Eating vegan doesn’t mean saying goodbye to cakes, biscuits, and brownies. But how do you bake without eggs, butter, and milk? Our vegan baking guide explains all.
Anything you can bake with animal products, you can bake vegan. And it’ll taste just as good (if not better!).
You’ll be amazed at what substitutes can mimic the consistency of eggs. You can still indulge in rich chocolate cakes, whip up a batch of light and fluffy pancakes, and even impress your guests with… wait for it… meringues! All without eggs. Similarly, cheesecakes, tarts, flans, and anything made with pastry, are still firmly on the menu.
So, check out our vegan baking guide below, grab your mixing bowl, and get baking!
Moo’ve Over Cows’ Milk!
The easy one! If a recipe calls for milk, then you have more than one option to choose from.
There are so many non-dairy milks on the market now, and often brands have more than one variety. Choose from almond, soy, rice, oat, hemp, hazelnut, coconut, or whatever else you prefer. Just remember to get the original flavor unsweetened!
Requires buttermilk? Just add one teaspoon of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to one cup of non-dairy milk. Once added, leave aside for a few minutes before adding to the mix.
Butter BELIEVE IT!
You can use non-dairy butter or vegetable oils in place of dairy butter, and you can just go with your preference here.
If you’re using a vegan recipe, it may specify one or the other, but if you’re “veganizing” an old favorite, choose the one you already buy.
If using vegetable oil, go with something light-tasting. Grapeseed and canola oil are good options but play around and see what you like best.
For 1/2 cup of butter (1/4 pound/4 ounces/1 stick), use 1/3 cup of oil.
No Need to Eggs-aggerate!
Everything above was pretty obvious, but this is the one everyone worries about… “But how can you bake without eggs?!” The answer: Very easily. You just need to know what to use, how, and where. Below we take you through the options, so keep our vegan baking guide on hand when shopping for ingredients.
Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are really cool. With little flavor, they can be used in both sweet and savory dishes to replace eggs. Rich in omega-3, magnesium, calcium, and protein, and gluten-free, these little seeds are a wonder food.
To make one chia “egg,” mix one tablespoon of chia seeds with three tablespoons of water. Set it aside for a few minutes until it has become gelatinous (similar to raw egg yolk); use as per recipe directions.
Ground Flax Seeds
Also high in omega-3, protein, and magnesium and packed with fiber, flax seeds are another great natural egg replacer.
Flaxseed has a cereal-like taste, so it works best in foods that complement that… think pancakes, oat cookies, muffins, banana bread, etc.
To make one flax “egg,” mix one tablespoon of ground flax seeds with three tablespoons of water. Set it aside for a few minutes until it has become gelatinous (similar to raw egg white); use as per recipe instructions.
Egg Replacer
You can find vegan egg substitutes in many stores now, and it is often what new vegans turn to first. It can be a good option for recipes that require lots of eggs, i.e., four or more.
Follow the directions on the package and use according to the recipe method.
Silken Tofu
Another vegan wonder food! Silken tofu (not firm or marinated/flavored) can be used very successfully to replace eggs.
1/4 cup of silken tofu, blended until very smooth, equals one tofu “egg.” Perfect in brownies, cakes, and anything that needs to be light and fluffy.
Tofu is an excellent calcium source and a fantastic vegan ingredient for cheesecakes! Check out this delicious Blueberry Cheesecake recipe as an example.
Top tip: Check your local Asian supermarkets for tofu. You’ll often find it’s cheaper than in the big stores!
Mashed Banana
Yes, banana! An excellent replacement for eggs, and it keeps everything moist. There will be some banana flavor, so you want to choose your recipes well for this. Flavorful cakes, muffins, pancakes, and, of course, banana bread all work nicely.
Be sure to choose ripe bananas with dark spots for the best result. Half a banana mashed up really well makes one banana “egg.”
Aquafaba (or Chickpea Brine)
No, we’re not kidding! The most talked-about discovery in the world of vegan baking since… ever!
How it happened, we honestly don’t know. But somewhere, somehow, someone decided to drain the brine from a can of chickpeas and use it to make meringues. It is an utter revelation and has vegans dancing in the streets.
We have several aquafaba recipes on Veganuary.com for you to have fun with, but here’s how to make meringue:
- Drain brine from a can of chickpeas. It is best to use salt-free if you can find them. This leaves you with about a cup’s worth of brine.
- Reduce the chickpea brine: Pour into a saucepan and boil for 2-3 minutes until reduced to 2/3 of a cup. Set aside to cool for at least ten minutes.
- Once cool, add the brine to a mixer and beat on high until foamy. Once soft peaks form, add cream of tartar.
- Beat for three more minutes. Add your sweetener (sugar, maple syrup, etc.) according to the recipe instructions until fully incorporated. The meringue will form stiff peaks. Continue as per recipe.
