Baking is a science, and when it comes to recipes that call for eggs, there’s no room for error. That’s why finding a good egg substitute is key when you’re making a cake or cupcakes from a boxed cake mix.
Whether it’s for health reasons, you don’t eat eggs or you just ran out, we’ve got the perfect egg replacement for you.
In our list below, we cover the 20 best egg substitutes to try with a box cake mix. We’ll offer quite a few different options with details on how much egg substitute to use for each method.
Applesauce and mashed banana are our top two recommendations for egg substitutes. Other common ingredients you can use include:
- Vinegar and Baking Soda
- Yogurt
- Water, Oil and Baking Powder
- Soda
- Carbonated Water
- Sweetened Condensed Milk
- Store Bought Egg Substitute
- Gelatin
We also rounded up some healthier egg substitutes for using in cake mixes.
Some of these are more specialty ingredients, but they can be found in many supermarkets, health food stores and online.
- Flax and Chia Seeds
- Silken Tofu
- Buttermilk and Kefir
- Arrowroot Powder
- Aquafaba
- Nut Butter
- Agar-Agar
- Soy Lecithin
- Protein Powder
- Fruit or Vegetable Puree
Why Eggs Are Used in Baking (And What Happens When You Replace Them)
Eggs are a key ingredient in most cake recipes, including cake mixes. They serve many different purposes including binding other ingredients together. They also add moisture, volume, color and flavor to your baked goods.
When you replace the eggs in a cake mix with one of the ideas in this list, the final product will be similar, but not always identical to the original cake recipe. Depending on the replacement you use, you may see variations in the flavor, color, texture or moistness of your cake.
HOW TO SUBSTITUTE EGGS IN CAKE MIX: 20 GOOD IDEAS TO TRY
The list below is broken into 2 sections:
- Common egg substitutes (common ingredients you may already have on hand) and
- Healthier egg replacement options (more specialty ingredients you may need to buy)
COMMON SUBSTITUTES FOR EGGS IN CAKE MIXES
1. Unsweetened Applesauce
If this is your first time using egg replacements, applesauce is one of the best substitutes to try. It’s pretty straightforward. You simply replace one egg in the original recipe with a quarter cup of unsweetened apple sauce.
It’s generally advised to use unsweetened applesauce, although you can use a flavored or sweetened variety if that’s all you have. Just be aware it may change the flavor of your cake.
2. Ripe Mashed Bananas
A ripe banana is another easy egg substitute. Plus you’ll have the added benefit of finding a way to use up those old bananas!
For this hack, simply replace one egg with 1 ripe mashed banana.
Note that your final product might have a slight taste of banana.
3. Vinegar and Baking Soda
Another great egg substitute is vinegar and baking soda. Apple cider vinegar or white distilled vinegar can be used.
In place of the eggs, use 1 tablespoon of vinegar and 1 teaspoon of baking soda per egg that is called for on the cake mix box.
4. Plain Yogurt
Replace one egg with 1/4 cup of yogurt. You can use full-fat, low-fat or Greek yogurt. For best results, use unsweetened or unflavored yogurt.
5. Water, Oil and Baking Powder
Another easy way to replace the eggs is to combine 1 1/2 tablespoons of your preferred neutral-flavored oil with 1 1/2 tablespoons of water and 1 teaspoon of baking powder. Add this mixture to the recipe to replace one egg.
6. Soda
Another good alternative is to add one can of soda to the box mix. This works to replace ALL of the other ingredients (usually eggs, oil and water) needed with boxed cake mix.
For this trick, you can use regular soda or diet soda. You can also play around with the flavors. Here are a few popular flavor combinations:
Coke or Pepsi + Chocolate Cake Mix = Chocolate Cola
Sprite + Yellow Cake Mix = Zesty Citrus
Dr. Pepper + Cherry Cake Mix = Cherry Chip
Cream Soda + Vanilla Cake Mix = Creamsicle
Root Beer + Vanilla Cake Mix = Root Beer Float
Ginger Ale + Spice Cake Mix = Ginger Spice
Mountain Dew + Lemon Cake Mix = Lemonade
Strawberry Soda + Strawberry Cake Mix = Strawberry Shortcake
Orange Soda + Vanilla Cake Mix = Orange Creamsicle
7. Carbonated Water
Similar to the above soda hack, you can also replace one egg with 1.5 cups of carbonated water. This will replace all the rest of the ingredients that your recipe calls for.
8. Sweetened Condensed Milk
You can also substitute one egg with a 1/4 cup of sweetened condensed milk in your cake batter. Note that it may increase the sweetness of your cake.
9. Store Bought Egg Substitute
There are many egg replacers readily available today. These egg substitutions are commonly used in vegan recipes and for vegan baking. They can be in the form of dried powder or liquids (similar in texture to beaten eggs).
They are a great option because they have been thoroughly tested in a variety of different recipes and eggless baking applications. Just follow the package instructions for how to substitute the number of eggs needed to make your cake mix.
Bob’s Red Mill, Ener-G and Organ are just a few of the best-known brands. You can find them in grocery stores, health stores and online.
10. Gelatin
Gelatin is a quick and easy substitute, but it’s important to note that it is made from animal protein. If you’re looking for a vegan option, check out agar-agar (#17 in our list).
Combine 1 tablespoon of gelatin with 3 tablespoons of room temperature water to replace one egg. Then add to your cake batter.
HEALTHY ALTERNATIVES TO EGGS IN CAKE MIX
11. Ground Flaxseed or Chia Seeds
Did you know that you can use flax seeds (and chia seeds) to make flax eggs (or chia eggs) to use in baking recipes? And it’s easy to do.
Just mix together 1 tablespoon of chia seeds or 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseeds with 2 1/2 tablespoons water for every large egg the recipe calls for.
Let the “chia egg” or “flax egg” sit for a few minutes before using.
Chia seeds and flax seeds can be found in grocery stores, health food stores and online.
12. Silken Tofu
Silken tofu has a higher water content which makes it softer than some other types of tofu (condensed soy milk).
It also doesn’t have much flavor, so it won’t alter the flavor of your box cake mix.
For this substitution, blend 1/4 cup of tofu until it’s smooth and use it in place of one egg.
13. Buttermilk or Kefir
Buttermilk and kefir are easy ways to replace eggs in your box cake. Simply swap each egg with 1/4 cup of buttermilk or kefir.
14. Arrowroot Powder
Arrowroot powder is a starch that’s extracted from a South American plant. It looks a lot like cornstarch.
It can be purchased at some grocery stores, many health food stores and online too. The starch is extracted from the roots of the plant and sold as a powder, starch or flour.
To substitute one egg, just mix 2 tablespoons of arrowroot powder with 3 tablespoons of water.
15. Aquafaba
If you’re not familiar with aquafaba, it’s not as crazy as it sounds! It’s simply the liquid that is leftover after cooking beans or legumes.
If you open a can of chickpeas or beans, aquafaba is the liquid that is inside. You’ll notice that liquid has a consistency that is pretty similar to egg whites.
To replace eggs with this trick, use 3 tablespoons of aquafaba to replace one whole egg that the recipe calls for.
16. Nut Butter
You can swap one egg with 3 tablespoons of your preferred nut butter such as peanut, cashew or almond butter.
Do note that using nut butter will change the cake flavor. It’s also suggested to use creamy instead of chunky nut butter.
17. Agar-Agar
Agar-agar is a vegan alternative to gelatin. To use it with cake mixes, combine 1 tablespoon of agar-agar with 1 tablespoon of water for each egg.
Agar-agar powder can be easily ordered online and also found some supermarkets and health stores.
18. Soy Lecithin
Soy lecithin is commonly used because it can hold and bind ingredients together. As an egg replacement, add 1 tablespoon of soy lecithin to replace one egg in the recipe.
You can find soy lecithin online or in health food stores.
19. Protein Powder
Eggs contain protein which is helpful to form the structure of a cake. Protein powder is a clever way to get protein without the eggs.
Mix together 1 tablespoon of unflavored protein powder and 3 tablespoons of water to replace one egg.
You can use a flavored protein powder, but it will most like add flavor to your cake as well.
20. Fruit/Vegetable Puree
Similar to our #1 egg replacer (applesauce), use 1/4 cup of your preferred fruit or veggie puree to substitute one egg. Pumpkin puree and avocado puree are great options.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q. Why Use an Egg Substitute For Cake Mixes?
A. A common reason to replace eggs when using a cake mix is simply that you ran out of eggs! But there are other reasons as well. Here are a few reasons why you might want to seek ingredient alternatives:
Allergies To Eggs
Food allergies are no joke. An egg allergy can cause symptoms ranging from uncomfortable to life-threatening, and should never be taken lightly. If you are baking within the guidelines of avoiding common major allergens, eggless cake is the way to go.
Healthier Alternatives
Eggs are considered a healthy source of protein. However, they do contain a considerable amount of cholesterol and fat, especially in the yolk. You might choose to replace eggs in boxed cake mix recipes to reduce your intake of both.
Vegan Diet
A strict vegan diet does not include any animal products or bi-products. This includes meat, dairy, and eggs. Luckily, there are plenty of different egg substitutes you can use in most baking recipes.
From mashed banana and applesauce to chia seeds and pumpkin puree, there are plenty of options out there that will allow you to make a delicious and moist cake without eggs.
We hope this article gave you some great ideas to start from. have fun experimenting with the different substitutions until you find the perfect match for you!
More Baking Tips
– How To Tell If Your Brownies Are Done
– How To Make Canned Frosting Taste Better
– How To Make Store Bought Chocolate Frosting Taste Homemade
– How To Get The Burnt Popcorn Smell Out Of Your Microwave
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