Almost every cake or cookie recipe includes eggs, so how do people who don’t want to use eggs get around it?
Vegans manage to make delicious baked goods without eggs, and as a bonus it’s often healthier. Doctors frequently advise people with heart problems to cut down on the fat in their diets.
Sometimes bakers don’t happen to have any eggs handy, which can be disastrous if they don’t know what to use as an egg replacement. Other reasons people may wish to cook without eggs include allergies and cost.
Most of these suggestions will work fine for replacing one or two eggs. Testing the various egg free options through trial and error is the best way to get good results.
Flaxseed
Grind the flaxseed in a coffee grinder or blender before adding water. Add three teaspoons of water per teaspoon of flaxseed. Leave this mixture to set until it gels together and then use it as an egg replacement in cookies or cakes. This has the consistency of eggs and works quite well. It does have a distinct nutty taste; so make sure that it will complement the recipe.
Tofu
Tofu doesn’t have a strong taste, so there’s one less worry when using it as an egg replacement. Silken tofu has a creamy texture and it works well for cakes and brownies. Use ¼ cup of blended tofu to replace one egg. Tofu tends to absorb the flavor of other foods, so it's a good choice for mild flavored dishes.
Apple Sauce and Mashed Bananas
Use 1/4 cup of bananas or applesauce to replace one egg in recipes. Bananas and apples work well as egg replacements in pancakes, muffins and cakes. Consider adding another teaspoon of baking powder to the recipe so it will rise a little more and balance the extra moistness.
Potato or Corn Starch
Use two teaspoons of potato or corn starch to replace one egg. This is an effective leavening agent, but to balance the lacking moisture, try adding a tablespoon of oil.
Tomato Paste
Tomatoes will help bind food together, but paste might not work well in cookies, especially if a mild crunchy flavor is desired. On the other hand, tomato paste is very tasty in some baked goods and used to be a popular addition to spice cake.
Mashed Pumpkin
Pumpkin is a good choice and it isn’t too bad added to muffins, as long as no one objects to the flavor. Use ¼ cup of mashed pumpkin to replace one egg. Pumpkin goes well with cinnamon, apple and raisins. Add a little more baking powder to the recipe since pumpkin is quite heavy.
Mashed Prunes and/or Dates
Prunes and dates also have a distinct flavor, but a heavy fruitcake could probably carry it. Use ¼ cup of soaked and mashed prunes or dates as an egg replacement.
Ener-G Egg Replacer
Ener-G Egg Replacer is a popular and easy to use commercial egg replacement that many vegetarians use. It’s in powder form and requires the addition of water.
Some of these egg replacements will work better than others for certain dishes. If a recipe calls for more than a couple of eggs, it’s probably not a good egg replacement candidate. There’s only so much fruit, tofu or baking powder bakers can use to replace eggs successfully.
Related:
Sources:
30 Day Diabetes Miracle Cookbook by Bonnie House, Diana Fleming, Linda Brinegar, Linda Kennedy and Ian Blake Newman, Penguin Group, 2008.
Vegan Society: Egg Substitutes http://www.vegansociety.com/food/catering_and_cookery/eggfree.php
 |
