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8 Easy Egg Replacements For Baking

By Sara Kidd November 10, 2021 Leave a Comment

whipped chickpea aquafaba in planetary mixer 2021 09 03 10 11 49 utc

Here is a detailed look at 8 easy egg replacements for baking. There are definitely other types of egg replacers available but these are the ones that I have tested in my recipes with that work.

1. AQUAFABA or AQUAFABA POWDER

What is it	This is the juice from canned beans, usually chickpeas
What function does it replicate	It can be used in liquid form to add moisture or whipped at a high speed into a froth that is the same consistency as whipped egg whites
What type of baking is it used for	Meringues, marshmallows, sauces, buttercream, light cakes and sponges, royal icing
How do I make it	Drain liquid from a can of chickpeas and whip in a mix master with a whisk attachment like you would egg whites
Ratio to eggs	Use a full 3 tablespoons of aquafaba per 1 large egg, use 2 tablespoons of aquafaba per 1 large egg white
Pros	Excellent replacement for egg whites
Cons	Can have a funny aftertaste, excessive leftover beans
Notes	You can buy aquafaba powder here that can be rehydrated and used the same way, without all the leftover chickpeas

2. FLAXSEED (Flax Egg)

What is it	A small brown seed
What function does it replicate	A flax egg acts as a binding agent holding batters and dough together, preventing them from being too crumbly and splitting
What type of baking is it used for	Cakes, cupcakes, pancakes, cookies and brownies
How do I make it	Mix 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds with 2 1/2 tablespoons of boiling water, mix until well combined and gelatinous
Ratio to eggs	One flax egg is equivalent to 1 egg
Pros	Great binding agent for cakes, very easy to make and accessible
Cons	Can go rancid, can sometimes have a funny aftertaste, can leave flakes in white cake crumbs if you don’t use the golden flax variety
Notes	You can use chia seeds also but add an extra 1/2 tablespoon of water

bowl of corn grits corncob and corn flour on kitch 2021 08 26 22 40 52 utc

3. CORNSTARCH / CORN FLOUR

What is it	A fine powder made from ground corn
What function does it replicate	Acts as a thickening agent
What type of baking is it used for	Custards, curds, sauces, cookies
How do I make it	2 tablespoons cornstarch/cornflour mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water until well combined and thick
Ratio to eggs	Above formula replaces 1 egg
Pros	Very easy to make, accessible
Cons	Can leave an aftertaste if you don’t heat it for a long enough period

cut tofu in the glass bowl 2021 08 26 17 15 27 utc

4. TOFU

What is it	Is a food prepared by coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into solid white blocks of varying softness
What function does it replicate	Acts as a thickening agent and adds bulk to your ingredients
What type of baking is it used for	Custards, tarts and quiches
How do I make it	Remove from packaging and squeeze out excess water, blend until smooth
Ratio to eggs	Use 1/4 cup pureed tofu for 1 egg
Pros	Very accessible
Cons	Can leave an aftertaste of tofu
Notes	There are a few different varieties of tofu, silken tofu is the most common one used for baking

pieces of banana 2021 08 30 08 27 27 utc

5. BANANA

What is it	A long yellow pointy fruit
What function does it replicate	Acts as a binding agent
What type of baking is it used for	Cakes, muffins, pancakes
How do I make it	Remove skin and puree
Ratio to eggs	Use 1/3 regular sized pureed banana for one egg
Pros	Very accessible and easy
Cons	Will flavour everything banana, if you use too much in cakes it can make them dense

three bowls with gluten free flour 2021 08 27 09 16 24 utc

6. XANTHAN GUM

What is it	Xanthan gum is a polysaccharide
What function does it replicate	Acts as a binding agent in gluten-free baking, acts as a thickening agent in creams, custards and curds
What type of baking is it used for	Gluten-free baking, creams and custards
How do I make it	Buy it in powder form
Ratio to eggs	¼ teaspoon is equal to one egg
Pros	Only need to use a small amount, tasteless, excellent for gluten-free baking, helps hold the cake crumbs together
Cons	If you use too much in cakes it will make them brick like and over spongy

apple cider vinegar 2021 08 26 17 20 48 utc

7. Vinegar + Baking Soda

What is it	Vinegar a liquid solution of acetic acid and trace compounds that may include flavourings, Baking soda is a powdered chemical leavening agent
What function does it replicate	Acts as a leavening agent
What type of baking is it used for	Cakes and muffins
How do I make it	Mix vinegar and baking soda together
Ratio to eggs	1 tablespoon of vinegar along with 1 teaspoon of baking soda can be substituted for 1 egg
Pros	Easy, accessible
Cons	Can be prone to error if you’re ratios aren’t correct

8. Psyllium Husk

What is it	Psyllium, or ispaghula, is the common name used for several members of the plant genus Plantago
What function does it replicate	Acts as a binding agent
What type of baking is it used for	Cakes, muffins, pancakes
How do I make it	Mix psyllium husk and water together and allow to become gelatinous
Ratio to eggs	1 teaspoon psyllium with 3 tablespoons water is one egg
Pros	Easy, accessible
Cons	Can make your cakes gluggy if you use too much

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12 Must Have Cake Decorating Tools

By Sara Kidd October 18, 2021 Leave a Comment

When I first started out as a cake decorator I brought everything. My cupboards were full of the latest must have gadgets to perfect my cake designs. However, after a year of practising my skills it became apparent that I only really needed these 12 tools for cake decorating, when using buttercream and ganache frostings. I’ve added amazon links to all the headings so you can see which ones I would recommend. These are affiliate links which means I get a few cents to buy more cake scrapers. Shhhhh… don’t tell anyone I have 15 types of cake scrapers.

1. Cake Turntable

If you are wanting to master your cake decorating, invest in a good quality stainless steel cake turntable. It is a critical cake decorating tool for professional cake decorating. You use the motion of the spin to create a perfectly smooth finish. You will use this every time you decorate a cake so it’s worth investing in a descent one that isn’t plastic. Stainless steel is also very easy to clean and keep food safe.

2. Cake Scrapers

You will need a cake scraper to move your frostings around the cake and create a smooth finish. I recommend using a high quality metal scraper that is no more than an inch higher than the cake you are decorating, so you will need a variety of sizes. If you’re purchasing ones with a handle make sure they are flush with the metal lip so it can sit level on the turntable.

3. Set of Offset Spatulas

This is the perfect tool for spreading frostings and fillings, and smoothing buttercream on cakes. I use a large offset spatula for levelling frostings between layers and on top of cakes; and I use a smaller one for cleaning up the top of the cakes and creating those smooth sharp edges.

4. Serrated Knife

I recommend investing in a high quality serrated knife as you will use it to trim the domes off the top of your cakes. Make sure it’s a large long one so it cuts through cakes in one go and it’s sharp.

5. Cake Leveller

A cake leveller is very cheap but still an excellent tool. It helps you create perfect layers. It makes it easy to trim and level uniform cake layers that are consistent in height every time, giving you that even layered look when you cut a slice and reveal the inside. I have two of these on hand as I find that after a while the metal wire snaps from over usage.

6. Spirit Level

This tool is very useful to make sure your cake layers are level once stacked, before you apply your crumb coat. Having a perfectly level cake stack will help give you that perfectly even decorated cake. See below how I use my spirit level to check my cake is perfect before I crumb coat.

7. Non-stick Mat

Using a non-stick mat will make sure your cake turn table doesn’t slide all over the place whilst you’re trying to achieve that perfectly smooth finish.

8. Scalpel or Craft Knife

This comes in handy with ganache cakes. I find that I can do the final coat of ganache and chill the cake with the ganache rising up on the sides of the cake higher than the flat top, creating a lip, I can trim the set ganache with the scalpel flush to the top of the cake, to create perfectly even and smooth edge.

9. Reusable Piping Bags

Reusable canvas piping bags are an absolute must. I have two professional canvas bags that I have on rotation as you will be using them regularly. When they start to become discoloured I soak them in baking soda and hot water.

10. Set of Standard Piping Nozzles

There are many different types of nozzles currently available. Your piping possibilities are endless! If you’re not sure where to start, this set is a great starter set that every caker needs. I honestly don’t really use any other types of fancy nozzles. My all time fav is a Star 1M nozzle.

11. Cake Boards

You will need a variety of cake boards. There are a few different types of cake boards cakers use. A drum cake board is a very thick and sturdy cake board and it’s generally used for stacked cakes like wedding cakes. There are the standard cake boards decorators use for single tiered cakes. I recommend purchasing thick sturdy boards and not cheap flimsy ones as they make it hard to keep the cake perfectly level as they tend to bow. And then there are card cake boards that cakers can use for tiered cakes that can be easily hidden when stacked and still offer support. If I’m using a cake board as the base, I will choose a size that is 2 inches larger then my cake circumference.

12. Kitchen Blow Torch

This is my most joyous tool. The kitchen blow torch is just fun to use and it makes me feel like a rock star. I use this to add shine to ganache cakes right before serving and sometimes I will use it to heat my metal scrapers when I’m smoothing my buttercream to give a very smooth finish. It’s my secret trick.

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Fixing The Top 5 Issues for Gluten-Free Vegan Baking

By Sara Kidd March 25, 2021 Leave a Comment

Vegan baking can sometime feel a little daunting if you haven’t done it before but then throw gluten-free into the mix and it can get a little scary. Here are the top 5 issues that happen with vegan gluten-free baking and how you can fix them.

1. YOUR CAKE IS SINKING IN THE MIDDLE OR NOT RISING

a. You may not have used enough raising agents. I do recommend experimenting with double action baking powders. Otherwise try using 25 percent more chemical raising agents (baking soda or baking powder) if you’re converting a recipe to gluten free.

b. Your cake may not have enough structure due to using only one type of gluten-free flour. I recommend using a combination of gluten-free flours and starches to create a strong structure for your cake. I would also suggest to review what your egg replacer you’re using. For gluten-free baking I usually use xanthan gum or a flax seed egg as my egg replacer if I’m wanting to help create structure and bind the ingredients together.

b. Over beating your mixture. Even though it’s gluten-free and doesn’t have a gluten structure that we need to be delicate with, over beating your cake can still cause issues. So be very gently with your batter and beat only until just combined.

c. Your bake is too large. I always recommend making cakes no larger than 6 to 7 inches or thinner larger layers. I find that the smaller the cake, the better the bake.

d. Your oven is too hot and it’s causing the cake to rise too quickly before it’s had time to create the cake structure underneath to hold it up. I bake in a convection oven and I usually bake at 160C/320F in a convection oven. I find this temperature doesn’t bake my cakes too quickly and stops that hard brown crust from forming.

2. YOUR BAKE IS DENSE AND LIKE A BRICK

a. This can also be caused by only using one type of gluten-free flour. Using a combination of gluten-free flours will assist with giving your cake a better structure as each flour can action different results. As an example I will use almond meal to create a fluffy cake crumb, I will use rice flour to help create structure and a starch will hold onto moisture and assist to bind the ingredients together.

b. Your cake has too much moisture or too much fat.

c. Using the wrong egg replacer. An example of this is if you’re using apple sauce as your egg replacer. It will add moisture but won’t add structure by assisting the binding process causing it to be more prone to a dense result.

3. WEIRD FLAVOURS

a. Creating a great tasting gluten-free vegan cake can be tricky. It’s all about the gluten-free flour. All flours taste different. An example of this is buckwheat flour is quite nutty so I will use this flour in a chocolate cake as it pairs well with this flavour. If I’m making my famous vegan vanilla gluten free cake I want to use a combination of flours that is more neutral tasting like white rice flour mixed with potato starch for structure and an almond meal to help create that fluffy texture.

b. Because we tend to use a lot of nuts and seeds in gluten-free baking I recommend using extra high quality vanilla bean paste when baking. It will help balance out those nutty, sometimes bitter flavours.

4. TOO DRY

a. If you’re finding your gluten-free cake is coming out dry, try using oil instead of vegan butter as your main fat source, this can add extra moisture. Adding a thick vegan coconut yogurt or whipped aquafaba is also another option.

b. This can be caused by over baking or your oven is too hot. Don’t be afraid to under-bake your cake slightly. You want to retain extra moisture in your cake as gluten-free cakes can be a little dry. I usually bake it for 5 minutes less and test it with a skewer. If the skewer still has a few crumbs and a tiny bit of moisture on it, it’s ready to come out of the oven. If you’re converting a recipe to gluten free, experiment with adjusting the temperature of your oven 10C/50F lower. Also, it’s good to remember some gluten-free flours absorb more moisture than others. An example of this is coconut flour, it absorbs more moisture in baking than rice flour.

5. TOO CRUMBLY

If your baking is falling apart once baked this can be because you have used the wrong egg replacer, or not enough of an egg replacer. You want to make sure your egg replacer is acting well as a binding agent and binding all the ingredients together to give a firm result. I would recommend a flax seed egg or xanthan gum for this issue.

If you want to learn more about gluten-free baking check out my Recorded Gluten Free Baking 101 Workshop

Here is a list of my Gluten Free Recipes to get you started:

VEGAN GLUTEN-FREE RECIPES
Vegan Gluten-Free Vanilla Cake
Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake
Vegan Gluten-Free Apple Cake
Vegan Gluten-Free Shortbread
Vegan Gluten-free Lemon Cupcakes with Raspberry Filling & Cream Cheese (Halloween Special)

How To Fix The Most Common Vegan Baking Mistakes

By Sara Kidd March 5, 2021 2 Comments

Vegan baking can seem a little overwhelming if you’re just starting out. The best way to learn how to perfect vegan baking is to get into your kitchen and bake. Here are the top 11 things that can go wrong with vegan baking and how to troubleshoot them.

TOP 11 VEGAN BAKING PROBLEMS

1. DENSE RESULT

This can be caused by not using the right egg replacer.
Over mixing batter is another reason which causes over development of the gluten and a dense result.
If your oven isn’t heated to the correct temperature before you put your cake in, it can cause it to not bake properly.
Using too much flour and not aerating and sifting your flour before you bake can be another reason.
Where possible, use cake flour instead of plain all purpose flour for cakes, as it’s lower in protein than plain flour, and it is finer, lighter, and softer. It’s bleached, which weakens the grain making it less dense. It also produces less gluten.

2. OVER BROWNING

Your oven may be too hot or hotter in certain places.
Using darker cake pans can also cause browning as dark metals absorb more heat than lighter melts.
Using baking strips can help with browning as it helps to regulate the heat. You can also try loosely covering the pan with a sheet of foil, making sure not to touch the batter surface. Flouring the surface of your cake tins after greasing helps slightly. (learn how to make your own baking strips)

See my blog here about how to troubleshoot your oven if it’s baking unevenly.

3. TUNNELLING OR HOLES

This is when air tunnels or holes appear in a cake after it’s baked. This is generally caused by over-mixing the batter which causes the gluten to over develop. When this happens the raising agents have nowhere to go and push through the cake causing holes as it bakes. Make sure to be extra gentle with your batter and only mixed until just combined.

4. TOO DRY

There are a few reasons this could be happening – your oven is too hot.
You have baked the cake for too long.
You haven’t added enough moisture or fat to your batter.

5. USING THE WRONG EGG REPLACER

Not every egg replacer works for every recipe. There are many different types as mentioned earlier. You need to find the right replacer for the action required. Also, keep in mind if you’re just trying to replace eggs in a non vegan recipe the chances of your bake failing are high. Vegan baking tends to have different components to create a successful bake. If you’re just swapping out your eggs with applesauce this can cause your cake to become dense as you have also added extra moisture.

I have a list of vegan egg replacer options here.

6. VEGANISING A NON VEGAN RECIPE

I would always recommend finding a vegan version of the recipe you’re trying to veganaise. This will save so much time and money on ingredients as turning a non vegan recipe vegan isn’t always as simple as just replacing your ingredients. Some vegan ingredients react differently in baking and this needs to be taken into consideration. Here are some quick examples – some egg replacers will add extra moisture, some margarines contain more water than dairy butters and gluten free flours weigh differently to non gluten free flours.

7. CHOOSING THE RIGHT OIL

Coconut oil isn’t a vegan recipe requirement when baking. Always opt for a neutral flavoured oil like an organic canola oil, sunflower or extra virgin olive oil so it doesn’t affect the flavour of your baking.

I have written an article about how to choose the right oil here.

8. SINKING

Sinking can occur for a few reasons: you may have overfilled your pan or your oven is too hot.
You may have added too much raising agents to your batter which causes it to rise too quickly and then sink as your batter doesn’t have enough structure to hold the height or there isn’t enough room for the cake to continue to grow.
Always fill your pans no higher than just above half way and use the recommended tin sizes as instructed by the recipe.

9. WEIRD FLAVOURS

If your baking is coming out with a weird flavour it can be due to some of the following things. Your vegan butter – some vegan butters can have a pancake type flavour in baking. This flavour can also be present if you’re baking your cake at too high a temperature.
If you’re finding weird nutty flavours I would advise using a high quality vanilla bean paste and doubling the amount that you use. Vanilla will balance out the nutty flavours in your baking.
If it’s a weird salty after taste your recipe may contain too much salt.
Vegan butter and margarine does usually contain salt so keep that in mind. The other reason is you have added too much baking powder and soda to your recipe.

10. GUMMY STREAKS

If you’re noticing gummy streaks in your cake that look uncooked it could be caused by a few things:
Either there is too much moisture or fat in your mixture. Whenever I notice streaks whilst testing recipes, I find that I have added too much butter.
You have over mixed your batter which can cause your batter to collapse, become dense and create streaks.

11. CAKE NOT RISING

This can be caused by a few things already mentioned such as using the wrong egg replacer or over mixing. I always recommend using fresh raising agents. Generally, baking soda and baking powder only stay active for 3 months after opening. Make sure to store in airtight containers in the fridge and always use the correct amount.
Also, your oven may have not heated your oven to the correct temperature.

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Top 5 Tips for Choosing The Best Oil for Baking

By Sara Kidd January 20, 2021 Leave a Comment

oil flaxseed on board 2021 08 26 16 02 51 utc

I’m having a love affair with using oils in my cakes. For a few of my most recent cake recipes, I will start with mixing the oil and sugar together, adding remaining liquids and then mixing with the dry ingredients. I’ve learnt a lot about choosing the best oils for baking. (Read about different mixing methods here)

My objective is to make the recipe as simple as possible, using the least amount of tools and my cakes have this amazing fluffy rise. I’m finding this method (also known as the melting method if you’re using melted butter) is wonderful for creating butter type cakes with little effort.

If I choose to use oil instead of butter, the cakes are more moist, however they do lack that buttery taste. In most cases, I will use a vegan buttermilk to help recreate those desired dairy flavours. The type of oil you use in your baking can largely affect the outcome of your bake, your budget and the flavour.

SNAP SHOT OF TIPS FOR CHOOSING THE BEST OIL FOR BAKING

Organic canola oil is my go to oil
Buy oils in dark glass bottles, store in the fridge & use within 30 days
If you’re health-conscious avoid highly processed oils such as non-organic canola and sunflower oil
3 types of oils – saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated
I don’t recommend using coconut oil in cakes unless directed by the recipe

Here are my top 5 tips when choosing oil for baking:

When baking, I generally recommend using a neutral flavoured oil such as an organic canola oil, extra virgin olive or grapeseed oil. An exception to this is when you’re wanting the oil to contribute to the flavour of the bake such as coconut, sesame or macadamia oil. Nut and seed oils like walnut and avocado, general are cold-pressed and have a very distinctive flavour.
If you’re health-conscious avoid highly processed oils such as non-organic canola and sunflower oil that are mass-produced. Most of these oils use toxic solvents during the extraction process and come from heavily sprayed crops. These oils are usually packaged in a clear plastic bottle which can allow fat soluble chemicals to leach into the oil. Canola oil is the most popular baking oil as it’s stable at high temperatures, is cost-effective and has a very natural flavour. It also has only 7% saturated fat and contains omega-3s. Choose organic where possible even if it’s a little more pricey.
Without getting too technical, there are three types of fat ratios found in oil that can be defined as: saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Saturated is solid at room temperature e.g coconut oil, monounsaturated is liquid at room temperature e.g sunflower oil, and polyunsaturated is liquid at room temperature but more stable than polyunsaturated oils and doesn’t go rancid as quickly, e.g canola oil. (kinda not a tip but always good to know)
Look for oils that are stored in airtight dark glass bottles. Oils can oxidise and turn rancid once exposed to air, light and heat. Always store your oils in a dark place away from sunlight and if you’re using them for longer than 30 days, store them in the fridge to prolong their lifespan. Your oil should smell fresh if not, it has gone rancid and is no longer good to use. Consuming rancid oils can be linked to heart disease and other illnesses.
I generally don’t recommend using coconut oil (unless the recipe calls for it) when baking cakes as I find it can make your baking more dense once your cake has cooled down. My go to is organic canola oil.

Check out some of my baking recipes that use oil…

Vegan Pumpkin Bread recipe by Sara Kidd 2

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5 Tips To Stop Your Oven Baking Unevenly

By Sara Kidd December 5, 2020 Leave a Comment

My cakes were constantly coming out of the oven unevenly baked. It happened to me whenever I was baking in a gas oven – which is virtually all of the time. So, to combat this here are all my tips and tricks that I learnt to stop it from happening.

Add a heat proof bowl to the bottom of your oven filled with water. The steam from the bowl helps the heat to circulate more evenly around the oven, creating a more even bake.
Where possible use baking strips. Baking strips (or cake strips) provide insulation around the outside of the entire cake pan, helping the cake bake evenly on all sides. It also helps to create a flatter cake with fewer cracks on the top. Here is how I make my own https://youtu.be/gdg_FIZYS18
Rotate your cakes 90 degrees 2/3 of the way through to help even each side. If it’s cookies or smaller bakes, you can rotate half way through.
Understand where your oven’s hot and cold spots are so you can choose a better placement for your bake. A super simple way to do this is arrange slices of bread on a rack and see where the toast is darker and lighter to determined your hot and cold spots.
Use 2 oven thermometers at either side of your oven. This allows you to know if your oven has completely pre-heated to the correct temperature and the best placement for your bakes.

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Blog

1. AQUAFABA or AQUAFABA POWDER

2. FLAXSEED (Flax Egg)

3. CORNSTARCH / CORN FLOUR

4. TOFU

5. BANANA

6. XANTHAN GUM

7. Vinegar + Baking Soda

8. Psyllium Husk

Like learning about vegan baking? Check out these other popular blogs

1. Cake Turntable

Enjoyed this blog? Check out these…

1. YOUR CAKE IS SINKING IN THE MIDDLE OR NOT RISING

2. YOUR BAKE IS DENSE AND LIKE A BRICK

3. WEIRD FLAVOURS

4. TOO DRY

5. TOO CRUMBLY

TOP 11 VEGAN BAKING PROBLEMS

1. DENSE RESULT

2. OVER BROWNING

3. TUNNELLING OR HOLES

4. TOO DRY

5. USING THE WRONG EGG REPLACER

6. VEGANISING A NON VEGAN RECIPE

7. CHOOSING THE RIGHT OIL

8. SINKING

9. WEIRD FLAVOURS

10. GUMMY STREAKS

11. CAKE NOT RISING

SNAP SHOT OF TIPS FOR CHOOSING THE BEST OIL FOR BAKING

Here are my top 5 tips when choosing oil for baking:

Check out some of my baking recipes that use oil…

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