Yes, you can make cakes with no eggs! Get 22 easy eggless cake recipes, the best egg substitutes, and baking tips. Find your new favorite!
Eggless Cake Recipe
Table of Contents
Can you make a cake with no eggs? Yes, you can. Cakes with no eggs can be tender, rich, and every bit as good as the classic version, and you probably already have most of what you need in your pantry.
Whether you ran out of eggs, are baking for someone with an egg allergy or a vegan guest, or just want to save a few dollars at the grocery store, this collection of 22 eggless cake recipes has something for you.
Baking runs in our house. I actually met my husband at his bakery, so I’ve picked up a few tricks along the way.
A birthday cake is also a tradition for my son, and when egg prices jumped, I started collecting egg free cake recipes that don’t make you give up on dessert.
Here are my favorites from around the web, plus tips on egg substitutes and how to get great results.
Quick Answer: Baking Cakes With No Eggs
- Yes, you can bake a cake without eggs. Recipes written to be egg free use swaps like vinegar and baking soda, yogurt, applesauce, oil, or condensed milk to replace what eggs normally do.
- 22 recipes to choose from, grouped into chocolate cakes, vanilla and fruit cakes, and quick cakes (dump cakes, mug cakes, and no-bake options).
- The best egg substitutes at a glance, with amounts per egg, in the chart below.
- Tips, troubleshooting, and storage advice so your egg free cake rises and slices the way it should.
- FAQs on egg replacers, box mixes, freezing, and more.
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Can You Make a Cake With No Eggs?
You can. In a regular cake, eggs do three jobs: they help the batter hold together, they trap air so the cake rises, and they add moisture and richness.
Eggless cake recipes get those same results another way. Common swaps are:
- Vinegar plus baking soda for lift (the classic in wacky cake and Depression era cake)
- Yogurt, sour cream, or buttermilk for moisture and a tender crumb
- Condensed or evaporated milk for richness and structure
- Oil or melted butter for a soft texture
- Applesauce or mashed banana for moisture and binding
The key is to start with a recipe written to be egg free instead of just leaving the eggs out of a regular recipe. Those recipes are balanced to work without them.
What to Use Instead of Eggs in a Cake
If you want to adapt a recipe, here are the common substitutes per egg. They work best in recipes that call for just one or two eggs, like a simple snack cake or cupcakes. For recipes with lots of eggs (sponge cakes or angel food), look for a recipe that was written without them.
| Substitute | Amount to replace 1 egg | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Unsweetened applesauce | 1/4 cup | Moist, dense cakes like spice or carrot cake |
| Plain yogurt | 1/4 cup | Vanilla, lemon, and fruit cakes |
| Mashed ripe banana | 1/4 cup | Banana, chocolate, and spice cakes (adds banana flavor) |
| Vinegar + baking soda | 1 tbsp vinegar + 1 tsp baking soda | Chocolate and vanilla layer cakes and cupcakes |
| Ground flaxseed + water | 1 tbsp flax + 3 tbsp water, rested 5 minutes | Hearty cakes, muffins, and loaves |
| Aquafaba (chickpea liquid) | 3 tbsp | Lighter, fluffier cakes (vegan) |
| Silken tofu, blended | 1/4 cup | Rich, moist chocolate cakes (vegan) |
| Commercial egg replacer | Follow the package | General baking when you want a no-fuss swap |
Results can vary by recipe, so treat these amounts as a starting point.
Pantry Staples for Baking Cakes Without Eggs
I like to keep these on hand so I can bake whenever the mood strikes.
Dry ingredients
- Brown sugar, white sugar, and powdered sugar
- All purpose flour
- Baking powder and baking soda
- Chocolate chips
- Quick oats or rolled oats
- Peanut butter
Wet ingredients
- Apple cider vinegar
- Vanilla extract
- Butter (melted butter is common in eggless recipes)
- Whipping cream
- Milk, plus evaporated and condensed milk
- Oil
Tips for Baking Egg Free Cakes
- Preheat the oven. 350 degrees is the most common temperature for these recipes. Follow the one in your recipe.
- Measure carefully. Without eggs to help, the ratio of flour, liquid, and leavening matters even more.
- Don’t overmix. Stir until just combined for a tender cake.
- Bake right away. When a recipe uses vinegar and baking soda, they start working as soon as they mix, so get the batter in the oven quickly.
- Pour the batter slowly at an angle. This helps you avoid air bubbles.
- Drop the pan on the counter a few times. A few gentle taps release air from the surface.
- Follow the baking time. A few extra minutes can make a big difference. Test with a toothpick near the end of baking.
- Cool completely at room temperature before serving. This is the hardest part, but it matters. Cakes without eggs can be fragile while warm.
22 Easy Eggless Cake Recipes
Here are my picks, grouped by type. Each one links to the original recipe, so you'll get the full ingredients and steps from the creator.
Easy, Fudge Chocolate Orange Pudding Cake
A pudding-style chocolate cake with a hint of orange. Click over to get the recipe for this amazing chocolate orange pudding cake.
Vegan German Chocolate Cake
Get German chocolate flavor without the eggs. A vegan take on the classic coconut-pecan chocolate cake.
Easy Vegan Lava Cakes
Individual chocolate Lava cakes made without eggs or dairy. Go totally vegan with this decadent recipe!
Chocolate Depression Era Cake
This depression era cake is a classic pantry cake from the days when eggs and dairy were scarce.
Hot Fudge Pudding Cake Recipe
A cake that makes its own fudgy sauce as it bakes. This egg less cake makes the best hot fudge sauce as it bakes.
Wacky Cake Without Eggs
Get lots of chocolate flavor in this time tested wacky cake. The famous vinegar-and-baking-soda cake, also called crazy cake.
Vanilla, Fruit, and Spice Cakes Without Eggs
Looking for lighter flavors? Try these eggless cake recipes with vanilla, fruit and spice.
Eggless Vanilla Cake
Get lots of vanilla flavor in this cake without using any eggs! A classic vanilla cake, a good place to start for birthdays.
Summer Strawberry Yogurt Cake
A strawberry cake made with yogurt that is perfect for a sweet after dinner.
Mangonada Cake with Chili Lime Buttercream
Make this Mangonada cake. A mango cake with a chili lime twist on the frosting.
Eggless Carrot Cake Recipe
No need to break an egg for this cake. A second carrot cake recipe option, with process photos. Has a secret ingredient to keep it budget friendly.
Easy Carrot Cake With Banana
A carrot cake that uses banana in place of eggs. With so many natural ingredients, you can consider this health food!
Sfouf Lebanese Cake
No need to go on a voyage to get the flavor of a traditional Lebanese cake. With this recipe you can make this egg free cake at home.
Moist Vegan Lemon Pound Cake
No eggs are needed to make this lovely vegan lemon pound cake that has such a bright and beautiful flavor!
Blackberry Lemon Bread Recipe
A loaf-style lemon and blackberry bake. Technically, this blackberry lemon bread is not a cake, but a loaf. It is so sweet and tender that you will want a few slices!
Easy Strawberry Shortcake
Who knew homemade strawberry shortcakes were so easy to make? This is a recipe to keep on hand for after your next trip to the berry patch.
Quick Eggless Cakes: Dump, Mug, No-Bake, and Air Fryer
When you want a fast sweet treat, try these quick recipes.
Microwaveable 3-Ingredient Cake Mix Mug Cake
A single-serve cake ready in the microwave. If you want just a little cake, then turn to mug cakes!
Egg Free Chocolate Zucchini Mug Cake
A single-serve chocolate zucchini mug cake is sure to be everyone’s favorite way to have some veggies!
Air Fryer Lava Cake Recipe
Small-batch lava cakes in the air fryer for a dreamy and decadent dessert without eggs.
3 Ingredient Pineapple Dump Cake
A dump cake with just three ingredients. If you need a fuss free dessert, try out this egg less dump cake!
Homemade Peach Dump Cake Without Eggs
This peach dump cake has all of the flavor of summer thanks to the peaches, but no eggs! You are sure to love the way this cake comes out.
No-Bake Cherry Cheesecake
A no-bake cherry cheesecake dessert for hot days. Cherries are the perfect partner to make this super flavorful!
Nutella Tiramisu (Eggless)
An eggless take on tiramisu with chocolate-hazelnut spread. This is perfect for those nights that you want something different.
Eggless Cake vs. Regular Cake: What’s Different?
Egg free cakes can taste just like regular cakes, but the texture can be a little different.
Cakes made without eggs are often a bit denser and more tender, and many are very moist, especially ones made with oil, yogurt, or applesauce.
Cakes that depend on whipped eggs for height, like angel food or genoise, are the hardest to make without them.
For those, look for a recipe developed to be egg free. For everyday layer cakes, snack cakes, and cupcakes, you shouldn’t notice much difference.
Why Bake Cakes Without Eggs?
- Egg allergy. Eggs are a common allergen. If you’re baking for someone with an allergy, check every ingredient label (including frosting and chocolate chips) and talk with the person or their family about what is safe.
- Vegan baking. Many of these recipes are also dairy free.
- You ran out of eggs. It happens, and most of these recipes only need pantry staples.
- Budget. Egg prices go up and down, and skipping them can stretch your grocery dollars.
Frosting Ideas for Eggless Cakes
Most classic frostings are naturally egg free. Good choices include:
- American buttercream (butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and a splash of milk)
- Cream cheese frosting
- Whipped cream or whipped topping
- Chocolate ganache (chocolate and cream)
- A simple glaze made with powdered sugar and lemon juice or milk
Skip meringue-based frostings, like Swiss or Italian buttercream, unless the recipe is specifically egg free. And as always, check labels on store-bought frosting if you’re avoiding eggs for allergy reasons.
Troubleshooting Eggless Cakes
- My cake is dense. The batter may have been overmixed, or the baking soda or powder may be old. Mix until just combined and use fresh leavening.
- My cake didn’t rise. If the recipe uses vinegar and baking soda, bake right after mixing. Also check your oven temperature.
- The middle is gummy or underbaked. Follow the baking time, test with a toothpick, and don’t open the oven door early.
- My cake is dry. Check for overbaking, and measure flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling, not scooping.
- The cake broke when I took it out of the pan. Let it cool in the pan for a bit and cool it completely before frosting.
How to Store and Freeze Eggless Cakes
Store cooled, frosted cakes at room temperature, covered, for a day or two, or follow the storage notes in your recipe.
Cakes with cream cheese frosting, whipped cream, or fresh fruit should go in the refrigerator.
To freeze, wrap an unfrosted, fully cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap and foil, and freeze for up to about 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before frosting.
Eggless Cake FAQs
Yes. Use a recipe written to be egg free, or swap each egg for a substitute such as 1/4 cup applesauce or yogurt, or 1 tablespoon vinegar plus 1 teaspoon baking soda.
Common substitutes are applesauce, plain yogurt, mashed banana, vinegar and baking soda, ground flaxseed mixed with water, aquafaba, silken tofu, and store-bought egg replacer. See the chart above for amounts.
Dense, moist cakes, such as chocolate cake, carrot cake, spice cake, pound cake, and dump cakes, are some of the easiest to make without eggs. Light, airy cakes like angel food are harder.
Popular shortcuts include dump cakes, like the 3 ingredient pineapple dump cake in this list, and mug cakes. Another shortcut is a box cake mix mixed with a can of soda, though results vary.
The dry mix itself often doesn’t contain egg, but the directions usually call for eggs to be added. Check the ingredient list and allergen statement on the box, especially for allergies. The microwave mug cake in this list uses a cake mix.
I’d start with the wacky cake or the eggless vanilla cake. They use simple pantry ingredients, and they’re good for birthdays.
Use fresh baking powder and baking soda, don’t overmix, and bake right away if your recipe uses vinegar. A little yogurt or aquafaba can also help with softness.
Not usually. Eggs help with structure and rise, so leaving them out can make a cake flat or crumbly. Use an egg free recipe or a proper substitute.
Yes. Wrap an unfrosted cake tightly and freeze for up to about 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight.
Absolutely. The eggless vanilla cake and the chocolate depression era cake are good choices for a birthday.
More Dessert Ideas
If you like these, you might also enjoy these collections:
- No Bake Peanut Butter Desserts
- 3 Ingredient Cookie Recipes
- Sweet Treats for Valentine’s Day
- Delicious Ice Box Cakes to Make
- 51 Red Velvet Recipes
- 47 Yummy Dump Cake Recipes
Save This for Later
Which one will you try first? Let me know in the comments. I’d love it if you pinned this post on Pinterest so you can find it the next time you’re out of eggs.
You can find me on social media below:
Leanna
Wednesday 8th of February 2023
Loads of great recipes in this post. I love them as Hubs grand daughter is allergic to eggs. Its like a dessert cookbook just for her.