What Happens If You Bake A Cake Without Eggs?

Knowing how to turn out a perfect cake has long been a principal kitchen skill for the home baker. Whether your base is a box mix or you have started from scratch, the ways to create a great cake batter are endless. You may be wondering what happens if you don't put eggs in your batter. We have thoroughly researched this question and have found some answers.

If you bake a cake without eggs or any other substitute will be denser in texture. It will be more fragile as eggs are a binder. The texture will also be coarser as eggs provide extra fat, which leads to a smoother batter. Eggs do not usually affect the taste of your cake, and there are many ways to get the same effect that eggs provide without including them in your batter.

Eggs have an essential role in baking, but they are not essential for making a great cake! Keep reading as we discuss making a cake without eggs and break down the different ways to substitute eggs in your recipe.

How Do You Tell The Difference Between Eggless And Egg Cake?

Though making a cake without eggs may affect the texture, depending on the cake you are making, you may not readily tell the difference between an eggless and an egg cake. This is especially true in layer cakes or cakes that have outside moisture introduced in some way externally or between layers.

Eggless cakes may be more prone to crumbling, heavier, or chewier than a traditional cake. These characteristics are easily handled with the right substitutions and understanding of how eggs work in the recipe.

How To Make A Cake Without Eggs

Eggs are made up of protein and fat. The protein in eggs stabilizes and creates air pockets in the batter, creating a lighter, fluffier cake. The fat in eggs lends a creaminess to the batter, resulting in a cake with a moist texture. Eggs are also a binder, meaning that they can hold together other ingredients that may not otherwise combine or stick together.

To make a cake without eggs, you may need to compensate by adjusting the other ingredients. For example, if your substitute provides fat, you may want to add extra or an additional leavening agent. If your substitute takes care of leavening and binding, you may want to add additional fat to balance out your batter.

Several substitutes contain the fat, protein, and binding characteristics needed to produce a substitute that can be used without adjusting the other ingredients. Add your substitute to your mix in the same order as the recipe says to add the egg. Bake for the same amount of time called for in your recipe.

What Can I Use Instead Of Eggs In A Cake?

If you do not have eggs on hand or have decided not to include them in your cake, there are endless substitutes available in your kitchen and the grocery store. You'll want to prepare your egg substitute before mixing it into your batter so that you can make sure you have the correct amount and that any chemical reaction has completed. The following are some of the top substitutes available.

Make An Egg From Flax Or Chia Seeds

One of the most popular ways to substitute eggs is to use a mixture of water and flax or chia seeds. With this method, you would not have to adjust the other ingredients since seeds contain both the fat and protein needed. These seeds are also used in baking because when they are combined with water, a gel-like substance is created, which makes for a great binder.

For a flaxseed "egg," combine one tablespoon of flaxseed meal with three tablespoons of water. For each egg that the recipe calls for, use the same one-part flaxseed to three-part water ratio. After sitting for five minutes, your flaxseed "egg" will be ready to use. It gets added to the recipe at the same step as regular eggs.

Click here to see an example of a flaxseed meal on Amazon.

You can use Chia seeds in the same ratio. Some egg replacement recipes recommend using heated or boiling water. Allow five minutes if using heated or boiling water. If you use room temperature water, let the mixture sit until it has an egg-like consistency.

Chia seeds do not need to be ground beforehand, although grinding may shorten the wait time if you are unable or do not want to boil water.

Click here to see an example of chia seeds on Amazon.

You can use Canned Or Bottled Beverage In Box Cakes

One of the more interesting and time-saving substitutes may be using a canned or bottled beverage with a box cake recipe. One 12 ounce can or bottle can substitute all add-ins for a box recipe, including the milk, water, oil, and eggs!

Choosing a malted beverage like a beer will add an interesting depth of flavor and make for a cake that is not overly sweet. Using a light-tasting beer will turn out a cake that is more like a sweet, quick bread in flavor.

To make a lighter cake add a can or bottle of soda to a box cake. You should use white sodas in lighter cakes to not affect appearance. In contrast, you can use club soda for minimal effect on flavor.

Add your beverage to the cake mix and combine as normal—Bake as directed. The cake may be more fragile than usual, be sure to wait until completely cool to remove from the pan.

Use Mashed Fruit Or Squash As A Substitute For Eggs

Mashed fruit may be a healthier substitute for the eggs in your recipe. If you are substituting for both the oil and eggs, use 1/4 to 1/2 cup of mashed avocado. For an egg only substitute, use two to three tablespoons of mashed avocado for every egg needed. The high-fat content in avocado makes for a truly silky texture.

Other mashed items that can bind and provide a nice texture include mashed apples or applesauce, bananas, or canned squash, or sweet potato. Use a 1/4 cup for every egg substituted. Add an extra 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder to your recipe for a lighter cake.

Click here to see an example of canned butternut squash on Amazon.

Use Commercial Egg Alternative

Eggless diets are on the rise since eggs are a common allergy. Many are also making personal lifestyle and health choices that remove eggs from their diets. Now those that do not consume eggs can use substitutes that replace eggs in daily cooking and baking.

One of the oldest egg replacements still available is the Ener-G egg replacer. It's a dry mix made from tapioca and potato starches. This mix can be used as a binder in any baked item. To use mix 1 1/2 teaspoons of mix with two tablespoons of water for every egg substituted.

Click here to see this egg replacer on Amazon.

The Vegg baking mix is another popular replacer. It's also a dry mix that is made from pea protein. Four tablespoons of mix with 1/2 a cup of water make the equivalent of two eggs.

Click here to see Vegg on Amazon.

The newest addition to the egg replacer lineup is by far the most versatile. Just Egg comes ready to use in liquid form. Just shake and pour to use for everything from scrambled eggs to baked goods. The base ingredient in Just Egg is mung beans.

Substitute the same amount of this product for the same amount of egg. For example, an egg is around three or four tablespoons of liquid, so you would substitute the same amount of Just Egg. This can be a visual substitution as an exact amount is not necessary in most cases.

Click here to see Just Egg on Amazon.

Is Egg-Free Cake Healthy?

Since cakes traditionally contain processed white flour, milk, eggs, white sugar, and oil, removing eggs alone may not make your recipe healthy. Make a cake without eggs and milk to lower cholesterol or fat. Substitute the flour, sugar, and oil in the recipe for the healthiest cake.

Read our article 6 Cake Flour Substitutes And Alternatives for more on different flour types.

Click here to see this flour on Amazon.

Experiment With Eggless Baking

Now that you know what happens when you bake a cake without eggs and what you can use to substitute, be sure to experiment! Make your favorite recipes with different substitutions to find what works for your palate. You may find that different substitutes work better for different types of cakes. Eggless baking is a skill like any other kitchen skill, and practice will only improve the end product.