What Do Eggs Do In A Cake?: The Roles of Eggs in Cake Making
Eggs are one of the most important ingredients in baking a cake. They serve many different roles. They’re used to help provide structure, richness, moisture, flavor, and color to cakes. In this post, we’re going to look at what eggs do in a cake exactly, break down the roles they play in cake making and pinpoint their overall purpose – Let’s take a look at why we use eggs in our cakes!
Eggs are a staple ingredient in many baked goods, including cakes, they’re right up there with salt, butter, and flour! Eggs provide structure and stability to the cake batter and help it rise among many other functions. When you’re making a cake, the humble egg may seem like an ingredient that’s easy to take for granted. It’s just there- no big deal, right? Well, the truth is, eggs actually play quite a few important roles when it comes to baking, especially cake making.
So if you’re wondering what do eggs do in a cake, and how adding them to your cake in the right amount can make all the difference, here’s a quick little guide we put together. You’ll find answers to possibly any questions that you might have about eggs and cakes, and more! If you’ve ever wondered what the difference between baking a cake with eggs and without eggs is… Read on.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF EGGS IN CAKE?
Eggs are an essential ingredient in the art of cake making. They act as a binding agent, leavening agent, and emulsifier and also add a nice richness to the texture of the cake. Cakes without eggs tend to come out pretty dry and lack that depth of flavor that you’re looking for.
Eggs also help bind all of the other ingredients together, while still being mild in flavor. Cakes without eggs also tend to have a more crumbly texture- one that falls apart when you try to take a bite.
That’s not all; eggs also help cakes rise properly while baking they assist leavening agents like baking soda or baking powder and give you a fluffy bite!
HOW DO EGGS AFFECT CAKES?
There are several ways in which eggs affect cakes, they act as a binding agent, leavening agent, natural food coloring, flavor enhance and even assist in creating the texture we have all come to know and love!
Let’s take a quick look at some of the most important things eggs do in cakes!
Eggs Work Like Gluten to Provide the Necessary Binding in Cakes
One of the most important tasks eggs do when added to a cake mixture is that they help provide structure to the cake. In some ways, they work just like gluten- they bind the ingredients together and help the cake hold its shape, instead of getting all flat.
The proteins in the eggs are set when cooked, and eventually, any and all of your baked goods get that firm shape.
They Have a Significant Impact on Leavening
Eggs have the incredible ability to puff up foods when beaten. This is why most cake recipes call for the eggs to be beaten- this process traps the air in the mixture, and eventually, when the cake is baked, the heat causes the entire mixture to expand and hold its soft, spongy shape.
Eggs Can Impact the Color of Your Cake
Eggs also lend your cakes a nice yellowish hue in addition to the structural roles that they serve in baking. If you add only egg whites to your cake, your cake will end up having that bright, white hue after it is baked.
Eggs Make Cake
The protein in egg yolks is a very important part of the cake-baking process. When egg whites and egg yolks are whipped, air bubbles get trapped by the proteins. This will help make your cake more light and fluffy. This is why you’ll find many cake recipes calling for the egg whites to be whipped, and then incorporated into the cake batter.
The cake that you then end up with has a soft and spongy texture.
Eggs Add Fat, Water and Moisture to Cakes
Egg yolks also contain fat, which is another critical component for creating moist cakes. The yolks, in particular, help you get that soft and delicate structure to your cake and help tenderize it by trapping in more moisture. Cakes with a high egg-fat ratio will stay moist and fresh for longer than those without it. The fat also lends the cake an extra rich and velvety texture- just what you’re looking for.
HOW DOES THE NUMBER OF EGGS AFFECT A CAKE?
When it comes to baking in particular, you need to be super careful about the quanity of ingredients that you’re using – it is after all a science! You need to get every teaspoon, every drop right for your cakes and other baked goods to come out perfectly.
This, of course, includes eggs. The number of eggs you add to your cake mixture can have a significant impact on its flavor and texture.
What Happens When You Bake a Cake Without an Egg?
If you bake a cake without eggs or egg substitutes it will most likely collapse during the cooking process as there is less structure, it is missing that protein to hold it together. You also have to deal with your cake following apart, again because of the lack of binder. Some recipes might call for egg substitutes to be used, and while you could use them instead, you still won’t be able to replicate that dreamy and soft texture that you’d achieve with the eggs added in.
What Will Happen if I Don’t Add Enough Eggs to a Cake Recipe?
Changing the number of eggs you add to your cake mixture can affect its properties in more ways than one. Without enough eggs, cake batter tends to be thin which results in thin or flat cakes because, you guessed it lack of a binder, and the cake not having the support needed to make it rise-or worse, they collapse entirely! Cakes that are heavy on butter or sugar might come out greasy when you leave out half of their egg content. Your cakes might also end up having a crumbly and dry texture.
What Does Adding More Eggs Do To A Cake?
While eggs do lend your cakes a nice richness, flavor, moisture, and leavening, adding in too many eggs can make your cakes and other baked goods tough and rubbery, or really really heavy!
Your cake will turn denser than you’d want it to be, and it won’t taste the same in terms of flavor and texture.
All in all, eggs play a vital role in the art of cake making!
Eggs help bring out the flavors of the cake, give it structure and stability, make it taste rich and soft, and make it delicate and spongy. And of course, they also have that added benefit of being nutritious!
