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When you think of baking a cake, common ingredients that spring to mind are butter, flour and eggs.
But there’s a whole world of egg-free baking that is not only possible but also delicious, easy and so effective that you won’t even notice your cake is made without them.
Whether you’ve run out of eggs or you simply prefer to leave out eggs from your diet, here are 9 of the best egg substitutes in cake.
Before we jump into the egg substitutions…
If you’re looking for the best cake baking tools, we’ve got you covered.
Or perhaps you’re looking to get your baker friend (or yourself) a special and unique gift – here are 41 unique gifts for bakers at every price point!
Maybe you’re wondering why your cake is crumbly, or needing hacks to cool your cake fast, and even genius tips to keep your cake from falling in the middle.
Or maybe you keep running into the same issues, and are looking to solutions for common cake baking problems!
1. Aquafaba
Aquafaba is one of those trendy ingredients that is coming up more and more frequently in baking blogs, creative cocktails and articles on modern day cooking.
Put simply, aquafaba is another name for the liquid found in canned chickpeas.
To use aquafaba as an egg replacement, simply drain your can into a deep bowl, ensuring you’ve strained your peas out and you’re left with a versatile liquid that can be used as a handy whole egg substitute in cakes, breads, muffins and the like.
You can even blend it in a stand mixer with some added sugar to create your own vegan meringue.
Aquafaba will typically have a light brown color and have a mild taste of beans, but the taste and color should easily blend into your cake batter, leaving you with a perfectly light and spongy texture that’s entirely egg-free.
This is by far one of our favorite egg substitutes in cake!
2. Vinegar and Baking Powder
If you need an egg-free leavening agent, a mixture of vinegar and baking powder can work quickly and effectively.
Because of the strong leavening properties in this concoction, this combination can be particularly useful for getting cakes and muffins to rise.
However this mixture can also have a strong taste and does not work in all recipes that call for eggs or an egg-substitute.
This combination should only be used where a recipe specifically suggests it or if you’ve reliably tested this mixture before.
3. Commercial Egg Replacements
If you’re not feeling confident in whipping up your own egg-substitute, it might be a good idea to keep a commercial egg replacement on hand.
There are a number of well regarded egg replacements available, including Energ-G, Orgran or Bob’s Red Mill.
Typically these egg-substitutes come in the form of a powdery substance that may need to be mixed with water or another liquid to help them take on the egg-substituting quality you’re looking for, whether that’s a leavener or a moisture-maker.
These are usually made with a blend of potato starch, tapioca flour (here’s more info on the best types of flour to use for baking) and baking soda.
Follow the instructions on the pack and you should have a relatively easy egg-substitute on hand.
4. Applesauce
For what to replace egg with in cake that’s easy to make with just one ingredient, applesauce is the answer.
Applesauce is a great way to add moisture in your cake, as well as help to bind your ingredients together.
You can buy applesauce in a jar or make your own by cooking apples until they’re soft enough to blend into a smooth paste.
If you prefer to buy applesauce, choose unsweetened applesauce so your batter doesn’t become overly sweet.
Because the flavor of apple can be quite subtle, applesauce is ideal when you don’t want your egg-substitute to change the flavor of your cake.
5. Silken Tofu
You may not typically associate silken tofu with cake, but it actually makes for one of the best egg substitutes in cake, especially in cheesecake or mousse cakes.
To use silken tofu as an egg substitute, you’ll want to ensure you’ve whipped it smooth so you’re not left with chunks of tofu in your batter.
Add a pinch of baking powder or baking soda to help your cake rise, as whilst silken tofu acts as a great binder, you’ll still need a leavening agent to help your cake rise.
6. Pumpkin Puree
Similar to applesauce, pumpkin puree is another easy way to add moisture and sweetness to your cake.
You can generally buy pumpkin sauce in a can or make your own by steaming your pumpkin until it reaches a soft, almost gooey texture.
Once you’ve blended it into a puree, add the mixture into your batter for a serve of rich moisture and sweet flavor.
Isn’t this one of the easiest egg substitutes for cake?!
7. Mashed Bananas
Similar to applesauce and pumpkin puree, a mixture of mashed ripe bananas can be another way to add a fruit based moisture agent to your cake.
But if you’re looking for what to use in cake instead of egg, fruit puree won’t work alone without a leavening agent.
For all of these fruit sauce substitutes, you will need to add a pinch of baking powder to act as a leavener for your cake.
8. Buttermilk
For another simple way on how to make a cake without eggs, one of the best substitutes is buttermilk.
Buttermilk serves multiple purposes as an egg replacement, including providing a rich flavor, moisture and bind and the all important leavening agent.
If you don’t have buttermilk in your fridge, simply add one tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to one cup of milk which will form a similar egg-substitute.
9. Ground Flax
One last ingredient for egg replacements in cake is ground flax seeds mixed with water.
To make ground flax, grind your flax seeds in a food processor or coffee grinder.
Once ground into a fine paste, mix it with water until a paste is formed.
You can now use this flax paste as a binding agent in your cake batter.
Flax seeds have a neutral flavor so they won’t compete with the remainder of your ingredients, and you’ll have a delightfully light and airy cake that’s entirely egg-free.
