While working on my dairy free cupcake recipe early this year, I also tested out a recipe for egg free cupcakes.
Now don’t get me wrong, I love baking with eggs. They help add so much structure and flavor to baked goods! But some recipes can be formulated in a way where they don’t need eggs to bake up properly.
This recipe is one of those! I was so blown away by this eggless variation of my dairy free cupcake recipe, I felt like it deserved its own post.
What is Used in Place of Eggs In This Recipe??
What I love the most about this egg free cupcake recipe is its simplicity. It doesn’t use any crazy ingredients or egg replacement products.
I simply swapped in some apple sauce for the egg that I’d usually add into my cupcake recipes.
It sounds almost too easy, right? But the apple sauce adds a ton of moisture and makes the cupcakes surprisingly tender.
It does leave a slight hint of apple at the end of each bite, but I honestly loved that about this recipe!!
It tastes naturally sweet, and I was obsessed with the way these cupcakes tasted.
Why is Applesauce a Good Substitute for Eggs?
Applesauce is a good substitute for eggs because it helps bind together the other ingredients in this recipe, just like an egg would.
It also helps prevent gluten from developing, which is why it makes such tender baked goods.
While applesauce creates a wonderful texture in these cupcakes, it does cause them to rise a tiny bit less.
To help counteract this, I’ve included an additional 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder to the recipe.
Making These Egg Free Cupcakes Gluten Free
While this recipe doesn’t have to be gluten free, you can definitely use gluten free flour in place of the all-purpose flour if you need them to be.
You can swap in your favorite gluten free flour blend cup for cup in this recipe!
I personally prefer King Arthur’s gluten free flour blend, and find that 1 1/4 cups of GF flour weigh about 150 grams.
In addition to swapping the flour, there are two additional steps you need to take when making these cupcakes gluten free.
Gluten Free Baking Tip #1: Over-Mix the Batter
The first step is to vigorously whisk your batter for a few minutes once it’s made to help give it structure.
I know this goes against everything you’ve ever heard about baking, but over mixing your batter is key when making anything gluten free.
It helps cupcakes rise better as they bake, and gives the cake a more tender crumb.
Gluten Free Baking Tip #2: Let the Batter Rest
The second step I recommend is letting your batter rest for about 30 minutes before baking your cupcakes.
Gluten free flour blends can have a hard time absorbing moisture and fats. Letting the batter sit before baking it gives the flour more time to absorb all that goodness.
This helps thicken the batter, and prevents your cupcakes from having a gritty texture.
Egg Free Buttercream Frosting
If you’re used to making American buttercream, you might laugh at me calling it egg free buttercream!! I admit, I chuckled a little bit as I wrote that paragraph heading.
But pretty much all other types of buttercream use egg whites or egg yolks!
Swiss meringue, Italian meringue, French buttercream, Ermine frosting, German buttercream…you name it!
That’s the beauty of American buttercream! It’s pretty much just butter, powdered sugar, salt, vanilla and some heavy cream.
Another eggless frosting you can use if you think American buttercream is too sweet is my Russian buttercream recipe.
It’s a bit richer and has almost a caramel flavor from the sweetened condensed milk that’s used to sweeten it.
My Russian buttercream is silky smooth, and so light and fluffy! I think the caramel notes from this frosting would taste incredible with the hints of apple in these eggless cupcakes.
My Recommendation: Use Vanilla Bean Paste
To give this egg free buttercream a more intense vanilla flavor, I like to use vanilla bean paste instead of vanilla extract.
Vanilla extract works if you don’t have vanilla bean paste on hand, but the flavor isn’t quite as strong.
I also love being able to see those tiny little vanilla bean specks!! Aren’t they pretty?
Tips for Making The Best Egg Free Cupcakes:
- Use a cookie scoop to easily fill your cupcake liners.
- Be sure to use unsweetened, unflavored applesauce!!
- To make gluten free dairy free cupcakes, swap in your favorite gluten free flour blend for the AP flour this recipe calls for. Be sure to over-mix your batter and let it sit for at least 30 minutes before baking for best results.
- Ingredients at room temp mix together better, so be sure you set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
- Bang your cupcake pan on the counter before putting it in the oven, to bring any air bubbles that are trapped in the batter to the surface.
Making These Egg Free Cupcakes In Advance & Storage Tips:
- Make your cupcakes in advance! If stored unfrosted in an airtight container, they can last for 2 days at room temp, up to a week in the fridge, or up to 3 months in the freezer.
- Make your frosting ahead of time too, or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.
- Frosted cupcakes can sit out at room temperature overnight in an airtight container, but I find frosting them right before serving is best.
Let Me Know What You Think!
If you try this recipe for egg free cupcakes or any variation of it, I’d love to hear what you think of it! Please leave a rating and comment below.
Also don’t forget to tag me @chelsweets and use the #chelsweets so that I can see your amazing creations on social media!
Other Recipes You Might Like:
Egg Free Cupcakes
This simple recipe for egg free cupcakes is the perfect allergen friendly recipe! It can be made gluten free and dairy free and is absolutely delicious!!
Ingredients
Egg Free Vanilla Cupcakes
- 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (162g)
- 1 cup sugar (200g)
- 1 3/4 tsp baking powder (7g)
- 1/2 tsp fine salt (3g)
- 1/2 cup whole milk (120g)
- 1/2 cup sour cream (128g)
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil (56g)
- 1/4 cup apple sauce (63g)
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (12g)
Egg Free Vanilla Buttercream
- 1 cup unsalted, room temperature (226g)
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (6g)
- 1/2 tsp fine salt (3g)
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar (452g - or a 1 lb. bag)
- 1 Tbsp heavy cream or heavy whipping cream (15g)
Instructions
Egg Free Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C and place 12 cupcake liners in baking pans.
- Sift or whisk 1 1/4 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 3/4 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt in a large bowl and set aside.
- In a separate, large bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup whole milk, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 1/4 cup apple sauce, and 1 Tbsp vanilla extract.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and whisk until just combined.
- Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 way full. Bake for 19-21 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Let the cupcakes cool for 5 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack to finish cooling. If you want to accelerate the cooling process, pop the pans into your freezer for about 30 minutes.
Egg Free Buttercream Frosting
- Beat 1 cup of butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment or hand mixer until smooth.
- Mix in 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste and 1/2 tsp salt on a low speed.
- Gradually mix in 3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar on a low speed. Halfway through add 1 Tbsp of heavy cream to make the frosting easier to mix.
- Mix on low for a couple minutes until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
- If the frosting is too thick, add in additional cream (1 tsp at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (quarter of a cup at a time).
- Place the buttercream in a piping bag fit with your favorite frosting tip and pipe large swirls onto the fully cooled cupcakes.
- Decorated as desired, then enjoy!
Notes
Egg Free Cupcake Variations:
- To make eggless dairy free cupcakes, use an alternative dairy milk to replace the whole milk (almond, oat, or soy) and dairy free yogurt (almond, oat, or soy) in place of the sour cream.
- To make eggless gluten free cupcakes, swap in your favorite gluten free flour blend for the AP flour this recipe calls for and be sure to over-mix your batter and let it sit for at least 30 minutes before baking for best results.
Making These Egg Free Cupcakes in Advance & Storage Tips:
Make your cupcakes in advance! If stored unfrosted in an airtight container, they can last for 2 days at room temp, up to a week in the fridge, or up to 3 months in the freezer.
Make your frosting ahead of time too or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.
Frosted cupcakes can sit out at room temperature overnight in an airtight container, but I find frosting them right before serving is best.
Nutrition Information
Yield
12Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 323Total Fat 8gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 11mgSodium 275mgCarbohydrates 61gFiber 0gSugar 50gProtein 2g
Kumeshnee West
Tuesday 25th of June 2024
Hi Chelsweets,
Thank you for this amazing recipe. I made them for a friend’s birthday today and they are delicious ?
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Thanks! Kumesh ?
Chelsweets
Saturday 29th of June 2024
Aw I'm so happy to hear that Kumeshnee :) Thank you so much for sharing!!
Pallavi
Tuesday 16th of January 2024
Hi,how do you make the applesauce?is it store bought? Thanks
Chelsweets
Saturday 20th of January 2024
Hi Pallavi,
I usually just buy unsweetened apple sauce at the store! But if you want to make your own here is a great recipe for it: https://sugargeekshow.com/news/homemade-unsweetened-applesauce-recipe/
Hope that helps, happy baking!
Beena
Monday 20th of November 2023
The cupcakes turned out amazingly soft and moist. I need to make a birthday cake now so can I double the recipe to make a 9 x 13 sheet cake? How would the sheet cake hold up to stacking with 1 layer of filling in between?
Beena
Sunday 24th of December 2023
Hi Chelsey, I doubled the recipe and baked it into 1 pan. The cake was thick enough for me to cut and make two layers. I may have over baked the cake as the bottom and sides got a little more brown than I would have liked. The top of the cake got a little sticky as it cooled down. I made another 8 in. round cake with your exact recipe and it came out perfectly - no sticky top or crusty edges. I have saved this recipe for future use. My guests really loved it. Thank you.
Chelsweets
Monday 27th of November 2023
Hi Beena,
So happy to hear you love this cupcake recipe :) I haven't tried making this recipe into a sheet cake before, but I think it could be done!
I'm not sure how thick of a sheet cake you want, but I would recommend making 2 to 3 batches of this recipe to make a 9x13 inch sheet cake. If you want to fill the cake, I'd probably suggest making 3 batches of the recipe, and baking 2 layers (1.5 batches per pan). Hope that helps, please let me know how it goes!!
JJ
Wednesday 4th of October 2023
Delicious! I made these without the applesauce, I used vinegar and baking soda instead of egg. However because I should have also reduced the baking powder. Because I didn't they had a sink hole in the middle. The flavor and texture is yummy though. Thank you for the recipe!
Chelsweets
Monday 9th of October 2023
Hi JJ,
Ah yes that can happen!!! They puff up too quickly and then deflate :/ Glad they still tasted good though, hopefully the next batch is perfect! Happy baking!
Kat
Monday 18th of September 2023
Hi! I have been scouring the internet for a different substitute for eggs besides applesauce. We have a lot of food allergies in our house but have a birthday coming up! Do you have any recommendations for a substitute for eggs, that doesn’t include anything with almonds or apples? Love all your recipes and have made many of them before!
Kat
Monday 2nd of October 2023
@Chelsweets, thank you so much!!!! Appreciate the help, and congrats!!!!
Chelsweets
Monday 25th of September 2023
Hi Kat,
Other options include flaxseed eggs and vegan egg replacers like this: https://amzn.to/3PuXRuT
I personally like applesauce just because I think it's easiest, but I know other people who prefer using the options above. Hope that helps, happy baking!