake bake with a nice golden brown color.
Be sure to use ripe bananas (the riper, the better!) and mash them until very smooth. Use ¼ cup mashed banana to replace each egg in your boxed cake mix. One medium banana will give you a little more than half a cup.
Plain, unsweetened yogurt works well to replace eggs in boxed cake mix. It is packed with protein, just like eggs, and it will make your cake very moist and dense. Once again, it is best to only replace up to four eggs with plain yogurt, or the texture of your cake will get a little chewy.
I like to use Greek yogurt, which is thicker than regular yogurt. A quarter cup of plain yogurt is all you need to replace one egg.
Ground Flaxseeds
Want to know how to make a flaxseed egg? I can tell you! Flaxseed eggs are actually pretty cool and work really well in boxed cake mixes. Ground flaxseed will help bind your cake mix just like eggs. They will add a slightly nutty taste, but with all that sweet frosting and cake mix, you probably won’t even notice!
Be sure to use ground flaxseeds, not whole flaxseeds, which will not work the same. Mix one tablespoon of ground flaxseeds together with three tablespoons of water. This mixture will make one flax egg. Let the mixture sit for about 2-3 minutes to thicken and then it is ready to use!
Silken tofu is a great vegan egg substitute for boxed cake mix. Add ¼ cup of silken tofu to a food processor and puree until it is very smooth. Use the tofu puree to make your boxed cake mix and you will have a perfect, egg-free cake!
Quick Tip
Only replace up to two eggs in a cake recipe with silken tofu. More than this and the cake will become very dense.
Protein Powder
Vanilla or chocolate protein powder is the perfect egg replacement in cake. It is a little sweet, easy to use, and it will give your cake a flavor boost.
Eggs have a lot of protein and the egg protein is what helps with the structure of the cake. Using protein powder to make cake mix will do the same thing!
Mix a tablespoon of protein powder with three tablespoons of water. Use this mixture to replace one egg in your cake recipe; replace no more than three eggs.
Chickpea Water
The liquid inside a can of chickpeas can actually be used to replace eggs in cake mix. This thick water is called “aquafaba” and it is a great vegan way to replace eggs. You can even beat the aquafaba and it will get fluffy and light, just like whipped egg whites. It is pretty cool!
I like to use chickpea water to replace egg whites since it has the same texture. Two tablespoons of aquafaba are perfect for replacing one egg white in a cake recipe. However, you can also use three tablespoons of chickpea water to substitute one whole egg. The mild taste will hardly be noticeable in your cake!
Things You Can Substitute for Egg in Cake Mix
If you are out of eggs or maybe looking for a vegan egg substitute for cake mix, all of these perfect egg replacements will work. You can make a fantastic boxed cake without any eggs at all! Try all of the substitutes and see how each one bakes. Let me know which egg substitute for boxed cake mix is your favorite (I’m a big fan of the mashed banana!). Happy baking!
More Cake Mix Hacks
Hi, I’m Kasey, Founder of All Things Mamma – where I am dishing up family favorite recipes that are easy to make with simple, everyday ingredients. Plus – tips and tricks for living your best life!
Fortunately, you can substitute applesauce into your recipe instead of using eggs, oil, or butter, resulting in baked goods everyone can enjoy safely.
Unsweetened applesauce is the best choice when you’re using it as a substitute, as it won’t add too much additional sweetness to your recipe (skip the kind with cinnamon, too, so what you’re using has a neutral flavor). Keep a jar in your fridge, and you can use that applesauce as a substitute for eggs, oil, and butter whenever you bake.
How to substitute applesauce for eggs
In recipes where egg acts as a binder (not a leavening agent), you can use applesauce as a substitute for the egg. This is a healthy substitution for people who are watching their cholesterol, those with egg allergies, and people who just don’t eat eggs, such as vegans.
For every egg your recipe calls for, try using 1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce instead, suggests Lifehacker.
Sometimes using fruit purée instead of egg can make your baked goods come out a little denser than usual, so you can add an extra 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder to help give it the same light texture, according to Peta.
How to substitute applesauce for oil and butter
If you’re trying to cut down on the amount of fat in your diet, or if you’re cooking for a vegan or someone who is lactose intolerant who doesn’t eat butter, then applesauce is your friend.
When baking, you can replace the butter in your recipe with half the same amount called for of applesauce. For instance, if a recipe calls for 1 cup of butter, replace it with 1/2 cup of applesauce, suggests MyRecipes. This can, however, affect the texture of your baked goods. If you’re making a substitution for health reasons but want your baked good to have the same texture you’re accustomed to, you can still reduce the fat and cholesterol in your recipe by replacing just half of the butter with applesauce (per Cupcake Project).
You can also use applesauce as a substitute for oil. Oil acts as both a binder and helps keep your baked goods moist, which applesauce can also do (per Bob’s Red Mill). Use a one-to-one substitute of applesauce for oil — for example, if your recipe calls for 1/2 cup of oil, replace that with 1/2 cup of applesauce.