Substitutes for Eggs in Baking

March 11th, 2015

There are many substitutes for eggs for the process of baking or any other recipe requiring eggs. Majority of egg substitutes are available at health food stores or most grocery stores.

 The main functions of eggs are threefold: To act as binders, leavening agents or moistening batter.

If eggs are useful as binders: they can be replaced by Soy Lecithin, Arrow root, Pureed fruits, Flax-seed mix, Silken tofu, Agar Agar ( vegetarian gelatine without flavour). Measurement is ¼ cup of substitute for every egg replaced.

If eggs are useful as leavening agents: Yogurt, butter milk, Commercial egg replacement powder (Ener- G) and baking soda can be used instead.

If eggs are used for moisture: Water, fruit juice or pureed fruit/ vegetable may be used.

Here are the ways in which eggs can be substituted:

Commercial Replacer for Eggs:

Commercial egg replacers like Ener-G, Organ, Bob’s Red Mill and other brands of powders.

To use: Whip together 1 and a half tsp powder and 2 tbsp water in a blender or food processor. At times, more than 2-3 times as much of powder in same amount of water gives good results.

 The result is flavourless, without affecting taste of the baked item. Works best for cookies and other baked goods.

Silken Tofu:

It is a blessing for those who want to avoid eggs. From cakes to scrambled eggs to frostings, silken tofu is a welcome substitute for eggs.

How?  Replace each egg with 1/4 cup of whipped silken tofu.

Result:  Baked goods will not brown as deeply, but they will be heavy and moist.

Best suitable for: Cookies, brownies, breads and dense, moist and rich cakes.

Flax Seed:

Make flax seed powder by grinding together flax seeds at home or from stores.

How: Blend/ whisk together 1 tsp of flax seed powder with water (1/4 cup) to replace each egg.

Result: Baked goods are dense and heavy. They have a nutty flavour of the flax seeds.

Ideal for: Pancakes, waffles, breads, oat meal cookies, bran muffins, etc.

Pureed Fruit:

Non –sweetened apple sauce, mashed bananas, plumped raisins, softened dates and pureed prunes are some of the substitutes for eggs.

How? Use 1/ 4 cup instead of each egg.

Ideal for: Brownies, breads and cakes.

Vinegar and Baking Soda:

Vinegar works well as egg substitute in muffins, cakes and cup cakes making them fluffy and light. Most commonly used are apple cider and white vinegar.

How? 1 tbsp of vinegar with 1 tsp of baking soda.

Ideal for: Quick breads, cupcakes, cakes.

Butter Milk/ Yogurt:

These are used as egg substitutes in cakes, cup cakes and muffins. Vegan buttermilk can be made by mixing non-dairy milk with some vinegar.

How: If there are no other ingredients available to make the cake rise, use butter milk or yogurt instead of eggs. Replace amount of liquid in the recipe with same amount of yogurt or buttermilk.

Suitable for: Flat breads, bars and cookies

TIP:

Substitute for egg wash: Just use dairy/ non dairy milk, dairy/ non dairy butter, oil and light corn syrup (1/4 cup for replacing an egg).

These are some of the substitutes for eggs in recipes. After you make an eggless cake, you can gift it to your vegetarian friend. Use cakes online delivery UK to send your cake to your loved one.