How to Make Boxed Cake Mix Without Eggs

Baking Resources Editorial · Reviewed by Joan Ramos · Updated October 2026 · 17 min read

Swap each egg the box asks for with 1/4 cup (60 g) of applesauce, 3 tablespoons (45 mL) of aquafaba, or 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed whisked into 3 tablespoons of water and rested 10 minutes. A standard mix calls for 3 eggs, so that is 3/4 cup of applesauce, 9 tablespoons of aquafaba, or 3 flax eggs. Everything else on the box stays the same.

Knowing how to make boxed cake mix without eggs is easier than doing it in a scratch cake, because a mix already contains its own emulsifiers and a full dose of chemical leavening. You are only replacing moisture and a little structure, not the entire lift system. That same forgiveness is why turning a cake mix into cookies works with little more than oil and an egg.

Need a different swap or a different amount? Our free baking substitutions finder gives you the ratio for whatever is actually in your kitchen.

How to make boxed cake mix without eggs: the swap chart

Every amount below replaces one large egg, which weighs about 50 g out of the shell. Multiply by 3 for a standard mix.

Two of those need a warning label.

Mayonnaise is not egg free. It is emulsified oil and egg yolk, so it works beautifully in a mix and is completely wrong if you are avoiding eggs for an allergy. It belongs on this chart only because so many people reach for it when the fridge is out of eggs.

Vinegar and baking soda caps out at two eggs. One tablespoon of vinegar with a teaspoon of baking soda (about 4.6 g) makes a real burst of carbon dioxide, but the mix already carries its own leavening. Push to three and you get a metallic, soapy edge and a cake that rises fast then falls. Our guide to baking soda vs baking powder explains why the acid has to be balanced.

Step by step: eggless boxed cake

This is the full method for a standard 15 to 16.5 oz mix that calls for 3 eggs, 1 cup of water, and 1/2 cup of oil. Adjust the substitute amounts if your box asks for 2 or 4 eggs.

1. Heat the oven and prep the pan. Use the temperature on the box, usually 350°F. Grease and line the pan, since eggless batter sticks more readily.
2. Prepare the substitute. Drain aquafaba into a jar and shake it, or whisk flax with water and let it rest 10 minutes until it gels.
3. Whisk the dry mix. Break up any lumps and whisk in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch for extra structure.
4. Combine the wet ingredients. Oil, the reduced amount of water, and your egg substitute go into one bowl and get whisked together.
5. Mix. Add the dry mix and beat on medium for the time the box gives, usually about 2 minutes. The batter will look slightly thicker than usual, which is normal.
6. Fill and bake. Fill pans about two thirds full and check for doneness 3 to 5 minutes before the box's earliest time.
7. Cool fully. Rest 10 to 15 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a rack. Eggless layers are a little more tender while warm, so cool them completely before stacking or frosting.

The yogurt method for white and yellow mixes

Plain yogurt is one of the most reliable swaps for pale cakes because it brings moisture, a little protein, and fat, and it doesn't tint the crumb. Use 1/4 cup (60 g) of plain whole-milk yogurt per egg, or 3/4 cup for a three-egg box, and cut the water by about 1/4 cup to keep the batter from running thin.

A few things make it work better:

• Use plain, unsweetened yogurt. Vanilla yogurt adds sugar and flavoring that can make the cake overly sweet.
• Greek yogurt is thicker. Thin it with milk, roughly 3 tablespoons of Greek yogurt plus 1 tablespoon of milk per egg, so it blends evenly.
• For a sturdier layer, whisk 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour or 1 tablespoon of cornstarch into the dry mix. This helps a cake that will be stacked or carved.
• Sour cream works the same way at the same amount and gives a slightly richer, tangier cake.

The finished cake doesn't taste like yogurt. The tang mostly disappears in the bake, and what remains reads as a richer, slightly more buttery crumb.

Egg-free cake mix for allergies, dairy-free, and vegan baking

If you are baking for an egg allergy or a vegan diet, the substitute is only half the job. Check every other ingredient too.

Many standard mixes contain milk ingredients, and some contain dried egg, so read the ingredient panel and the allergen statement each time you buy, since formulas change. Our egg substitute for baking guide covers swaps for scratch cakes, and gluten-free baking substitutions covers the flour side.

What the eggs are doing in a boxed mix

Three large eggs weigh 150 g and do four separate jobs. Knowing which one matters for your cake tells you which substitute to reach for.

Structure. Egg protein sets as it heats and builds the scaffolding that holds the crumb open. This is the job no fruit purée does, and it is why an eggless cake can turn gummy in the center.

Moisture. Eggs are about 75% water. That water turns to steam and helps the cake rise. Any wet substitute covers this easily.

Emulsification. Yolk lecithin keeps the fat and water from separating, which gives you an even, tender crumb. Here is the good news: boxed mixes already contain emulsifiers, usually mono- and diglycerides or propylene glycol monostearate. That is the single biggest reason a mix survives egg removal better than a scratch cake.

Lift. Beaten eggs trap air. In a standard box mix this matters least of all, since the leavening in the powder does the heavy lifting.

So in a boxed mix you are mostly replacing moisture plus a little structure. That narrows the job enormously.

The structure problem, and the fix that actually works

Replace all three eggs with fruit purée and you have added 180 g of wet sugar and pectin with almost no protein. The cake will taste fine and the middle will be slightly gummy and sunken. That is not a baking failure, it is missing protein.

Three fixes, in order of how well they work.

1. Mix your substitutes instead of using one. Two eggs' worth of applesauce plus one egg's worth of aquafaba gives you moisture from the purée and a protein foam from the chickpea liquid. This is the single best trick in this article, and it costs nothing.

2. Add a structural helper. Whisk 1 tablespoon (8 g) of cornstarch or 2 teaspoons of arrowroot into the dry mix before any liquid goes in. It gelatinizes as it bakes and firms up the crumb that the missing egg protein would have set.

3. Pull back the other liquid. If your box says 1 cup of water and you are adding 3/4 cup of applesauce, cut the water to 2/3 cup. Purée is not a dry ingredient. Total liquid should land close to what the box intended, not 180 g over it.

That last one is the step most people skip, and it explains most of the soggy eggless cakes on the internet.

Aquafaba is the closest thing to a real egg

Aquafaba is the liquid in a can of chickpeas. It is water that has spent months absorbing chickpea proteins and starches, and it whips and sets remarkably like egg white.

The ratio is fixed and easy to remember:

Use it straight from the can for a standard mix and stir it in with the oil and water. For a lighter cake, whip it to soft peaks first with a hand mixer, which takes 3 to 5 minutes, then fold it into the batter at the end. Our guide to vegan egg white substitutes covers the whipping technique and how long the foam holds.

Two practical notes. Use the liquid from unsalted or low sodium chickpeas if you can, and drain the liquid from a standard can into a jar rather than measuring straight from the can, since the starch settles. One can gives you roughly 1/2 to 2/3 cup, which is close to what a full three-egg swap needs.

The soda water and soft drink method

There is a well-traveled internet trick where you skip the eggs, the oil and the water entirely and stir a mix with a 12 oz (355 mL) can of carbonated drink. It works, and it is worth knowing what you are giving up.

What you get: a very light, spongy, slightly fragile cake with a fine crumb. The carbonation adds lift and the liquid hydrates the powder. Two ingredients, one bowl.

What you lose: all the fat from the oil and all the protein from the eggs. The crumb is airier but drier the next day, and it does not hold up under a heavy frosting. It also stales fast, so it is a same-day cake.

Ratios that hold up:

Carbonated water and lemon lime soda both work. Dark soda works in chocolate mixes and adds sweetness, so expect a sweeter cake. Pour the liquid in last and stir only until the streaks disappear, since every extra stroke knocks bubbles out. Our guide on what overmixing does explains why that matters more here than in a normal batter.

Worked example: a standard mix with 3 eggs

The situation. A 15.25 oz (432 g) yellow cake mix. The box asks for 3 large eggs, 1 cup of water and 1/2 cup of oil, baked in two 8 inch rounds at 350°F for 28 to 32 minutes. You have no eggs.

Step 1. Pick the combination. Two eggs' worth of applesauce for moisture, one egg's worth of aquafaba for structure. That is 1/2 cup (120 g) applesauce plus 3 tablespoons (45 mL) aquafaba.

Step 2. Do the liquid math. Three eggs weigh 150 g and are about 75% water, so they were bringing roughly 113 g of water to the batter. Your substitutes bring 120 g from the applesauce and 45 g from the aquafaba, which is 165 g. That is 52 g over, about 3 1/2 tablespoons.

Step 3. Correct it. Cut the box's 1 cup of water down to 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (roughly 195 g instead of 237 g). Now the total liquid matches what the mix was formulated for.

Step 4. Add the structural helper. Whisk 1 tablespoon (8 g) of cornstarch into the dry mix before anything wet goes in.

Step 5. Mix. Combine the wet ingredients first so the aquafaba is evenly dispersed, then add the dry mix and beat for the time the box states. Eggless batters look slightly thicker. That is correct, not a sign to add water.

Step 6. Bake. Same 350°F, but check 3 to 5 minutes early. Eggless batters set at a slightly lower temperature and dry out fast once they pass done. Pull at 205 to 210°F in the center, or when a toothpick comes out with two or three moist crumbs.

The result: a layer about 5% shorter than the egg version, with a slightly tighter crumb and a completely normal taste. Nobody at the table works it out.

Worked example: 24 cupcakes from two mixes

The situation. Two standard mixes, 6 eggs total called for, and a bag of chia seeds.

Six eggs means 6 tablespoons of chia (about 72 g) whisked into 18 tablespoons of water (270 g), rested 10 minutes until it thickens to a loose gel.

That gel weighs 342 g, and the six eggs it replaces weighed 300 g. You are 42 g over, so drop the combined 2 cups of water down to 1 3/4 cups.

Chia seeds stay visible, so this combination belongs in chocolate or spice mixes where the speckles read as intentional. In a white mix they look like a mistake. If you want invisible, grind the chia in a spice grinder first or switch to aquafaba.

Bake: cupcake wells at 1/4 cup each, 350°F, 16 to 20 minutes instead of 18 to 22. Eggless cupcakes dome slightly less, so fill to two thirds rather than half if you want a proper crown. If the plan is cake pops instead, how many cake pops one mix makes has the count.

Which mixes take the swap well, and which do not

Angel food is the one true no. An angel food mix is designed to have whipped egg whites folded into it, and the entire cake is that foam. Aquafaba whips, but it collapses under the sugar load in an angel food formula far more often than it holds. Bake something else.

Pound cake and butter recipe mixes are the other weak spot. They call for four eggs because the crumb is dense and needs real protein. You can get an edible cake with aquafaba and cornstarch, but it will be noticeably heavier.

Pan sizes, mixes, and bake times for eggless cake

One standard box makes roughly 4 1/2 to 5 cups of batter. The times below are typical box times at 350°F, and eggless batter is often done at the early end, so start checking sooner. Always follow your box when it differs.

Our how many cake mixes per pan size chart covers bigger and odd-shaped pans, and if you use a Bundt, how to get a Bundt cake out of the pan is worth a look, since eggless cakes are more tender when warm.

Brownie, muffin, and cookie mixes without eggs

The same swaps work in other boxed mixes, with slightly different results.

For the cookie route, how to convert cake mix to cookies has the full ratios, and our egg substitutes for muffins, cookies, and brownies guide covers each bake in more depth.

Frosting and storing an eggless cake

Frosting. Classic American buttercream, made with butter, powdered sugar, and milk, contains no egg. So do cream cheese frosting, chocolate ganache, and a simple glaze. Swiss and Italian meringue buttercreams are built on egg whites, and royal icing usually uses egg whites or meringue powder, so skip those or use aquafaba. Our buttercream guide has an easy egg-free base, and the frosting calculator tells you how much to make.

Storing. Keep an eggless cake covered at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. Move it to the fridge if the frosting or filling is perishable, such as cream cheese or whipped cream, and bring slices back to room temperature before serving for the softest crumb.

Freezing. Wrap fully cooled, unfrosted layers tightly in plastic, then foil, and freeze for up to about 3 months. Thaw them still wrapped so condensation forms on the wrap instead of the cake. Details are in how to freeze cake and how to store cake.

What goes wrong, and how to fix it

Gummy or wet in the middle. Too much purée and not enough protein. Cut the other liquid back, add cornstarch, and swap one egg's worth of purée for aquafaba.

Sunken center. Underbaked, or you leaned on vinegar and baking soda for all three eggs. Eggless cakes need the full bake and a proper cool. Our guide on why cakes sink covers the other causes.

Dry and crumbly. Usually the soda-only method, or overbaking by five minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of oil back in, and pull the cake earlier.

Dense, tight crumb. Silken tofu without blending, or too much banana. Blend tofu until completely smooth, and treat banana as the heaviest option on the chart.

Tastes like the substitute. Banana and flax both announce themselves. Move to aquafaba, yogurt or a commercial replacer in pale mixes.

Sticks in the pan. Eggless batters are stickier because there is less coagulated protein pulling away from the wall. Line the pan properly. Our guide to lining a cake pan has the parchment method.

Frequently asked questions

Can you make boxed cake mix without eggs?

Yes, and it works better in a mix than in a scratch cake because the powder already contains emulsifiers and a full dose of leavening. Replace each egg with 1/4 cup of applesauce, 3 tablespoons of aquafaba or a flax egg, then cut the box's water slightly so the total liquid stays where the mix expects it.

What is the best egg substitute for cake mix?

Aquafaba, the liquid from a can of chickpeas, at 3 tablespoons per egg. It brings protein rather than just moisture, it has no taste of its own, and it does not tint a white or yellow cake. The best all-around approach is two eggs' worth of applesauce for moisture plus one egg's worth of aquafaba for structure.

How much applesauce replaces one egg in cake mix?

One quarter cup, which is 60 g. For a standard three-egg mix that is 3/4 cup. Use unsweetened applesauce and reduce the water on the box by about 3 tablespoons, since the purée is bringing more liquid than the eggs did. Stop at two eggs' worth if you want to avoid a gummy center.

Can I use just soda instead of eggs and oil in a cake mix?

Yes. Stir one standard mix with a 12 oz can of carbonated drink and nothing else. The cake is very light and fine crumbed, but with no fat and no protein it dries out by the next day and does not hold heavy frosting well. Keeping the oil and using 1 cup of carbonated water gives a much better result.

Do eggless cakes bake for the same amount of time?

Slightly less. Start checking 3 to 5 minutes early. Eggless batters set at a marginally lower temperature and go from moist to dry quickly once they pass done. Aim for 205 to 210°F in the center, or a toothpick with two or three moist crumbs on it.

Why is my eggless cake gummy in the middle?

Too much liquid and not enough protein. Fruit purées bring more water than the eggs they replaced, so the crumb never fully sets. Cut the box's water back by 2 to 4 tablespoons, whisk a tablespoon of cornstarch into the dry mix, and replace at least one egg with aquafaba instead of purée.

Can I make an angel food mix without eggs?

No. An angel food mix is built around a whipped egg white foam, and that foam is the cake. Aquafaba whips well but rarely survives the sugar load in an angel food formula. Every other mix type on the shelf takes the swap far better.

Does a boxed mix already contain egg?

Most standard mixes do not, but many carry a warning that they are made on shared equipment, and some brands include dried egg white. Read the ingredient panel rather than assuming, especially for allergy baking. Our guide to dairy-free baking substitutions covers the same label-reading habit for milk ingredients.

Can I use Greek yogurt instead of eggs in cake mix?

Yes. Because Greek yogurt is thicker, thin it with a little milk first, about 3 tablespoons of Greek yogurt plus 1 tablespoon of milk for each egg. Regular plain yogurt can go in as is at 1/4 cup per egg.

Does an eggless cake taste like the substitute?

Aquafaba, yogurt, and commercial egg replacers are essentially undetectable once baked. Applesauce leaves a faint fruity note that suits spice and chocolate cakes, while banana and flax are the most noticeable, so save those for flavors that welcome them.

Can I just use milk or water instead of eggs?

You can replace the liquid an egg provides, about 3 tablespoons per egg, but milk and water add no structure. Whisk 1 tablespoon of cornstarch into the dry mix to help, or better, use aquafaba, which adds both moisture and protein.

Can I make a brownie mix without eggs?

Yes. Use a flax egg or 1/4 cup of plain yogurt for each egg the box calls for. The brownies come out a little fudgier and denser, and they need full cooling before cutting so the squares hold together.

How many eggs does a box cake mix usually need?

Most standard 15 to 16.5 oz mixes call for 3 large eggs, though some ask for 2 or 4. Multiply the per-egg substitute amount by whatever number your box lists.

How long does an eggless cake keep?

About 2 to 3 days covered at room temperature, longer in the fridge if the frosting needs refrigeration. Unfrosted layers freeze well for up to about 3 months when wrapped airtight.

What frosting is egg-free?

American buttercream, cream cheese frosting, chocolate ganache, and powdered sugar glazes are all egg-free. Meringue-based buttercreams and most royal icings contain egg whites unless you make them with aquafaba.

Related guides: Egg substitute for baking | Applesauce as an egg substitute | Vegan egg white substitute | Baking soda vs baking powder | Baking substitutions finder