THE RELUCTANT GOURMET COOKING COMMUNITY

[NatalieAE]

My nursing son has an egg white allergy. I'm supposed to avoid eating them as much as possible, but in my baking I am having trouble finding a suitable substitute. I have tried:

Ener-G Egg Replacement - a powder found at my health food store. 1 1/2 tsp powder + 2 tbsp warm water is supposed to equal 1 egg. Using the substitute only for 2 eggs, we found it produced a very crumbly, slightly odd tasting cake. On another cake, I substituted 2 of the three eggs required, and it was much better, still slightly crumbly, but didn't eliminate the egg white problem.

1 heaping tbsp soy flour + 1 tbsp water = 1 egg: This resulted in liquid brownies. They never solidified and all the oil rose to the top.

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce = 1 egg: Same problem as soy flour

1 1/2 tbsp oil + 1 1/2 tbsp water + 1 tsp baking powder (blend together) = 1 egg: I haven't attempted this one yet. A friend swears it works, but it doesn't seem likely to me.

My son's 1st birthday is quickly approaching and I'd love for him to try his first bite of cake then, but at this rate we are heading for disaster. Not to mention, I really miss being able to whip up a cake or some brownies for my night-time snack. Does anyone have any tried-and-true recommendations?

[skg]

banana, pureed silken tofu and pureed prunes all work as an egg substitute- depending on the recipe. are you sure you mixed the ener-g and the soy flour methods properly?- you need to mix with water until thick and almost gel-like. corn flour and arrowroot are also great when mixed thoroughly with water.

below is a great cake recipe that does not require any egg replacement, i use it often and have included it in an upcoming vegan cookbook:

Easy-Peasy Chocolate Cake

1 cup flour
1/2 cup self-raising flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 cup sugar
½ cup olive oil
1 cup cold water
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp vinegar

Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Mix the oil, water, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl. Add the wet ingredients to dry ingredients, add the vinegar, and stir until thoroughly mixed. Transfer to a greased cake tin and place it in the oven. Bake for about half an hour, until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center can be removed without cake residue.

[jfield]

If the whites are the only problem, try subbing 2 yolks for one whole egg and upping the sugar and fat just a little. This comes from Shirley Corriher in her great book Bakewise; I definitely trust what she says.

She also says that she has increased the baking powder to replace an egg, so you might consider that last "formula" that you were a little dubious about. I can't find the exact reference in the book right now; so I apologize for not having the amount. I want to say increase bp by 1 tsp per egg, but I wouldn't swear to it.

Good luck with it! :)