Yes, You Can Make Cake Without Eggs - On The Gas | The Art Science & Culture of Food (2024)

Everyone loves cakes but not everyone can get a slice of one. Unless there was a cake without eggs…then you just might get more than that one slice you were hoping for.

There are quite a good number of reasons why someone might ask whether they can make cake without eggs, and it’s not just about not liking the taste of eggs. Sadly, there are people who do not like eggs, but apart from that, there are some with cake allergies, and still others trying to cut down on their cholesterol intake.

Then there are people like me, who keep running out of things that should always be in the kitchen, including eggs! Oh, there’s another class of us too—the ones who are always trying out any new cooking or baking trickson the scene—this group keeps their options open.

Can you make cake without eggs? Well, the answer to that question is…yes. You can actually make a cake without eggs which has a very similar taste and texture to a cake with eggs. That is, the cake can still be moist, fluffy, spongy and delicious. But before I walk you through the how-to of making an egg-free cake, you should definitely learn about egg substitutes.

How to Make Cakes Without Eggs

This isn’t difficult at all. Knowing the all about egg substitutes and what substitutes to use is important, and frankly, just one piece of the puzzle. To successfully bake a cake without eggs, one that is moist, fluffy, spongy, and delicious, there are other pieces of this puzzle to know about too. They include:

• Prepare your ingredients, including the egg substitute, and ingredients like vegan milk, butter, or buttermilk if needed for avegan cake. The cake pan should be lined before making the batter as opposed to after, as this minimizes the amount of time the batter will be exposed to air. Hence, the cake will not over-rise.
• Preheat the oven for at least 15 minutes or so. This ensures that the oven is heated evenly.
• Sift the flour and use the right kind of flour. Never forget to do that or else your cake could end up lumpy or grainy. When measuring out the flour, level it the measuring cup as this will prevent the risk of having extra flour in your batter and thus having a heavy cake that lacks moisture.
• Mix your butter and sugar properly. An electric mixer works best for this step, known as creaming.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients in stages. Don’t over-mix the ingredients. If you do, the cake will turn out more glutenous and less fluffy. Some people fold the ingredients instead of beating or whipping them together. Also, it’s okay if there are a few lumps in the batter.
• While the cake is in the oven, try as much as you can not to open the oven. Don’t check on the cake too much. Doing this reduces the temperature of some ovens and slows down the baking time. The best time to check on it is 5 minutes before the end of the baking time.

Tip: Turn on the oven light to get a quick peep at the cake.

• Know how to check for completion in a cake. Gluten-freecakes will become doughy and flat, instead of being light and fluffy. To check, insert a toothpick into the cake. If it comes out clean and somewhat moist, then the cake is done. If not, leave for 5 more minutes.
• To remove the cake from pan, let it cool first. You can go as far as keeping it refrigerated for a while if you want an easier job frosting.

Know more useful tips? Perhaps your mother shared her baking secrets with you. Then use them! But the most important piece of the egg-free cake puzzle has got to be knowing the right substitute.

Substitutes for Egg in Cake

If you are seeking a substitute for any ingredient, then the first thing you should do is to ask yourself the role of the ingredient in that recipe. This same rule applies to eggs. When it comes to cakes, eggs serve three purposes, out of which two are very essential. The third is more of a secondary purpose.

1. Eggs as a binding agent: Their use as a binding agent is effective because eggs are viscous liquid, and thus, they can help to hold the ingredients together. This is very important for cakes, as it helps to establish the cake’s structure and texture.
2. As a leavening agent: Some people don’t know this, but eggs in a recipe can actually make the cake rise. They are good leavening agents. Thus, substitutes include ingredients like baking powder, gelatin, yogurt, and baking soda.
3. Glaze: Made a glaze before? If you did, then you probably would have used egg whites in making your glaze.

So eggs are not ordinary ingredients—they do more than just adding flavor and richness to cakes. They bind, leaven, and act as a glaze for cakes. If eggs are so important, then why are we considering to substitute them? Well, because not everyone can consume eggs.

Those with an allergy cannot consume cakes made with eggs, and surely, it would be a great injustice to have walked this earth without eating cakes. Dietary restrictions can also prevent someone from eating cakes, making the need for vegan cakes absolutely necessary. Health, culture, and religious objections could also contribute to the decision of staying away from eggs.

Aside from the fact that not everyone can consume the real thing, egg substitutes come in handy when you start baking and realize that you have no eggs. Or maybe you’re super unlucky and the only ones you had all fell and broke.

Commercially-marketed products differentiate the terms egg substitutes from egg replacement products. Marketed egg substitutes in your local grocery store are not egg-free, they actually contain eggs. It is the egg replacement products that are egg-free. Thus, if you’re buying a branded product, check the ingredients label to know if it has eggs or not.

For the purpose of this article, “egg substitute” is equivalent to “egg replacement” and they are all egg-free alternatives. Besides, there are no brand products on my substitute list.

Choosing a substitute when you want to bake a cake without eggs is usually easy, though it can get tricky. For recipes that call for whole eggs, you should have no problem substituting them for something else. Most egg substitutes, if not all, will work just fine.

But choosing a substitute for a recipe that calls specifically for egg whites or egg yolks limits your choices a bit. Egg yolks are used to add richness to the cake, not necessarily as a binder or leavening, so a good substitute will be one that has the richness factor.

As earlier mentioned, your choice for the best substitute depends on the role of the eggs in the recipe. As a binder, there are quite a few options to choose from, but as a leavening agent, there might be just one or two.

Remember, egg substitutes will not provide the exact same cake taste and texture that eggs will provide. These substitutes are totally different in flavor, but they can give you something closely similar and maybe even better.

If you use your egg substitute right, no one besides the experts will be able to tell that you didn’t use eggs in your cake.

When it comes to measurement, the general rule is to use the exact quantity equal to the eggs you would have used. One whole egg is equivalent to a quarter of a cup (¼) which is about the same as 4 tablespoons.

However, not all of the substitutes mentioned subsequently will use this measurement because some of these substitutes have to be mixed, and if that’s the case, the measurements are accordingly modified.

• Flaxseed: This heart-healthy substitute just may be the best option for those avoiding eggs due to health reasons. Grind the flaxseeds using a coffee or spice grinder if they didn’t come pre-ground, then measure out the quantity to be used.

1 tbsp of ground flaxseeds + 3 tbsp of water is equivalent to 1 egg. Stir the mixture and allow it to rest until it is gelatinous or viscous enough to use.

• Applesauce: For best results, use unsweetened applesauce. If you must use sweetened applesauce, reduce the amount of sugar the recipe calls for. Measurement: The standard, a quarter cup of applesauce. Some people mix the applesauce with ½ a teaspoon of baking powder for a better texture. I haven’t tried this but I hear it’s good.
• Banana: ¼ cup of mashed banana equals 1 egg and will give your cake fiber and protein. However, expect a mild banana flavor unless your cake recipe calls for a more intense flavored ingredient like chocolate.
• Creme brulée: A fine substitute for egg yolks considering its richness and all. Gelatin (1 tsp in 3 tbsp of water) is another excellent substitute for egg yolks.
• Chia seeds: Unlike flaxseeds, chia seeds have a neutral flavor, thus making your cake free off any extra flavor.
• Silken tofu: Blend until smooth and creamy. Well-blended silken tofu is free of grains. As usual, a quarter cup will fill in for one egg.
• Baking soda (1 tsp) and vinegar (1 tbsp) mixed together. By the way, baking soda is really different from baking powder so don’t mix it up.
• Aquafaba: An egg white substitute. It is the liquid in a chickpeas can. 3 tablespoons of this will fill in for 1 egg.
• Whisking together 2 tablespoons of water with 1 teaspoon of corn or vegetable oil and 1 or 2 tablespoon of baking powder should also replace one egg.
• Other options include pureed fruits, soy flour, mashed potatoes, buttermilk, non-dairy yogurt, and sweetened condensed milk.

Definitely, there are others I didn’t mention. Some people even use vegetable oil, but only if they are missing just one egg since anything more than a quarter cup will make your cake greasy and oily.

For a vegan cake, some of the substitutes, such as gelatin, won’t be an option. Take note: these are not all vegan egg substitutes.

No Eggs Cake Recipes

Most of these cake recipes are simply adjusted to become eggless cake recipes. Many of the popular cakes like vanilla cake and chocolate cake can be made eggless. You could make this easy, moist chocolate cake. This cake is eggless, butter-free and utterly delicious too.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cup of all-purpose flour, sifted. Have a little extra around for flouring the baking pan.
• 1 cup of granulated sugar.
• 4 teaspoons of baking powder.
• 1 ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract.
• 450 ml of soy milk or almond milk.
• 75 grams of cocoa powder, unsweetened and sifted.
• 2 ½ tablespoons of vegetable oil.

Directions

First, preheat the oven to 350°F. Then, in a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients together—the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, and baking powder. In another bowl, mix the wet ingredients together—soy milk, vanilla extract, and vegetable oil.

Pour in the mixed wet ingredients in small portions into the bowl with your dry ingredients, folding the batter with a wooden ladle. Fold until combined. Do not overmix and don’t worry about the few lumps left; they’re harmless. Then, pour your batter into your greased and floured 8 (or 10) inch pan and allow the cake to bake for 40 minutes.

At about 5 minutes to the end of 40 minutes, use a toothpick to check if it’s done. The cake is a moist cake so the toothpick might not come out the way you are used to.

Remove it from the oven once done and cool on a wire rack. Once cool, serve and enjoy.

Note: You can also frost it up before serving.

Box Cake Without Egg

Box cake, or pre-mixed cake, is extremely useful. They sure do know how to save time for you. If you’re making a lot of cakes for a bake sale or an office social event, then boxed cakes have got your back.

Though cake mixes, box cakes do not come with all of the ingredients, one of which is the eggs. The eggs are meant to be added by you, but of course, we are all about ditching eggs so use a substitute, and yogurt is an excellent choice.

This guide to cake mix without egg is generally easy to follow and can even create something that tastes like you made it from scratch:

• Box cakes recipes usually call for water, oil, eggs, and sometimes butter, but sticking with those basics won’t make your cake epic. Replace the water with whole milk for a denser and richer texture, particularly if you’re making a white cake.

Replace the oil with melted butter and the eggs with ¼ cup of plain yogurt per egg. However, if you are planning to use eggs, do not use the recommended quantity, which is 2 eggs. Use 4 eggs; trust me.

• The box cake mix comes with flour but not enough flour. Add ¼ cup of all-purpose flour to the boxed mix to reduce its extra fluffiness, thus making it easier to frost.
• Check if your box cake comes with a leavening agent, and if not, consider adding a little leavening agent.
• Add extra sugar if you have a sweet tooth. Also add ½ cup of sour cream for a richer flavor.
• If you are making chocolate cake, replace the water with coffee or chocolate pudding, rather than milk.
• There are different types of boxed cake mixes for different cakes, so use the right mix for your cake.
• Add ingredients like fruit, nuts, or chocolate chips to the mix.
• Do not overmix the batter and don’t bake at very high temperatures because the cake will turn out dry.
• Allow your cake to cool, and freeze it for a while before frosting.

That’s all for now, but that should be a good starter pack to make that boxed cake feel and taste homemade. It’s quite easy to make too. All you need to do is preheat the oven to 350°F or as specified on the box, mix your ingredients with the cake mix, and bake as specified on the box too. Easy, fast, and delicious.

Can you make cakes without eggs? Yes, you can, and they don’t have to taste bland. Egg-free cakes, vegan or otherwise, can be fluffy, moist, spongy, and of course, amazingly delicious. Enjoy!