Eggs seem to be in everything when you’re baking, from cookies to cakes. Even easy boxed cake mixes want you to add eggs. If you’re vegan, suffer from an egg allergy, or maybe just in a hurry and don’t have eggs to hand, what can you use as an egg substitute?
I’ve been experimenting and testing out alternatives to using eggs in recipes. These are the 11 Best Egg Substitutes in baking! I’ve found the ideal egg substitute for baking all your favorites: cakes, brownies, muffins, and cookies, and even for savory dishes such as pancakes and meatloaf.
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What Can You Substitute For Eggs In A Cake Mix?
Fortunately, there are a few easy egg substitutes you can use to bake a cake without eggs. Most are readily available from a grocery store and you’ll probably find you have a few of these ingredients already lurking in your kitchen.
The top egg substitutes to replace eggs in a cake mix
- Vinegar and baking soda
- Silken tofu
- Mashed banana
- Unsweetened applesauce
- Chia seeds
- Ground flaxseeds
- Plain yogurt
- Aquafaba
- Pumpkin Puree
- Solid coconut oil
- Protein powder
If you’re trying out any of these egg replacement options for the first time, it’s best to use them in a simple cake or cookie recipe. A cake mix box is ideal and I used a box mix to test out these different egg substitutes.
Many of these egg substitutes will change the taste of the recipe. Coconut oil, pumpkin puree, applesauce, and mashed banana are all strong flavors so your favorite egg replacement in baking will depend on personal preference.
How Are Eggs Used In Baking?
Eggs are an essential ingredient. When you’re baking you can’t just leave them out. You have to use a replacement that performs the same function.
Lifts/Leavening: Without eggs, your cake mix won’t rise. It will be dense and flat. The proteins in egg whites help to give your cake that light, fluffy texture. As the cake bakes and proteins coagulate they trap air bubbles which cause the cake batter to rise.
Binds and Provides Moisture: The moisture and sticky texture of eggs help to bind dry ingredients together. Eggs prevent cookies from browning too quickly on the outside before the inside is cooked.
Emulsify: Eggs help to combine ingredients such as oil and water which wouldn’t otherwise mix.
Taste and Appearance: Egg yolks add fat making the batter taste rich and smooth. They’re also used to provide a glaze to the top of buns or a pastry crust.
The best egg substitutes need to mimic the function of eggs. They need liquid, protein, and fat content as well as adding to the taste of the bake.
11 Best Egg Substitutes For Baking
These are the best options I’ve tried and tested for replacing eggs. It can be easier to replace one egg in a recipe or maybe two instead of trying to make recipes with lots of eggs or egg yolks.
1. Apple Cider Vinegar and Baking Soda
This is a simple and easy substitution. Vinegar makes your baking mix more acidic and reacts with the baking soda. This makes your mix rise. You can use any vinegar but apple cider vinegar has a milder flavor than other types of vinegar and will give your cake mixes an apple-y taste!
Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar plus 1 teaspoon of baking soda to replace each egg. Whisk together until it’s well mixed.
Works best for baking cake, cake box mix, and cookies. The vinegar stops cookies from over-browning.
2. Silken Tofu
This is another great replacement for eggs. It works well in both sweet and savory recipes. Silken tofu is very soft and creamy and gives your baking a smooth, rich texture. The high protein content of tofu provides structure and the moisture binds ingredients together. Tofu is easy to taste, so it’s best used in strongly flavored recipes.
Add a quarter cup of mashed up tofu to replace each egg. Blend the tofu until smooth before adding it to your bake. Add some soy milk, or water if your mix needs extra moisture.
Works best for strongly flavored dishes such as egg substitute for meatloaf.
3. Mashed Banana
Banana gives cake recipes a rich texture and moistness. It works well for sweet recipes where bananas add to the flavor.
Add a quarter cup of a mashed-up, very ripe banana to replace each egg. It works best if the ripe bananas are mashed into a smooth puree. You can also add some plant milk if needed.
This works better for denser cakes and tray bakes such as pound cakes or brownies that don’t need to rise. Mashed bananas create a very moist cake!
4. Unsweetened applesauce
Unsweetened applesauce adds moisture to the mix and binds everything together. It gives your cake mix a hint of sweetness. You can use it in savory dishes but it will add flavor and sweetness to the recipe.
Use a quarter cup of unsweetened applesauce to replace one egg. Whisk into your mix until smooth and fully mixed with no lumps or chunks. It’s best to use the apple sauce straight from the jar. No matter how many eggs you have in a recipe, never use more than one cup of applesauce – otherwise, your cake will turn out tough and chewy!
Works best for cupcakes and in baking muffins.
5. Chia seeds
Ground-up chia seeds mixed with water form a gel-like substance called chia egg.
Use 1 tablespoon of chia seeds + 3 tablespoons of water for each egg replacement. Leave to soak in a small bowl for five minutes before using. Then stir the gel into your cake mix until fully mixed through. It’s best to use chia seeds for whole egg or egg yolk substitutes only and not for egg whites.
Don’t use chai seeds for recipes where you need to replace more than two eggs. The seeds have very little taste so they won’t affect your recipe flavors.
Chai egg has many uses including baking cake, cookies, pancakes, muffins, and quick breads.
6. Ground flaxseeds
Similar to chia seeds, flaxseeds make a great egg substitute for baking. The flaxseed gel is quite thick and is best used as an egg replacement when your recipe calls for just one or two eggs.
Use 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseeds + 3 tablespoons of water for each egg replacement. Leave to soak for 5 minutes then whisk the mixture until thick and foamy before adding to your recipe. Make sure you get rid of any lumps!
The flaxseed gel, often called flax egg is a substitute for whole eggs and not egg whites. Just like chai egg, flax egg has many uses for baking and quick breads.
7. Plain yogurt
This is a great option for eggless baking if you want to add some healthy protein. You can even use homemade yogurt! Vegans can opt for a plant-based yogurt – vanilla soy yogurt is my favorite!
The consistency of yogurt is closer to that of egg whites so it works best as an egg white replacement.
Use ¼ cup of yogurt to replace one egg. If you want to replace two or more eggs just add a quarter cup for each extra egg required. Stir together until smooth and fully mixed with no lumps. Yogurt will not act as a leavening agent. Add baking powder or baking soda if you need your mix to rise.
Works best for recipes using egg whites.
8. Aquafaba
Ever heard of aquafaba? No? Neither had I until I started vegan baking! It’s made from cooking water leftover from legumes such as chickpeas and white beans. The starchy substances in the water act as a binder similar to eggs so it’s an ideal replacement for recipes that call for several eggs.
Aquafaba works best in recipes that require egg whites only. It’s a good substitute for angel food cakes which are typically just made with egg whites.
Use 3 tablespoons of aquafaba + half a teaspoon of cream of tartar for each egg replacement. Whisk together until stiff peaks form. Add sugar slowly to sweeten and add flavorings as required.
Works best for egg-white-only recipes such as meringue, macaroons, and angel food cake.
9. Pumpkin Puree
This puree works very well as an egg replacement adding moisture and sweetness. It’s best used in recipes that call for just one or two eggs.
Use ¼ cup of puree for every egg substitute. Make sure the puree is thoroughly mixed into the recipe without lumps or chunks. If your recipe uses added sugar you’ll need to reduce the quantity by at least half as pumpkin purees have a natural sweetness.
This works best for denser cakes and tray bakes.
10. Solid Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is a healthy option to substitute for eggs and gives your bakes a lovely nutty flavor.
Add 1 teaspoon of coconut oil + 2 teaspoons of baking powder + 2 tablespoons of water for each egg replacement. If you’re using solid coconut oil, you’ll need to melt it before use.
This works best for denser cakes and tray bakes.
11. Protein powder
I’ve saved the best for last. You can get a very similar effect to eggs in baking recipes just by using unflavored protein powder.
Use 1 tablespoon of protein powder + 3 tablespoons of water + half a teaspoon of baking soda for each egg replacement. Mix well to ensure there are no lumps. You may find it helps to add some extra baking powder to your recipe.
You can use flavored protein powder such as chocolate or vanilla but don’t forget it will add flavor to your cakes! Chocolate flavored protein powder makes terrific chocolate cake!
This works best for just about everything! Use for baking cake, pancakes, baking cookies, brownies, muffins, and quick bread.
Shop-Bought Egg Replacers to Replace Eggs in a Cake Mix
I’m not a huge fan of processed ingredients so I prefer to use healthier substitutes such as ground flaxseed, yogurt, pumpkin puree, or mashed bananas.
But shop-bought vegan egg substitutes are great in a bind when you have a complex cake recipe that won’t work with your natural ingredients.
Some of the shop-bought egg replacers only use natural ingredients such as this one from Bob’s Red Mill or The Neat Egg made from chia mix and garbanzo beans. Just add to your cake batter.
The best egg substitute in baking depends on the type of recipe but chai eggs, flax eggs or protein powder are the most versatile. If you’ve enjoyed this post, give me a follow on Pinterest!