What Is the Best Substitute for Eggs in Cake?

You will almost always see eggs in baking recipes, especially cakes. They serve several purposes, from binding ingredients to allowing the dough to rise.

But there will be times when you just don't have them at hand, or maybe you want to replace eggs for health concerns like egg allergies or strict diet plans.

For that, you need a substitute for eggs in cake that will provide similar effects. I have just the list for you.

Jump to:

• Why Do Cakes Need Eggs?
• Nut- and Seed-Based Egg Substitutes for Cakes
• Fruit- and Vegetable-Based Egg Substitutes for Cakes
• Powder-Based Egg Substitutes for Cakes
• Milk-Based Egg Substitutes for Cakes
• Other Egg Substitutes
• How to Choose an Egg Substitute for Cake
• Egg Substitute FAQs
• For Fluffy and Delicious Cakes
• Recipe

Why Do Cakes Need Eggs?

Before we proceed with our list, let's talk about why cakes need eggs in the first place. Aside from moisture, emulsification, and the rich taste, eggs serve two major purposes in a cake recipe.

For Binding

Cakes, or any other baked goods, must maintain their structure before, during, and after you put them in the oven.

The white part of an egg (egg whites) is very sticky, allowing it to hold ingredients together so you don't end up with a crumbly cake.

For Leavening

Even if you separate the whites from the egg yolks, eggs will still work as a leavening agent. The chemical reaction produces air pockets that volumize our cakes and other baked goods.

This works even better when you pair the eggs with baking soda or powder. Finding a substitute that covers these functions will be challenging but not impossible.

Nut- and Seed-Based Egg Substitutes for Cakes

Surprisingly, the best egg substitutes for cakes have nothing to do with eggs, animals, or dairy products. These nut- and seed-based alternatives will show you how to make an eggless cake.

1. Ground Flax Seeds

You can use ground flaxseed to make a flax egg. As the name suggests, flax eggs work just like real eggs. You just have to mix 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water.

Let it sit for a few minutes until it assumes the consistency of an egg. It adds a nutty flavor to your cake and may cause it to be denser and heavier (because of its weak leavening properties).

Use it as an egg substitute for cake in a 1:1 ratio. You can also use flax eggs to make cookies. Try it on this chocolate cookies recipe.

2. Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are just like flax seeds. You must make a substance similar to flax egg before using it as a substitute. Use a similar ratio (1:3) to make a chia meal/egg.

It also gives your cake a nuttier flavor and will not give your recipe an excellent leavening effect. Use it as a direct replacement for every egg the recipe calls for.

3. Nut Butters

Here's another excellent vegan egg substitute in cakes; nut butter. Avoid store-bought nut butter, as this can be very sweet.

Instead, make your nut butter at home with macadamia, walnut, or pecan nuts. Just toss them in the blender and process for about 5 minutes, and you have a great binding agent.

Around 3 tablespoons of nut butter is equivalent to 1 egg. Here's a peanut butter chocolate cake recipe to try it on.

Fruit- and Vegetable-Based Egg Substitutes for Cakes

You can never go wrong with fruit purees if you're looking for healthier egg substitutes for cake. Here are some of your best options.

1. Unsweetened Applesauce

Applesauce is perhaps the most popular substitute for eggs in cake and other baking recipes. It increases the moisture level of your dough while working as a natural binder for your ingredients.

When using applesauce as an egg substitute, ensure you go for the unsweetened version to avoid altering the recipe's flavor.

While applesauce may improve the texture and consistency of your baked goods, its leavening properties are way behind compared to egg whites.

Use ¼ cup of unsweetened applesauce for every egg in the recipe.

2. Mashed Banana

Mashed bananas work identical to applesauce in baking. They add moisture and sweetness and improve the overall texture of your cake recipe.

However, they also don't have leavening properties. Nonetheless, it's an excellent binder and thickener for your dough, as long as you don't mind the banana flavor in your cake.

Use ¼ cup of mashed bananas to replace 1 egg in the recipe. Do you want to make sure the flavor blends well with your recipe? Try using it on this banana bundt cake recipe.

3. Mashed Potatoes

The mashed potato you love so much from your favorite food chain should also work as an egg substitute for cake, but only as a binding agent.

Also, potatoes contain lots of starch, which means you will most likely end up with a dense and heavy cake, but if no other alternative is available, this replacement should work.

Use ¼ cup of mashed potatoes to replace 1 egg in the recipe.

Powder-Based Egg Substitutes for Cakes

Even though egg whites are liquid ingredients, you can replace them with powder-based alternatives. Here are some of the most efficient ones.

1. Commercial Egg Replacement

A commercial egg replacement, sometimes called an egg replacer, contains all the properties you want from eggs, except that it doesn't come from animals.

Therefore, it's perfect for a vegan diet. It comes from potato starch, tapioca flour, cream of tartar, and other ingredients that allow it to function like egg whites.

It's an excellent binding and leavening agent for cakes and other recipes. You just have to mix 1.5 teaspoons of a commercial egg replacement with 2 tablespoons of water to replace one egg.

Try its efficiency on this chocolate easter eggs cake recipe.

2. Baking Powder

One property of eggs that's very difficult to find is the leavening factor. If it plays an important role in your recipe, consider using baking powder.

It's a mix of baking soda, cream of tartar, and cornstarch. Baking powder triggers a chemical reaction that gives cakes an airy texture, similar to what eggs do.

Mix 2 tablespoons of baking powder, 3 tablespoons of water, and 1 tablespoon of oil to replace each egg in the recipe.

3. Agar-Agar Powder

I was supposed to include gelatin on this list, but I figured you might want to avoid products that come from animals (gelatin comes from pigs' and cows' collagen).

Thankfully, there's a vegan alternative to that known as agar-agar. This powder comes from algae or seaweed and is an excellent egg substitute for cake.

Mix agar-agar powder with water in a 1:1 ratio to give it an egg-like consistency. Around 1 tablespoon of agar-agar and 1 tablespoon of water replaces 1 egg in the recipe.

Agar-agar is also one of the best xanthan gum substitutes.

Milk-Based Egg Substitutes for Cakes

Let's move on to liquid-based substitutes, or more specifically, milk-based alternatives. Be mindful, though, since some options are dairy products.

1. Plain Yogurt

Greek or plain yogurt is a popular egg substitute for cakes and other recipes. Ensure you go for unflavored yogurt, as the other variants may alter the recipe's flavor.

If you don't have yogurt, you can also use buttermilk or make it at home with a cup of regular milk and a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar.

Use ¼ cup of yogurt or buttermilk to replace each egg in the recipe.

2. Coconut Milk

Here's another dairy-free and vegan egg substitute in cakes; coconut milk. As we all know, coconuts contain various nutrients that are good for the body.

Like other milk-based substitutes on this list, coconut milk will only provide a little rise to your cake. Nonetheless, it's an excellent binding agent.

Use ¼ cup of coconut milk as an egg substitute in cake recipes. Here's a chocolate coconut cake recipe to try it on.

3. Silken Tofu

Silken tofu is an excellent binding agent with slight leavening properties. It comes from soy milk, which means it's a dairy-free alternative.

However, it also makes cakes considerably moist and dense, so you want to use it on slightly dense recipes. Use ¼ cup of silken tofu to replace one egg in the recipe.

Other Egg Substitutes

Aside from nuts, powders, milks, and fruits, you may also find several substitutes for eggs in baking around your house.

1. Apple Cider Vinegar

There's a bit of a misconception here. You can't use apple cider vinegar alone to replace eggs in baking. You need to use it with baking soda to trigger a chemical reaction similar to baking powder.

While this combination may not be the best binding agent you could use, its leavening properties will make some of the fluffiest cakes you'll ever have.

Mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda with 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to replace 1 egg in the recipe. Alternatively, you can also use lemon juice instead of vinegar.

Apple cider vinegar is also among the best champagne vinegar substitutes for salad dressings.

2. Aquafaba

The next time you buy canned chickpeas, don't discard the liquid it comes with. This is one of the best egg substitutes you can use for your cake.

Its consistency is very similar to egg whites, and it works as a binding and thickening agent with a little bit of leavening properties.

Use 3 tablespoons of aquafaba for each egg in the recipe.

3. Soy Lecithin

If you don't have a soy allergy, soy lecithin should also work as a binding ingredient in cakes. It comes from soybeans, usually a by-product of making soybean oil.

Manufacturers often use this for their commercially- and mass-produced foods to hold other ingredients together. It's also a popular ingredient in PAM cooking sprays.

It has a very thick consistency, almost like honey, so you don't need to use too much. You can use soy lecithin as an egg substitute for cakes in a 1:1 ratio.

How to Choose an Egg Substitute for Cake

So, now that you have a list of all the best egg substitutes for baking cakes, how do you determine which is right for your recipe? Here's what to consider.

Binding vs. Leavening

As I've mentioned, eggs play two major roles in baking a cake; binding and leavening. Ergo, choose a substitute with strong binding properties if your recipe only needs eggs as a binding agent (and vice versa).

While most substitutes here will only work as a binding agent, combining them with baking powder should provide the same leavening properties of eggs in baking.

Flavor

Your next consideration should be the flavor of a substitute. This is particularly important for fruit purees because of their distinct flavors.

Ensure the additional taste blends well with your cake recipe before using it as a substitute.

Dietary Restrictions

Lastly, consider your dietary restrictions. Are you following a plant-based diet? Do you need a dairy-free alternative? Do you have an egg allergy?

Research everything you need to know about these egg substitutes to avoid risking your health.

Egg Substitute FAQs

For Fluffy and Delicious Cakes

There you have it. My list of all the best egg substitutes for cakes divided into five categories. Remember that understanding the purpose of eggs in your recipe is still the most important aspect to consider.

Determine if you need a binding or a leavening agent before choosing a substitute from the list. If there are other ingredients you want to replace, just visit Also The Crumbs, Please.

Cakes, muffins, quick breads, cookies, brownies - whatever you're baking, there's a substitute for a specific ingredient in that recipe.

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Recipe