Frequently Asked Eggless Baking Questions

In some cases, it may be possible to switch between oil and butter in recipes, but I do not recommend it. Butter adds a surprising amount of flavor to cakes and cupcakes, particularly vanilla or plain ones. Most of my recipes are made using the creaming method – beating butter and sugar together – which helps to incorporate air into the batter to make it fluffy; if you use oil, the cake will be flatter and denser.

You can substitute sour cream for an equal amount of plain regular yogurt.

You can substitute apple cider vinegar for an equal amount of white vinegar or fresh lemon juice. 

Yes, you can make your own buttermilk substitute. Check out the post/video I made about Easy Homemade Buttermilk Substitute!

Yes, reduce by half the amount of salt called in the recipe.

It is NOT recommended to switch one for the other. Use the kind of sugar called in the recipe.

You can make your own condensed milk. Whisk together 2 cups of milk and ¾ cup of granulated sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisking often, bring to a low simmer. Continue to simmer, frequently whisking, until the milk has reduced by half, about 30 minutes. Once thickened, remove from heat and stir in 4 tablespoons of butter and one teaspoon of pure vanilla extract. Allow it to cool completely and store it in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

To make 1 cup of evaporated milk, place 2 cups of regular milk into a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Turn heat on medium-low, and simmer, occasionally whisking, until the amount of milk has been reduced in half, about 30 minutes. I even have a whole post about – How to Make Evaporated Milk.

Yes, you can reduce up to 10% of the sugar called in the recipe. The easiest way to make this 10% reduction is to remove five teaspoons from each cup of sugar. Please keep in mind that the texture could be slightly different.

Yes, you can use all-purpose flour; make sure to add 1 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder per cup of flour + 1/4 teaspoon of salt.

Self-rising flour and all-purpose are not the same. Self-rising flour is a mixture of all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt, enabling baked goods to rise without additional leaveners. If you are using all-purpose flour in a recipe that calls for self-rising flour, you need to add 1 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder + a pinch of salt per cup of flour in the recipe.

Granulated or caster sugar won’t work, but you can make powdered sugar from granulated sugar by simply blending it with a food processor or blender, 1 cup of granulated sugar, and one teaspoon of cornstarch until a fine powder.

I do not recommend substituting confectioners’ sugar for granulated sugar since confectioners’ sugar has a much more delicate texture and contains a small percentage of cornstarch. It will definitely impact the final texture of the cake.

You can mix the batter by hand; it will take some elbow grease, but it’s totally doable. Some tips:
*Soften your butter.
*Combine the butter and sugar with a wooden spoon.
*Break out the butter into the sugar with a fork and then start beating the butter and sugar together until fluffy texture and a slightly lighter color. Depending on how much butter and sugar you have, this could take anywhere from 5 – 10 minutes.

For the best results, it’s essential to measure your flour correctly. Here’s how to measure flour in cups using the “spoon and swoop” method:
*Gently stir your flour with a large spoon to loosen it up.
*Spoon the flour into your measuring cup (don’t scoop it in!).
*Level off the excess with a butter knife.

I apologize, but I haven’t tested my recipes in the convection oven microwave. However, some readers have used convection microwaves with good results. Here are some tips: 
*Preheat the microwave. If you do not have this option or want to do it manually, select the temperature per your recipe and start the equipment with nothing in it for the specified time. 
*The temperature and time settings should be the same in microwave convection as used in the standard oven.

Yes, it is possible; make sure to use a similar size pan so it bakes properly. If using a different cake pan, make sure to adjust the baking time accordingly. If you would like to remove the cheesecake from the pan after baking, be sure to line the base and sides with parchment paper first.

Usually, when cupcakes crack, it is because the oven temperature is too high. I recommend getting an oven thermometer to make sure it’s accurate. Also, avoid opening and closing the oven during baking, causing the temperature to fluctuate.

There are a few reasons for this to happen: 
1 – You have filled the cupcake liners with more batter than necessary.
2 – Too much liquid in the batter.
3 – Over-beating the batter.
4 – Underbaking.
5 – Oven temperature too high.
6 – The oven door was open before the cupcakes had set. 
7 – The cupcakes didn’t go in the oven as soon as the batter was ready.
8 – There are too much rising agents, or the raising agents were expired.

Solution:

*Make sure to measure ingredients correctly. I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to measure ingredients.
*Bake the cupcakes as soon as the batter is ready.
*For standard 2½-inch cupcakes, fill cupcake liners with ¼ cup batter or about ⅔ to ¾ of the way full. Avoid adding too much batter, or the cupcakes will overflow and sink. 
*Don’t open the oven door until the baked goods have been set.
*If your oven temp is too high, this can cause the cake to rise too rapidly. A good idea is to buy an oven thermometer to check your oven is working correctly and keep an eye on it.
*Make sure your baking powder and/or soda are not too old. 

Check out my Why Does My Cake Sink In The Middle After Baking? post for more detailed information.

Every oven is different, so baking times always have to be taken with a grain of salt. Oven thermostats can be wildly off, and that will all affect baking time. The cake is ready when you insert a toothpick into the middle of the cake, and it comes out clean. I would recommend using an oven thermometer to make sure it’s working correctly.

There are three main reasons for this: 
1- the oven door has been opened before the cake has set, 
2- the cake didn’t go in the oven as soon as the mixture was ready or 
3- there are too many rising agents, or the rising agents have expired. 
Solution:
Don’t open the oven until the baked goods have been set.
Bake the cake as soon as the batter is ready.
Make sure to measure ingredients correctly. I highly recommend using a kitchen scale.

There are three main reasons for this: 
1 – The batter was overmixed.
2 – Too much flour or the wrong type of flour was used.
3 – Butter and sugar were not appropriately creamed.
Solution:
*Mix just until you’ve evenly distributed the ingredients throughout the batter.
*Make sure to measure ingredients correctly. I highly recommend using a kitchen scale.
*Beat the butter and sugar for 3 – 4 minutes or until creamy, fluffy, and pale. 

Baking without eggs is tricky; a slight change can easily affect the outcome. Here are a few tips to avoid crumbly egg-free cakes:
1 – Make sure to measure ingredients correctly. I highly recommend using a kitchen scale.
2 – Careful mix to evenly distribute the ingredients throughout the cake batter to give it a uniform consistency, finally, 
3 – Check your oven temperature with an oven thermometer. If the oven temperature is too high, your cake could be dry. I always check my cakes for doneness at the lower end of the baking range.

Probably your oven was not hot enough. Every oven is different, so baking times always have to be taken with a grain of salt. Oven thermostats can be wildly off, and that will all affect baking time. I would recommend using an oven thermometer to make sure it’s working correctly.
Solution: 
Check your oven temperature with an oven thermometer. If the oven temperature is too high, your cake could be dry. I always check my cakes for doneness at the lower end of the baking range.

The batter probably rose too quickly because the oven was too hot, there were too many leavening agents, or the cake pan was too small for the batter. 
Solution:
1 – Check your oven temperature with an oven thermometer. If the oven temperature is too high, your cake could be dry. I always check my cakes for doneness at the lower end of the baking range.
2 – Measure ingredients correctly.
3 – Strictly follow the recipe.

Yes, you can! An unfrosted cake can be frozen for up to 2 months. Make sure to wrap the cake tightly in several plastic wrap layers to ensure it is tightly sealed. If you like, you can also add an extra layer of aluminum foil for additional protection against freezer burn. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before decorating/serving.
Keep in mind that cakes and cupcakes will lose some of their fluffiness after being refrigerated or frozen.

Allow the cake to thaw in the plastic wrap and foil overnight in the refrigerator. Finally, bring it to room temperature before slicing and serving. 

To store the cake layers, let the cakes cool completely. Wrap them with plastic wrap and store them at room temperature for up to 2 days. 

I recommend up to 2 days in advance. Make sure to wrap the cake tightly in several plastic wrap layers to ensure it is tightly sealed. Store them at room temperature for up to 2 days. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days for longer storage. Keep in mind that cakes will lose some of their fluffiness after being refrigerated or frozen.