If you’re an avid baker, you may have noticed that there is one ingredient that pops up again and again: eggs! Recipes for muffins, cookies, cakes and pastries all call for eggs, but why?
What do eggs do in baking?
When added to a recipe, eggs take on a few roles. They may be used to add structure, flavor, texture or act as a leavening agent. Interestingly, depending on whether the recipe calls for whole eggs, egg whites and egg yolks also affect what an egg does during baking.
Structure
Whole eggs, egg yolks and egg whites are all used to add structure to batters. The yolk’s elevated fat content helps it bind fats and liquids together through what’s called an emulsion. Emulsion is just a fancy word for two liquids that don't usually blend together on their own, like oil and water.
How does this apply to baking? Well, when your cake batter calls for water and vegetable oil, an egg or two is added to keep those two ingredients together.
Eggs are also a secret ingredient in gluten-free baked goods because they are great at replacing gluten as the binder that keeps the final product, like a cookie, from being too crumbly.
What about egg whites?
Unlike egg yolks, egg whites are pure protein. If you’ve ever made a meringue, you’ve seen first hand how whipping a few egg whites together creates a beautiful sky-high topping. It’s the quick whisking motion that adds tiny air pockets to the eggs and causes it to rise into a sturdy foam. When an acidic like lemon juice is incorporated, foamy egg whites become even more stable.
Eggs as a leavening agent
Leavening agents are used to help batters rise. We usually attribute this reaction to yeasts and baking soda, but egg whites are also perfect for this role. Just as in the meringue example, it’s the air trapped within the whipped egg whites that helps give an angel food cake its tall buoyant shape and structure.
A similar phenomenon happens with whole eggs when they are added to baking recipes. Because eggs are so moisture rich, pockets of steam form as the body of the egg heats and expands. This increased volume - from the steam - means its up-up-and-away for items like cream puff pastries!
Richness & Flavor
We can’t talk about eggs without talking about the way they make flavorful bakery items even better!
Egg yolks are kind of like salt in that they enhance the richness of flavor in dishes they’re added to. How does this happen? It all comes down to the fat content of the yolk, and fat’s ability to boost flavor when it's added to a recipe.
An egg yolk’s other flavor-delivering secret is its lipids. Part of the way lipids contribute to flavor is by binding to a person’s palate and creating a mouthfeel, which scientists describe as a positive sensory impression - pretty cool!
FAQs
When added to a recipe, eggs take on a few roles. They may be used to add structure, flavor, texture or act as a leavening agent. Interestingly, depending on whether the recipe calls for whole eggs, egg whites and egg yolks also affect what an egg does during baking.
What does the egg do in baking? ›
Eggs play an important role in everything from cakes and cookies to meringues and pastry cream — they create structure and stability within a batter, they help thicken and emulsify sauces and custards, they add moisture to cakes and other baked goods, and can even act as glue or glaze.
What happens if you don't use enough eggs in a cake? ›
If there isn't enough egg, your batter or dough may not be able to hold its structure or could end up overly dry or dense. On the other hand, if there is too much egg, your baked goods could lose their shape due to excess liquid, or have a rubbery (or even overly cakey) texture depending on the recipe.
What does yogurt do in baking? ›
The thick yogurt makes for a “denser, tighter crumb” and makes the case more “luscious,” she says. “That is a unique ability of yogurt.” Its inherent sour tang also nicely mellows out the sweetness of the cake. And yes, it just so happens to be more nutritious than, say, sour cream.
What is the most important function of egg white in baking a cake is to improve? ›
Egg white has the capability to gel and is frequently used as a binding agent in many different prepared foods. Using more whites in a cake mixture will help create a fluffy, light baked product with good volume and texture; while using more yolks will create a denser baked good with a deeper, richer flavour.
What do too many eggs do in baking? ›
Eggs also contain a variety of proteins that create the structure of a cake, and when beaten, they can act as a leavening agent by adding air to the cake batter. However, if you add too many eggs to your cake batter, then your end result could be spongy, rubbery, or dense.
What do eggs do? ›
Eggs are packed full of high-quality protein, making them ideal as part of many different dietary patterns that can assist people in managing their weight. Consuming eggs can also help reduce variations in glucose levels, which can have great lasting benefits in regulating eating patterns.
What if a recipe calls for 3 eggs and I only have 2? ›
Whisk together water, oil, and baking powder.
This is a great substitute if you need to replace multiple eggs in a recipe, as it won't make the baked good too greasy or change its flavor profile (like some other substitutes). A simple combination of water, baking powder, and vegetable oil mimics eggs almost to a T.
What will an extra egg do to a cake? ›
Eggs are responsible for giving baked goods structure, which means the amount you use directly affects the resulting texture. Using too few eggs will make your desserts dense, but using too many will make them rubbery. The explanation for this lies in the fact that eggs are made up of protein.
What can replace two eggs in baking? ›
WHAT TO USE INSTEAD OF EGGS WHEN BAKING
- MASHED BANANA. ...
- APPLESAUCE. ...
- SILKEN TOFU. ...
- GROUND FLAXSEED OR CHIA SEEDS & WATER. ...
- YOGURT. ...
- BUTTERMILK. ...
- SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK. ...
- ARROWROOT POWDER OR CORNSTARCH.
Whole milk yogurt works best and brings a big reduction in fat, plus more protein and calcium. Baked goods made with yogurt as a straight substitute for sour cream will turn out less tender, lighter in texture and have a tangier, less buttery flavor.
What ingredient does yogurt replace in baking? ›
From traditional comfort foods to fresh baked goods, Greek yogurt can substitute oil and mayonnaise. Oil: Replace oil with Greek yogurt when baking muffins, cakes and even waffles.
How much yogurt replaces one egg? ›
Yogurt or buttermilk
It's best to use plain yogurt, as flavored and sweetened varieties may alter the flavor of your recipe. You can use 1/4 cup (60 g) of yogurt or buttermilk for each egg that needs to be replaced. This substitution works best for muffins, cakes, and cupcakes.
Which 2 ingredients help the cake to rise? ›
Firstly, you need to mix your baking powder/bicarbonate of soda through your flour before you add this to the mixture. These two ingredients are the most common raising agents in baking, so I've focused on them here (also make sure they are in date!).
Can you bake without eggs? ›
You can whisk 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons of water and 2 teaspoons of baking powder together to replace each egg in baked goods like cookies, brownies or quick breads. This substitution won't impact a recipes' flavor profile the way egg substitutions like mashed banana or flaxseed might.
What are the two main uses of egg in baking? ›
In cooking and baking there are five main functions of an egg. They bind, thicken, coat, serve as a leavening agent, and emulsify. Egg whites can be whipped to create an egg white foam. The foam is filled with air which helps to leaven baked goods.
What is the purpose of using whole eggs in baking? ›
Whole eggs, egg yolks and egg whites are all used to add structure to batters. The yolk's elevated fat content helps it bind fats and liquids together through what's called an emulsion. Emulsion is just a fancy word for two liquids that don't usually blend together on their own, like oil and water.
What happens when you bake an egg? ›
Making your eggs in the oven will result in a similar texture to hard-boiled eggs, but you can make the egg yolks a LITTLE bit softer. However, they will never be as runny as a fried egg. The beauty of baked eggs is that there is no shell to deal with! Simply slide the eggs out of the pan and you are ready to eat!
