Here’s What Happens If You Bake A Cake Without Eggs

Baking is a fun and messily-delicious activity. I like to lick clean  leftover batter (and may leave just a little extra in the mixing bowl for that exact purpose!) When I was younger, I was always told not to lick the batter because the raw eggs it has would upset my stomach. I didn’t care and did it anyway. Rebels unite!

When I moved towards a plant-based diet, eggs were no longer welcome in my pantry. This meant that I had to find a way to bake all the cakes that I loved without eggs. But, what happens if you bake a cake without eggs?

The responses I received to that question ranged from “the cake is going to be hard as a rock” to  “it will be dry,” “it won’t taste good,” it won’t rise properly”―the list goes on and on. Not one person I spoke with told me that there actually were a number of substitutes for eggs (Thank you, Google!).

What happens if you bake a cake without eggs?

A lot, apparently! The main one is that the cake will automatically become a vegan cake! That is if you don’t use any cow’s milk, which is always a good idea. Stick with plant-based milk, people! It doesn’t have any cow pus or hormones in it. 

The taboo that all vegan cake is dry and tasteless is simply not true. To be completely honest, I have tasted some vegan cakes that reminded me of sand so, it’s all trial and error and, sometimes, more error than victory.

Can you make a box cake without eggs?

I’m not really a fan of baking cake from scratch. It takes way too much time and energy and if something isn’t measured correctly, the whole thing will fall apart. Box cakes are my saving grace. I love making them and there are more healthy options available now than there was ten years ago. All I have to do is pour the ingredients into a mixer and bam! I’m finished, in the oven, it goes while I lick the mixer and whisk clean.

What can you substitute for eggs in a box cake mix?

Besides brownies, I love a light fluffy cake. The myth about making a cake light and fluffy is that it needs to have eggs. Wrong! I’ve personally made such light and fluffy cake without adding eggs that I’ve shocked myself. All this time I was led to believe that I was stuck eating brownies always because the cake would be dense with no eggs.

I’m here to tell you that it’s a lie, all of it!

Most box cakes require two to three eggs to make. If it’s a white angel cake or yellow cake, the box normally recommends three eggs. For brownies, it ranges from one to two. Unsweetened applesauce is a great substitute for eggs. It provides the moisture and the binding element that’s similar to that of an egg. 

To achieve the light texture of any box cake, use a combination of applesauce and baking powder as an egg substitute. For brownies, applesauce works great on its own.

The ratio of egg to applesauce substitute is key. 

A quarter cup of unsweetened applesauce is the equivalent of one large egg.

The serving size of baking powder is 1/8 teaspoon. Double that and your cake will be light and fluffy.

If your cake came out a bit denser than your desired texture, increase the amount of baking powder the next time you bake. Remember that baking is an experiment. If something doesn’t work the first time around, go back to the ingredients, tweak and adjust until you’ve found your perfect combination.

Baking is fun and should always be fun. Pastry chefs are food scientists so take a page from their book. If it tastes great but looks ugly, your stomach will not care but if it tastes and looks great then you’ve got a winner.

So grab your unsweetened applesauce and your baking powder the next time you have a craving for some vegan cake.

Do you use any other substitute for eggs when you’re baking? I’d love to hear what they are so let me know in the comment section below.

Happy baking!

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