Saving Money / Food

Let Them Eat Cake: Desserts Are Jumping In Price Because They Contain Eggs – Save Cash with These Swaps

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The cost of eggs has been rising since the outbreak of the deadly avian flu late last year, but it’s not just eggs that are soaring in price at the supermarket, it’s also items that contain eggs as ingredients – and those make up quite a list, especially when it comes to baking.

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So, if you’re thinking of making a cake, a pie, some cookies or maybe a fresh loaf of bread, consider using these replacements to save some money.

Vinegar and Baking Soda

It doesn’t sound very tasty, but vinegar and baking soda actually combine to make something vaguely egg-like in taste, or at least, they do when you’re eating them in a cake or a muffin. According to the Pioneer Woman, 1 tablespoon of distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar plus 1 teaspoon of baking soda equals 1 egg in a baking recipe.

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Flax Seeds and Warm Water

A 16-ounce bag of organic flax seeds costs $3.48 at Walmart, which is less than the U.S. average price for a dozen eggs. If you need an eggy texture in a recipe, flax seeds and water can do the trick. What you’ll need is this: 1 tablespoon finely ground flax seeds and 3 tablespoons warm water. Let it sit for 10 minutes and you’ll have the equivalent of 1 egg.

Buttermilk

Again, if you need that eggy texture but don’t want to splurge on eggs, turn to a replacement, and in this case, that’s buttermilk, which retails for $2.98 per quart at Walmart. A ¼ cup of buttermilk equals one egg.

Banana

Banana as a substitute for an egg? It’s a trick that works for certain recipes. Bigger Bolder Baking recommends using ripe, mashed bananas as egg replacements when making waffles, cakes and pancakes.

Yogurt

Yogurt acts as a binding agent much like eggs do and is ideal for baked goods. A quarter cup of yogurt can be used instead of one egg in many recipes. It’s probably best to go with plain and unflavored regular yogurt unless you’re looking for an added flavor.

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Carbonated Water

Here’s a surprising (and super cheap) option for an egg substitute: carbonated water, which acts as a leavening agent. According to Pioneer Woman, this is ideal in a bread swap. You use ¼ cup carbonated water instead of one egg.

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Cornstarch

It’s a kitchen staple and it’s also an egg substitute, apparently. According to Bigger Bolder Baking, 2 tablespoons of cornstarch plus 3 tablespoons of water or other liquids from your recipe is equal to 1 egg. This swap is best for custards, pies, tarts and cheesecakes.

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About the Author

Nicole Spector is a writer, editor, and author based in Los Angeles by way of Brooklyn. Her work has appeared in Vogue, the Atlantic, Vice, and The New Yorker. She's a frequent contributor to NBC News and Publishers Weekly. Her 2013 debut novel, "Fifty Shades of Dorian Gray" received laudatory blurbs from the likes of Fred Armisen and Ken Kalfus, and was published in the US, UK, France, and Russia — though nobody knows whatever happened with the Russian edition! She has an affinity for Twitter.

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