Egg Prices Got You Scrambling? Here's 3 Substitutes To Use In Your Cake Mix

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Unfortunately for grocery prices, it's the chicken, which is currently under threat from the H5N1 strain of bird flu. According to the USDA, over 13 million birds in the U.S. have died or been culled since December 2024, leading to a nationwide shortage of eggs. As suppliers struggle to keep up with demand, shoppers are noticing empty shelves, Waffle House is charging 50 cents more per egg, and prices have risen sharply. As confirmed by data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and NIQ consumer research group, respectively, they went up from $3.65 in November to $5.29 in January.

The problem is that eggs are a staple in many of our homes, and when it comes to baking cakes, they're particularly hard to replace. That's because they don't do just one thing. First, they help bind the dry ingredients together. Second, they trap air bubbles when you beat them, adding volume to the batter. And third, they provide a lot of moisture, making each bite of cake more enjoyable. Still, they're going to be harder (or more expensive) to come by for the foreseeable future. So we've put together a list of substitutes to try the next time you're making cake with a boxed mix.

One simple swap is to use a quarter-cup of plain yogurt, which can take the place of one egg. (The amounts of oil and water you use will be the same as what's suggested on the box). Remember that there's a difference between Greek and regular yogurt. In this case, you want the regular kind, which has more of a liquid form. Unflavored yogurt will work just fine in any recipe. However, vanilla or coconut could be pleasant with many cake flavors, and lemon or orange-flavored yogurt would mix well with citrus-flavored cakes.

Because yogurt is a moist, creamy ingredient, the cake should have a tender crumb with a moist texture, like muffins, cupcakes, or pound cake. Note that yogurt doesn't work well as a binder, so you may want to add up to a quarter-cup of flour to the batter to help maintain the cake's structure.

You might not expect a fizzy drink to be a good stand-in for eggs, but in some cases, it can be. You'll need just one-quarter cup of this ingredient for every egg, and no additional changes to the recipe need to be made. Remember that you don't want sweet drinks, as the excess sugar can play havoc in baked goods. We're talking about plain sparkling water, club soda, or seltzer water, and the unflavored variety is ideal. If you don't have any on hand, a teaspoon of baking soda mixed with a tablespoon of vinegar will also give you a fizzy replacement for an egg, but the bubbles only last for a short time. 

Obviously, carbonated water will add moisture to the cake, but the hundreds of air bubbles in this liquid also help cakes turn out light and fluffy, with slightly crispy tops. Carbonated water doesn't have any binding properties, but you'll find it's an ideal ingredient for making airy cakes or any cupcake mix. 

So far, we've offered a couple of easy swaps, but for many people, bananas are the best of the bunch. You'll need half of a large banana for each egg. Ripeness is important here. Too green, and it may have a starchy flavor and leave your batter too dry. Too ripe, and the banana flavor may be overwhelming. And, if it's a light-colored cake, a very brown banana could discolor it. Instead, choose fruit that's a happy medium, anywhere from bright yellow to yellow with brown spots.

Your cake will turn out moist and dense, so this is a good method for heavy cakes or brownies. Note that it may not brown as much as an egg batter would, so you may need to rely on icing or some of our favorite decorating tips to perfect the look. In some cases, the banana flavor may be noticeable, so be sure to pair it with a cake flavor that's complementary, like banana (obviously), nut, or chocolate. Whatever swap you choose, you may find you don't need eggs to bake cake after all.