Sweetening syrups and honey as egg substitutes
Honey and sweetening syrups, such as Sweet Freedom, agave nectar and date syrup, are sticky and therefore can be used instead of egg to bind ingredients together. They can also add moisture into the sweet treats.
They are not the ideal egg substitute for light and fluffy cakes. Provided the cake you’re making is not solely dependent on the beating of the eggs and sugar together to provide fluffiness, you can experiment with honey or sweetening syrups. However, remember to add extra raising agent, such as bicarbonate of soda (baking soda).
When you’re modifying a recipe to make it egg-free by using a sweetening syrup or honey, in effect, you’re using the syrup to replace both the eggs and the sugar at the same time. This means that the general guidelines for using honey in cooking and baking are not applicable in the same way.
What to do?
Follow this process:
- Leave out the eggs.
- Leave out the sugar and use honey or one of the sweetening syrups instead. Different sweetening syrups have different sweetness levels so start by using only half of the required amount of sugar. Taste the dough/batter and add more sweetener if need be.
- Check the consistency: if the recipe uses a lot of eggs, you may have to add a little extra liquid, especially if the role of the egg is to provide extra moisture in the treat.
- Add extra raising agent if you want your cake to be more airy.
Have fun with your experiments!
Find out more about egg substitutes:
Egg substitutes – what are they and which one to use?
Shop-bought egg replacers
Fruit purées as egg substitutes
No-added-sugar fruit spreads (sugar-free jams) as egg substitutes
Tofu as an egg substitute
Copyright © Tarja Moles 2013. Photograph © Tarja Moles 2013.
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Tarja Moles is the author of No Naughties: Sweet Treats without Sugar, Wheat, Gluten and Yeast. Visit www.nonaughties.com for free recipes and information on special diets and living with multiple dietary restrictions.
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