What do you do when you are vegan or have an egg allergy, but cake recipes call for eggs? You find a great substitute to replace the eggs in the original recipe!
While there are a few vegan eggs replacements on the market, it is not always as easy as calling the grocery stores and asking for one. Sometimes, you’re in a pinch and need to find a replacement with ingredients you already have in your pantry or fridge.
Knowing what to use in place of eggs can take your vegan baking from stressful to simple. The good news is, it is easy to do! I have 10 home substitutes plus 5 store-bought vegan egg substitutes for you to consider.
Cake Mix Vegan Egg Substitute
Whether you are baking from scratch or using a box of cake mix, there are simple replacements you can make to keep eggs out of your cake.
The first time you “veganize” a recipe can feel a little daunting. The following guide can make it simple and help you find the best vegan egg substitutions. For the best results, use one of them in your next vegan recipe or one of your all-time favorite recipes.
Why We Use Eggs in Baking
When a recipe calls for the addition of eggs, it is important to understand why before trying to replace it. A whole egg serves many important functions in a recipe.
Structure
Eggs add structure to a recipe. When they are mixed into wet ingredients, of the cake batter, the proteins present in the cake mix coagulate. This helps strengthen the overall structure of the cake.
Moisture
Did you know that having a moist cake is partly dependent on the eggs in your mix? Eggs add moisture to your dry ingredients because they are primarily made of water. They help keep your cake soft and prevent it from over-drying.
Texture
Using eggs in your batter can also add to the overall texture of your cake. If you use too little egg, the cake becomes flat and too soft. If you use too many eggs, then the finished product will be dense and chewy.
The egg yolk, which has a lot of fat content, can also help keep your cake tasting smooth.
Flavor
Eggs can help add flavor to your favorite cake. The egg yolk contains a lot of fat, which helps make your cake taste rich and flavorful.
Nutrients
Eggs are full of protein, iron, vitamins, minerals, and some healthy fats. That means they add nutrients to your cake! You might want to keep this in mind when substituting your eggs for a different, vegan ingredient.
Leavening Agent
Usually, when you think about leavening agents in baking, your mind goes to yeast, baking powder, or baking soda. But did you know that air and steam also act as leavening agents?
That means eggs act as leavening agents in cakes. Whole eggs, egg yolks, and egg whites can trap and hold air that expands during the baking process, helping to leaven cake batters.
10 Great Vegan Egg Substitutes for Cake Mix
Whether you are making your cake from one of the vegan recipes you found online or using a reliable box mix, turning it into a delicious vegan cake is simple to do. You most likely already have something lying around the kitchen that will make one of the popular egg substitutes!
1. Flax Egg
1 large egg = 1 tbsp ground flax seeds + 3 tbsp water
One great egg substitute is to use flaxseeds and water (a.k.a. a flax egg) in the place of an egg. They can be easily made by combining one tablespoonful of ground flaxseeds (you must use ground flaxseeds, not whole) with 3 tablespoons of water.
Then let it sit for about 5 minutes.
This is one of my favorite egg replacements because the flax mixture is a great binding agent. It can very closely mimic real eggs as well. That leads to a moist, flavorful cake.
One side note, however, is that flaxseeds do not add to the leavening of the cake. It likely won’t rise the way it would if you use real eggs.
2. Chia Egg
1 large egg = 1 tbsp chia seeds + 3 tbsp water
Another good substitute, that is also similar to flax eggs, is to use chia seed. It comes in handy if you happen to have chia seeds in your house. (Is it just me, or do you say ch-ch-chi-chia every time chia seeds are mentioned. I can’t help myself!)
Tip: Make flax or chia eggs before starting your cake mix so they have time to set.
To make a chia egg combine 1 tablespoon of chia seeds with 3 tablespoons of water. Like the flaxseed mixture, you want to combine the ingredients and let it sit until it becomes thick. This will take a few minutes.
Chia seeds will be a little different than the flax seeds by becoming a little more gelatinous. They will produce a gel-like texture on their outer shell.
Once they are thickened, you can use them in your batter.
3. Applesauce
1 large egg = 1/4 cup of applesauce (unsweetened)
Did you know that another food that acts as a great binder is apple sauce? You can also use applesauce as an oil replacement in baked good recipes.
That is because the pectin present in apples acts as that excellent binder, steadily holding the structure of your cake together.
Applesauce does have a lot of moisture. That can make it a better-suited replacement for recipes that call for a longer baking time.
Be sure to use a quarter cup of unsweetened applesauce so that your cake does not come out tasting too sweet!
4. Pumpkin Puree
1 large egg = 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
Another excellent egg replacement is using pumpkin puree. It is similar to apple sauce, and is great to use in yeasty breads or quick breads.
It is a great replacement if you want to keep your recipe moist! It can give a slightly sweet flavor to your cake, and add a fun, rich color as well.
5. Vinegar and Baking Soda
1 large egg = 1 tsp baking soda + 1 tbsp of vinegar
This is an excellent vegan hack since it can help your cake batter rise normally! When you mix together baking soad with an acidic ingredient like vinegar, it produces tiny little bubbles through a chemical reaction that help to leaven your batter.
Many people also use apple cider vinegar to add to the rich flavor of the cake.
To use this mixture, all it takes is one teaspoon of baking soda with one tablespoon of vinegar. And voila! You have your egg replacement!
Tip: Mix the vinegar in with the wet ingredients first, then add the baking soda with the dry ingredients. Do not mix these two ingredients in advance!
6. Mashed Banana
1 large egg = 1/2 mashed banana
Did you know that you can use bananas to replace eggs in your recipe? This is such an easy replacement since many people have a ripe banana as a staple on their kitchen counter.
To use a banana, simply smash 1/2 of a banana for each egg that you are replacing. Do note, however, that you may taste a little bit of the banana flavor in your recipe. Try to use this replacement for baked goods that pair well with that hint of banana flavor.
7. Silken Tofu
1 large egg = 1/4 cup of silken tofu
For this vegan hack, simply use 1/4 cup of silken tofu in place of one egg. Since it is a dense and heavy ingredient, be sure to use silken tofu. If you use a firm tofu, you may find yourself with a different cake than you want. It may turn out too dense and chewy.
8. Aquafaba (Chickpea brine)
1 large egg = about 3 tbsp aquafaba
1 egg white = about two tbsp aquafaba
Aquafaba is one of those ingredients that not everyone has heard of. You can likely find it at your local health food stores, or even online! And it is easy to use!
Aquafaba is also known as chickpea brine and is very similar to egg whites. That makes it a slightly better replacement for recipes calling for egg whites instead of a whole egg.
Be sure to read the package of aquafaba to see exactly how many tablespoons of aquafaba to use in your recipe.
9. Can of Soda
eggs + oil = 1 can of soda
This may sound odd, but you can use a can of soda in your cake mix in place of eggs and oil! Replacing the eggs and oil with one can of soda can produce a moist, tasty cake.
If you use diet soda, it can replace two eggs, and act as a great leavening agent.
The great news here is that any soda can work! Use sprite, regular coke, or a diet Pepsi! It does not matter. Any soda will do!
10. Plant-based Yogurt (Unsweetened)
1 large egg = 1/4 cup yogurt
Using a vegan plain yogurt in place of an egg is very similar to using silken tofu. This works especially well for recipes that you want to be very moist!
All you have to do is mix in 1/4 cup of yogurt in place of your egg, and you’re done! Talk about easy peasy!
Pre-Made Egg Replacements
Don’t want to hassle with making your own egg replacement, or don’t have the ingredients at your house? You can also look for an already made egg replacement. Many people love the following pre-made vegan replacements:
11. Ener-G Egg Replacer
Most vegans are familiar with this product. It is plant-based and gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free. Since it contains leavening agents, it’s perfect for baking cakes and cookies.
12. Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer
This egg alternative comes in powder form so you can store it right next to your cake mix box. It’s gluten-free and will work well for baking that yummy cake.
13. Simply Eggless
This liquid egg alternative is plant-based, with lupin beans as the key ingredient. It’s full of protein and great for baking.
14. Peggs Plant-Based Eggs
This brand is new to the market, emerging during the pandemic. In some ways, it was good timing since people started cooking and baking more at home. As their cute package says, this substitute is made from chickpeas (not chicks).
15. The Neat Egg
The Neat Egg is a traditional chia mix with garbanzo beans. It acts as a binder, making it a great egg substitute for your next bake-off.
Ready to Veganize Your Cake Mix?
Replacing eggs in your cake batter can be healthy, and easy to do. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different substitutes until you find the best fit for your favorite recipe.
Happy baking! Go make Betty Crocker and Duncan Hines proud!