15 Easy Ways to Fix an Eggy Cake

Co-authored by Quynh La and Madeleine Criglow

Last Updated: March 21, 2022 References

You’ve just made the perfect cake except for one small problem: it tastes a little eggy. No one wants to realize that the cake they made from scratch doesn't taste good, especially if you planned on sharing it with friends! Thankfully, there's a variety of things you can do to avoid this common baking catastrophe. This article details the many methods you can try, from changing how you prepare the eggs to substituting them completely.

1

Apply an extra layer of frosting after baking.

This is the only method to get rid of an egg taste after baking. If you bite into your cake and taste an undesirable egg flavor, try disguising it with more icing. This is a great means to overpower the egg taste or smell.^{[1]
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- You can also add sprinkles, fruit, or other edible additions to your finished cake to mask the egg taste!

2

Add vanilla extract to the cake mix.

A 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of vanilla extract does wonders for your cake. The vanilla can help cover up an overwhelming egg taste or smell, and adds another touch of flavor to your cake.^{[2]
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Research source} After beating the eggs and mixing your cake batter, add 1 teaspoon (4.9 mL) of vanilla extract.^{[3]
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- Feel free to add up to 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of vanilla extract if you're making vanilla cake specifically. Be careful, thought as a little goes a long way when it comes to vanilla!^{[4]
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3

Add a spice like cloves or cinnamon to the cake.

Mask the egg taste with a stronger flavor. Fragrant spices like cloves, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, or nutmeg can help overpower the eggs, leaving you with a cake that's comforting and aromatic.^{[5]
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Research source} For instance, if you’re starting with a basic yellow cake, you can transform it into a traditional spice cake by adding 1 tbsp (7.8 g) of cinnamon, ½ tsp (1 g) of allspice, ½ tsp (1.2 g) of nutmeg, and ½ tsp (1.1 g) of cloves to the batter.^{[6]
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4

Replace the water in the cake with coffee.

This is especially tasty in a chocolate cake. Don't just serve coffee to go with your cake—try adding it into the batter!^{[7]
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Research source} Not only will the coffee help to offset any eggy flavor, it will add a toasty, nutty flavor to your cake. Coffee will also intensify the flavor of chocolate, making even a boxed cake mix taste rich and homemade.^{[8]
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- No need for complicated math here—just replace any water in the recipe with an equal amount of coffee.

5

Give your cake a tart kick by adding lemon.

Use lemon zest for an easy option. It doesn't take much lemon zest to make a big difference—try adding 1 tbsp (6 g) to combat the egg flavor in your cake.^{[9]
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Research source} If you prefer to use lemon juice, add 1 US tbsp (15 ml) to the cake's wet ingredients, but offset the acidity by mixing 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) of baking soda into the dry ingredients.^{[10]
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6

Remove the eye of the egg.

Eggs all contain two chalazae or ‘eyes.’ These keep eggs fresh, but they are also what make an egg smell and taste particularly eggy. To get rid of any potential egg smells or tastes when baking a cake, remove the eyes of the egg. ^{[11]
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- To identify each eye, locate the gooey, white substance near the yolk. If you are unsure how to identify it, look for a white, string or strand-like substance attached to the yolk. Next, scrape it away from the yolk carefully using a fork or a spoon with a sharp edge. You're now on your way to baking a tastier cake!

7

Beat the eggs before adding them to the cake mix.

Wait until your eggs are at room temperature. This will ensure that your cake has the correct texture and taste. Next, thoroughly beat the eggs in a separate container before adding them to your cake mix. When beating the eggs, aim for a smooth, even substance.^{[12]
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Expert Source

Quynh La
Professional Baker
Expert Interview. 11 March 2022.} For best results, use an electric mixer.^{[13]
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- Through taking these extra precautions, you ensure an emulsion of liquid and fat that is stable.^{[14]
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  Research source} In other words, taking extra care when adding eggs to your cake batter mixture helps each ingredient mix and interact properly. This helps you avoid an overpowering egg taste in your cake.

8

Watch your cooking time carefully.

Some people think that over baked cakes taste more eggy. This may happen because higher temperatures cause a chemical reaction between the sulfur in the egg whites and the iron in the yolks.^{[15]
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Research source} To avoid that, be sure to double-check the temperature on your oven using a thermometer, and set a timer so you don't accidentally bake the cake for too long.

9

Buy another brand of eggs.

Eggs from different farms may taste different. Fixing the flavor of your cake may be as simple as picking up a new carton the next time you're at the store. The supplements used in the chickens' feed can affect the taste of their eggs.^{[16]
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PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
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- You may find that buying fresh, local eggs helps improve the flavor—but picking another commercial brand might be just as effective.

10

Use larger eggs.

Smaller eggs tend to have a richer flavor. Smaller eggs come from younger chickens, which tend to favor a diet that's rich in corn.This gives their eggs a stronger flavor. Normally that's a good thing, but if you need to reduce the egg taste in a cake, switching to a larger egg might help.^{[17]
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- Most recipes call for large eggs, so you probably won't need to adjust the number of eggs you use.

11

Leave out half of the egg whites.

This may improve the flavor without affecting the recipe. The egg yolks in a cake recipe are important for helping the liquid and fat bind together, so just leaving out some of the eggs can create a cake that's dry and crumbly.^{[18]
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Research source} Instead, cut down on the egg flavor by using whole eggs for half the eggs called for in the recipe, but only add the yolks for the other half.^{[19]
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- For instance, if your recipe calls for 4 eggs, you'd add 2 whole eggs and 2 that are yolks only.
- If you're using a recipe that calls for whipped egg whites to be folded into the batter, this won't work—the egg whites are important for creating a light, fluffy texture in that recipe.

12

Substitute the eggs with egg replacer.

Eggs are not required to bake a cake! If you really don’t like the taste or smell of eggs, substitute the eggs with a commercial egg replacer like Ener-G Egg Replacer or Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Vegan Egg Replacer.^{[20]
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- Made from ingredients like potato starch and tapioca starch, the product mixes with water to create the perfect substitute for eggs, egg whites, and egg yolks.^{[21]
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- For specific recipe instructions, check the product label. The necessary amount of egg replacer ultimately depends on the number of eggs in the recipe.

13

Replace the eggs with vinegar and baking soda.

Baking soda and vinegar can work wonders as an egg replacement. 1 teaspoon (4.9 mL) of baking soda and 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of vinegar is the equivalent of one egg, so use this combination and amount for each egg included in the recipe.^{[22]
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- This egg replacement works best for lighter cakes, like vanilla cake.^{[23]
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14

Swap the eggs with tofu.

That's right, even tofu can be used to replace eggs in your cake! Use ¹⁄₄ cup (59 mL) of puréed, silken tofu to replace the equivalent of one egg. Since there are many varieties of tofu, make sure you use the correct kind. Silken tofu works best for egg substitutions due to its soft, smooth texture.^{[24]
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- This substitute is especially great for cakes that are denser in texture. Try it out for the perfect carrot cake!

15

Use fruit to replace eggs.

Mashed fruits like bananas and applesauce are healthy alternatives to eggs. Replace every one egg in your recipe with a ripe banana, or substitute each egg with 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of applesauce.^{[25]
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- This method works especially well if you want your cake to have a more chewy texture!^{[26]
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Expert Q&A

Question

Why do my cakes taste eggy?

Quynh La
Professional Baker
Quynh La is a Professional Baker and the Owner of Sugar Bakery & Cafe in Seattle, Washington. With over seven years of experience, she specializes in baking cakes, cookies, croissants, and bread. Quynh holds an AAS in Culinary Arts from South Seattle College and a second AAS in Specialty Desserts & Bread from Seattle Central College.

Quynh La

Professional Baker

Expert Answer

You may not have mixed the ingredients enough. The most popular problem with home baking is that bakers are afraid of over-mixing stuff, which is easy to do when you're making a small batch of batter. Still, it's really important to make sure that all of your existing ingredients are well-mixed before you add another one in.