Are you out of eggs and only have mayo and you absolutely need to bake that cake right now ? No ? You’re just curious what’s this about using mayonnaise instead of egg ?
Oh. Well, get ready because it’s a bit of a hoot and no one seems to decide on a stance. The baking community does not seem to have one opinion about using mayonnaise in place of eggs in a baking product.
Can you substitute mayonnaise for eggs in baking? While some people think it can pass for an egg in your baking recipes, others think it can at best be an addition to your baking products rather than being a substitute for eggs.
Let’s make up our own minds.
Can you substitute mayonnaise for eggs in baking ?
Yes, you can substitute eggs for mayonnaise. You need to use three spoonfuls of mayo for each egg you’re missing. Keep in mind that eggs are meant to add structure and bind everything together.
Mayonnaise has raw (but emulsified) eggs and also contains a lot of oil. So it’s best to use a mayonnaise with less oil, otherwise the batter will end up being too dense. You also need to adapt your recipe to use less fats like butter, because you’ve already added some fats from the mayo.
We know this sounds very strange for some folks, partially because there often isn’t a replacement for eggs. And the other reason being that mayonnaise is usually a savory food item. That being said, you can still find plain, unflavored mayo out there.
Now let’s take a closer look at what mayonnaise is, the pros and cons of using mayonnaise instead of eggs, and a few other egg substitutes.
What is mayonnaise?
Mayonnaise is a white or pale-white creamy sauce with egg content in it, commonly available in supermarkets. It is widely used for its creamy texture and flavor in sandwiches and burgers.
It can also be used in pretty much everything that you eat depending on how much you like it. Since it’s easily available in the supermarkets, it is widely used by fast-food joints and even housewives who sometimes like to use it in their baking recipes as it contains both oil and egg.
You can make mayonnaise at home also. It contains oil, egg white, and water. The oils are supposed to be unsaturated healthy fats and they constitute nearly 70 percent of it. Next, it contains egg whites whose quantity is about 5% or even less.
Why is the egg used in mayonnaise? It is for the same reason why people would use eggs in their baking recipes. Egg whites in mayonnaise work as a leavening agent that helps different fats to emulsify. Mayonnaise is more of an oil product than an egg product.
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Why mayonnaise can substitute eggs in baking products
Baking products such as cakes, brownies, cookies, muffins use eggs as a leavening agent. Egg white acts as a binding material in these baking products. It’s because of the egg’s white that an otherwise delicate cake keeps its shape, and doesn’t flatten out. The same goes for other baking products.
But an egg is more than just the white. The other compounds – fats and proteins — found in the egg adds to the taste, flavor, and texture of the baking products. For example, much of the moistened texture of the cake comes from the liquid in the egg.
Now, if we consider mayonnaise, it does have egg white, fats, and water. If we substitute mayonnaise for eggs in making the dough for baking products, we are virtually supplying everything relevant that an egg would have.
That’s why many people like to use mayonnaise in their baking products. It effectively brings the elements that an egg would have in the dough for a cake or muffin.
Why mayonnaise can’t substitute eggs in baking products
Mayonnaise is not an egg, not even 10%. Mayonnaise is much more oil than egg. If you want to add oil to the dough of your baking products, there are better things than mayonnaise. And if you are looking for a substitute for eggs, there are many better alternatives out there.
Since mayonnaise is not an egg, professional bakers would never substitute mayonnaise for eggs. If they do, their baking products would never have the same original taste or flavor and it would be easy to notice this.
The use of mayonnaise can ruin the name and image of a professional baker. To avoid being called an fraud, he will have to announce clearly that his products are made with mayonnaise rather than eggs.
However, men and women can make their bakery products at home using mayonnaise if they like it this way. It is more of a personal choice.
If you do use mayonnaise to substitute eggs in your cake or muffins or any other bakery products, you should use 3 spoonfuls of mayonnaise for each of the eggs.
How mayonnaise came to be used in baking products
Hellmann’s popularized the idea of using its Mayonnaise as a substitute for the egg in the early part of the 20th century. The original Hellmann’s Mayonnaise was made with cocoa and it’s still very popular both in ready-mix and basic forms.
Other egg substitutes in baking
Cooking is a creative art that thrives on experiments and manipulations. Over the centuries that people have been cooking their food, they have discovered wonderful substitutes for what are essentials to a popular food item.
In baking too, people have discovered quite a few condiments that can substitute eggs, as well as mayo if you are a really mayo fan. Here’s some other egg substitutes you can use when baking.
Banana / applesauce / avocado / pumpkin
Yes, you can use any of them in their mashed or puree form in your baking product. These are vegan items and bring their benefits to baked products. For each egg, you should use about 1/4 cup of paste or puree. You can also use baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon for each egg, for extra leavening power.
Flax Seeds
You can grind and make a powder of flax seeds and use it in your baking products as a substitute for eggs. When you add water to the flax-seed powder, it thickens. You can use this as your first choice in muffins, brownies, and pancakes. You can use 1 tablespoon of flaxseed powder with 3 spoons of warm water for each egg.
Nut Butters
Nut butter can sometimes prove to be a better substitute than the eggs themselves. They are full of fat and flavor. If you prefer its flavor, they make a stronger case to be used in place of eggs. Use 3 teaspoons of nut butter for each egg, but be sure to add a pinch of baking soda or everything will be flat.
Aquafaba
If you’ve ever had canned chickpeas you know the cloudy liquid they sit in. Well, don’t throw it out just yet, because it’s one of the best egg replacements on this list. Whip it up like you would egg whites, and it becomes a fluffy white cloud. It provides almost as muh leavening power too !
Read Also:What Does Dijon Mustard Taste Like?
Final thoughts
Mayonnaise is a commercial product manufactured and marketed by leading companies in the food processing industry. It is billed as a substitute for the egg in baking. And, a lot of people use it that way.
On other hand, many other products are also used as a substitute for the egg in baked products. Whether you can substitute mayonnaise for eggs in baking is entirely up to you and how you prefer your baked products, though we say it’s not the worst idea
