Replace egg's function.
| Section | Details (grams & steps) |
|---|---|
| Purpose |
Eggless, vegetarian cake. Soft, moist texture. No egg smell. Uses chemical leavening. |
| Ingredients |
Cake flour – 125 g Sugar – 50 g (minimum workable) Plain yoghurt – 120 g Milk – 60 g Oil – 50 g Baking powder – 6 g Baking soda – 2 g Vanilla extract – optional |
| Step 1 Dry Mix |
Sift cake flour, baking powder, baking soda together. Set aside. |
| Step 2 Wet Mix |
Whisk yoghurt and sugar until smooth. Add oil, milk, vanilla. Mix until well combined. |
| Step 3 Combine |
Add dry ingredients into wet mixture. Mix gently until just combined. Do not overmix. |
| Baking |
Pour into lined pan. Bake at 170°C for 35–40 minutes. Skewer should come out clean. |
| Cooling |
Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove and cool completely on rack. |
| Result |
Soft crumb Moist texture Mild sweetness No egg smell |
| Important Notes |
Will not be as tall as sponge cake. Overbaking causes dryness. Baking soda must react with yoghurt (acid). |
How “Eggless Cakes” Work (Vegetarian Cakes)
Yes — they are real, and very common in India.
Key idea:
Replace egg functions, not egg itself.
Egg functions to replace:
Egg Role (90% water 10% protein )
Replacement
Lift Baking powder / soda + acid
Moisture Milk, yoghurt
Emulsifier Oil, yoghurt
Structure Flour + starch
Common eggless systems
🥛 Yogurt cake
Yogurt + oil
Baking powder + soda
Soft, moist, not tall
🥄 Vinegar / lemon cake
Acid + baking soda
Creates CO₂ bubbles
No egg smell at all
🌱 Flax / chia “egg”
Gel structure
Dense, healthy cakes
📌 Eggless cakes cannot reach sponge height — they are chemical-leavened, not foam-leavened.
🧠 Master Summary
Egg whites = air + smell risk
Egg yolks = softness + smell control
Sugar = foam stabiliser
Temperature = sulfur trigger
Eggless cakes replace functions, not ingredients
A comparison table (very useful),
plus a low-sugar eggless adjustment note at the end.
🍰 Egg Cake vs Eggless Cake — Texture & Science Comparison
| Aspect | Egg-Based Cake | Eggless Cake |
|---|---|---|
| Leavening | Egg whites trap air (foam leavening) | Baking powder + baking soda (chemical leavening) |
| Height | Tall, airy, sponge-like | Moderate height, no foam lift |
| Texture | Light, elastic, bouncy crumb | Soft, moist, slightly dense |
| Moisture | Moderate (can dry if overbaked) | High (oil + yoghurt retain moisture) |
| Egg Smell | Possible if overbaked or low sugar | None |
| Sweetness Need | Needed to stabilise egg foam | Only for taste (structure independent) |
| Fat Role | Limited (too much collapses foam) | Essential (oil replaces yolk fat) |
| Best Use |
Sponge cake Swiss roll Layer cakes |
Tea cake Snack cake Vegetarian cakes |
| Key Limitation | Egg smell if mismanaged | Cannot achieve true sponge height |
🧠 Very important conclusion (remember this)
Egg cakes are air-based
Eggless cakes are chemistry-based
So:
Egg cakes → tall & light
Eggless cakes → soft & moist
Neither is “better” — just different purpose.
🍬 Low-Sugar Adjustment for Eggless Cakes (Diabetes-friendly)
Because eggless cakes do NOT rely on sugar for structure, you can safely reduce sugar.
Safe minimum (per 125 g flour):
Sugar 40–50 g
Below 40 g → cake still works but tastes flat
👉 This is much safer than reducing sugar in egg sponge cakes.
⭐ My recommendation for you
Keep egg sponge for log cakes & Swiss rolls
Keep eggless cake for tea, snacks, daily eating
You now have both systems mastered.