egg substitution

May 15, 2005 10:33 AM

So I'm making a yellow cake from a mix...I added the water and the oil, then reached into the refrigerator for eggs that weren't there. What will happen if I bake this without the eggs? Or is there any normal pantry item that I could substitute for them? All the substitution recommendations I can find online are like substituting whites for whole eggs and using those non-egg egg substitutes. I'm not going to leave the house. Can this cake be saved?
posted by leapingsheep to Food & Drink (18 answers total)

Do you have flax seeds?
posted by AlexReynolds at 10:36 AM on May 15, 2005

About the same volume of applesauce maybe? Seriously, I think I've heard of that.
posted by whatisish at 10:37 AM on May 15, 2005

Response by poster: no...but I have sesame seeds. hmmm...that thing says there's an egg substitute made from vegetable starches. I wonder about using corn starch and water... This could turn into quite the chemistry experiment.
posted by leapingsheep at 10:39 AM on May 15, 2005

Put in a lot more shortening and do cookies instead.
posted by jfuller at 10:41 AM on May 15, 2005

just go to the store, already. This is my real, actual advice to you.
posted by boo_radley at 10:42 AM on May 15, 2005

Have any yogurt? That works pretty well sometimes. A little yogurt.
posted by 31d1 at 10:43 AM on May 15, 2005

If you have bananas or applesauce (or other fruit, pureed) it will do the trick:

1/2 mashed banana = 1 egg
1/4 cup applesauce or pureed fruit = 1 egg
posted by smich at 10:55 AM on May 15, 2005

This is the "fake egg" recipe I use when I cook vegan. It works very well in baking. I have only used it in carrot cake not yellow cake tho, so cross your fingers.

1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp flour
3 Tbsp water

Mix with fork in small bowl 'til foamy. Substitutes for one egg. Can be doubled or more.
posted by Melinika at 12:20 PM on May 15, 2005 [1 favorite]

Sorry I didn't see this earlier, MeFi was down for a while (I hope you figured out a way to rescue your cake!). I have used that to convert cookie, muffin, and quickbread recipes for a couple years now and it has always worked for me (I hardly ever have eggs on hand). Just remember to mix it up separately, then add it to the batter. This "fake egg" recipe is from The Teen's Vegetarian Cookbook by Judy Krizmanic, by the way.
posted by Melinika at 12:26 PM on May 15, 2005

The Cook's Thesaurus normally gives pretty good suggestions for substitutes for all manner of ingredients. Here is their egg page (they suggest that when baking that 1 egg = 2 tablespoons liquid + 2 tablespoons flour + ½ tablespoon shortening + ½ teaspoon baking powder).
posted by urban greeting at 12:46 PM on May 15, 2005

A heaping teaspoon of mayonnaise usually works fine.
posted by LarryC at 3:03 PM on May 15, 2005

Maybe it is time to introduce yourself to your neighbors?
posted by Chuckles at 3:27 PM on May 15, 2005

I'm super alelrgic to eggs, this about.com page is in my bookmarks. It lists several substitutions, depending on the function of the egg in the original recipe.

Yeah, I know it's 12 hours later, but maybe it will be of use.
posted by Jack Karaoke at 8:24 PM on May 15, 2005

Processing yellowcake, with or without eggs, will get you in touble with the International Atomic Energy Comission -- which, I realize now, probably isn't anything to worry about.
posted by Good Brain at 10:28 PM on May 15, 2005

damn, good brain, I was about to make that joke.
posted by randomstriker at 12:45 AM on May 16, 2005

About the same volume of applesauce maybe? Seriously, I think I've heard of that.

You've heard of it as a substitute for oil in lowfat cake recipes. I had the same confusion a few weeks back and made a pile of cake.
posted by Gucky at 10:33 AM on May 16, 2005

Response by poster: Thanks everyone! Metafilter went down at the critical moment...but I had the brilliant notion that if I used a minimuffin pan instead of a cake pan there would be a lot more surface area and it would hold itself together better and it sort of worked...we had pineapple upsidedown mini-muffins...and the little crumblies that fell out went to the same place as the parts that held together.
posted by leapingsheep at 12:27 PM on May 16, 2005

Thanks to your recipe Melinika, I was able to make some killer raisin oat cookies just now.
posted by catachresoid at 1:18 AM on June 2, 2005