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12 Easy Ways to Make Cupcakes Without Eggs (Using Household Ingredients)

12 Easy Ways to Make Cupcakes Without Eggs (Using Household Ingredients)

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You may think that it is completely necessary to use eggs in order to make delicious cupcakes. However, this is definitely not the case- you can actually make fantastic cupcakes without eggs!

So the next time you want to make yourself a sweet treat and find that your egg carton is empty, don’t fret, just use one of the great ideas below.

No eggs are needed for scrumptious, homemade cupcakes!

12 Easy Ways To Make Cupcakes Without Eggs (Using Household Ingredients)

The Function of Eggs in Cupcakes

Before thinking about how to replace and egg in a cupcake recipe, it is important to think about what eggs add to a cupcake batter.

Eggs actually have several jobs in a cupcake recipe. First, eggs are a binder, holding the cupcake together after it bakes. The firm structure that eggs create is thanks to the protein inside the egg yolk and egg white which hardens as the eggs bake.

Eggs also add fat to a cupcake batter. More specifically, the egg yolk adds the fat. This can help cupcakes taste richer and creamier, adding flavor as well as moistness.

The egg white, on the other hand, can add air to a cupcake especially when the whites are whipped and fluffed before going into the batter. That air makes a cupcake light and fluffy.

When you are trying to replace eggs in a cupcake batter, you will need an ingredient that can do all (or most) of these things- act as a binder, keep the cupcake moist and flavorful and lighten the cake.

Eggs do a lot so they can be tricky to replace but there are a few options you can check out that will work wonderfully.

1 – Silken Tofu

Silken Tofu is a very soft variety of tofu that is much smoother than traditional kinds. Thanks to this velvety consistency along with it’s ability to bind ingredients together and thanks its high protein content, silken tofu is a perfect egg replacer in cupcake batter.

Before adding the silken tofu to the cupcake batter (at the same place when you would typically add eggs), beat it well in order to make it lump free.

Just ¼ cup of silken tofu is needed to replace one egg, and while your cupcakes may not be as brown as they would be when you use eggs, they will come out moist, soft and delicious!

2 – Applesauce

Many people love using applesauce as an egg replacer as it also adds a little bit of extra flavor along with nutritional benefits to the cupcakes.

When using applesauce as an egg replacer in cupcakes, you can simply add ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce in place of each egg.

One thing to keep in mind is that too much applesauce can make your cupcakes rubbery. So, with that being said, if your recipe has more than 4 eggs (or one cup applesauce), look for a different alternative. That much applesauce can harm the cupcakes rather than do good!

However, to replace one or two eggs, applesauce works fantastically!

3 – Ripe Banana

While thinking about fruits that can replace eggs in a recipe, check out the banana! All you need is ¼ cup mashed, ripe banana to replace an egg in a cupcake recipe.

Not only does this add a nice subtle flavor to your cupcakes but it will also make them sweeter naturally. The banana will help bind the cupcakes together and keep that moist texture that you love.

Just like using applesauce rather than eggs, too much banana can make the cupcakes very dense and chewy. Opt for this egg replacer when there are 3 or fewer eggs in the recipe.

4 – Ground Flaxseed

You may have heard of “flaxseed eggs” as these are very popular when it comes to making baked goods without traditional eggs.

A flaxseed “egg” is one tablespoon of ground flaxseeds mixed together with three tablespoons of water. After the mix is stirred, let the flaxseeds sit for two minutes- they will be thick and gelatinous after this, almost like an egg!

Once the gel mixture is ready, add it into your cupcake batter at the time you would typically add the eggs.

Flaxseeds work as a strong binder in cupcake batter thanks to their fibrous qualities. While they won’t add much as far as creating a smooth mouth feel (flaxseeds can make cupcakes slightly chewy), flaxseed eggs add an earthy and subtle nutty flavor to the dessert.

Flaxseeds are also extremely nutritious soy you can definitely pretend that your cupcakes are healthy!

5 – Plain Greek Yogurt

If you are looking to make a cupcake with nice smooth texture despite not having any eggs, yogurt is the ingredient you should grab! Just like eggs, yogurt contains healthy fats as well as a nice creamy taste.

Greek yogurt is thicker than other kinds of yogurt making it the ideal egg replacer. You can opt for plain yogurt or vanilla which will add some extra flavor to your cupcakes.

Just ¼ cup will do! You may notice that your cupcakes are a little more dense but in a very good, tasty way.

6 – Vinegar and Baking Soda

As mentioned before, eggs help cakes rise thanks to their ability to be aerated and trap air as they bake. If you are looking to get that same fluffy effect without using eggs, vinegar and baking soda is what you should try!

One teaspoon baking soda and one tablespoon of vinegar can replace one egg. However, rather than adding this mix straight into the batter or mixing it in at the time you would typically add eggs, you want to add the vinegar and baking soda mix into the cupcake batter last.

When you mix the ingredients in a small bowl, they will instantly start bubbling, having the chemical reaction you want inside the batter.

Combine the baking soda and vinegar then add the mix immediately to the cupcake batter.

7 – Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are very high in omega-3 fatty acids and also fiber and plant compounds. So how can this healthy food replace eggs in a recipe? Easy!

One tablespoon of chia seeds along with three tablespoons of water will make you one beautiful egg alterative.

Chia seeds will gel the ingredients together, making a strong and yummy cupcake. You’ll want to eat a bunch of these cupcakes and you can feel fine about it- they are nutritious!

8 – Commercial Egg Replacer

If you plan on making cupcakes without eggs often, you may want to invest in a commercial egg replacer. There are many kinds out there and they typically come in powdered form which means they are shelf stable for several months (they stay fresh way longer than normal eggs!).

Most commercial egg replacers are made with starch and a leavening agent, therefore acting like an egg when they are baked by binding the ingredients and helping the cupcakes rise.

Egg replacers have a very neutral taste and won’t add much to the cupcakes as far as flavor but they will definitely make your cupcakes bake successfully despite having no eggs!

Each commercial egg replacer will come with its own directions on how to use it but typically, you will combine about 1 ½ teaspoons of the egg powder to 3 tablespoons of water to make one egg.

9 – Arrowroot

Arrowroot powder is made from grinding the arrowroot tuber to make a very high starch ingredient.  It is perfect to use in baking and replacing eggs thanks to the high starch content (it will hold the cupcakes together for sure!).

Two tablespoons of arrowroot powder mixed with three tablespoons of water will make one “egg” suitable for any cupcake recipe. Arrowroot is fairly tasteless and won’t add any flavor to your cupcakes.

10 – Aquafaba

If you have never heard of aquafaba, get ready to discover a cool new ingredient that you may have been throwing away for years.

The liquid left over from cooking beans or the liquid inside a can of beans is called aquafaba. That thick, gooey liquid is a perfect substitute to egg whites (the consistency is about the same, don’t you think?!).

Aquafaba is ideal to use when your recipe asks for just egg whites. It can be whipped just like egg whites and will hold it’s shape too. This can help keep your cupcakes light and fluffy without using any eggs at all!

Of course aquafaba has a slight taste but once it is mixed into your cupcakes, it won’t be noticeable at all! Three tablespoons of aquafaba can replace one egg white in a cupcake recipe.

11 – Nut Butter

Using three tablespoons of smooth peanut butter, cashew butter or almond butter can replace one egg in your cupcake recipe. This replacement option works best when used in a recipe that makes dense cupcakes like a banana cupcake or apple cupcake.

There will be a definite nutty taste to your final product so make sure this flavor compliments your cupcakes!

12 – No Egg Recipes

Rather than replacing the eggs in your cupcake recipe, looks for a recipe that was created using no eggs. There are plenty of cupcake recipes out there that have no eggs and have been tested to ensure they work perfectly.

Rather than doing your own cupcake experiments, use someone else’s! The recipes you find will likely use some of the methods listed above to replace the eggs anyway.

While eggs do help to make fantastic cupcakes, you definitely do not need to rely on them to make a perfect dessert treat. Plenty of other ingredients will work in place of eggs and make your cupcakes interesting, tasty and one hundred percent egg free!

Give a few of these ideas a try, then let me know how your cupcakes turn out!

Happy baking!

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