Eggs beaten to trap air, providing lift in sponge cakes, soufflés, angel food cake, meringues and popovers. The protein network holds bubbles that expand in the oven.
What it does in a recipe: Aeration and structure - trapped air that expands with heat and then sets in place. Pick the swap that covers that job - the ratios below are written so you can act on them without doing any arithmetic.
Also called: Leavening egg, Egg as riser
3substitutes
Reliablebest available
Eggscategory
Quick answer
Whipped aquafaba
1 egg = 3 tbsp aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas), whipped to soft peaks
All substitutes, best first
3 ways to replace egg (for leavening)
Whipped aquafaba
Reliable
1 egg = 3 tbsp aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas), whipped to soft peaks
Chickpea liquid carries dissolved proteins and saponins that foam and stabilise almost exactly the way egg white does - it is the only common vegan ingredient that genuinely aerates.
MethodWhip for 5-10 minutes, far longer than eggs need, and add 1/8 tsp cream of tartar to stabilise the foam. Fold it in at the very end and bake immediately.
Trade-offThe foam is less stable than egg white and deflates faster, so a sponge rises a little less and can be denser.
This is the hardest egg job to replace honestly. An angel food cake is 12 egg whites and nothing else structural - there is no substitution that produces one. If eggs are the primary leavening and the primary structure, look for a recipe designed to be eggless rather than converting this one.
Related guide
Egg substitutes in baking
Eggs do four different jobs. Work out which one your recipe needs, and the right swap - flax, aquafaba, applesauce, tofu - picks itself.
Egg (for leavening) at a glance: category, its job in a recipe, the diets it suits, the diets its substitutes can satisfy, and how many substitutes there are.
Can I use whipped aquafaba instead of egg (for leavening)?
1 egg = 3 tbsp aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas), whipped to soft peaks. Chickpea liquid carries dissolved proteins and saponins that foam and stabilise almost exactly the way egg white does - it is the only common vegan ingredient that genuinely aerates. The foam is less stable than egg white and deflates faster, so a sponge rises a little less and can be denser.
Can I use baking soda + vinegar instead of egg (for leavening)?
1 egg = 1 tsp baking soda + 1 tbsp white vinegar. The acid and base react to release carbon dioxide directly into the batter, producing chemical lift instead of mechanical aeration. Gives lift but no structure, so the crumb is more open and fragile. Works in a muffin or a quick cake; will not build a sponge.
Can I use extra baking powder + liquid instead of egg (for leavening)?
1 egg = 1 1/2 tsp baking powder + 1 1/2 tbsp water + 1 1/2 tbsp oil. The baking powder supplies the gas, the water the moisture and the oil the fat the egg would have contributed. Can leave a faint metallic aftertaste at higher quantities. Do not scale it past two eggs' worth.
Cooking around an allergy? Diet tags here describe the ingredient itself, not any particular brand. Processed products change formulation without notice and shared production lines are common, so read the label on everything you use. A severe allergy is a medical matter - confirm with the manufacturer or your clinician rather than relying on a substitution chart.