As my friends know me and expected, I mostly bake Chocolate based cakes or muffins. It's very rare I ever venture into making plain tea cakes or sponge cakes. When I decided on my sub themes, though I was crazy enough to think of making all chocolate based dishes for the entire month, I knew it would be too much. So I had decided I would dedicate a week for only chocolates. Finally after so many changes in the themes, I finally realized that I should talk about one major aspects of baking that happens on this blog. Its all Eggless. That's because even though I don't indulge in lot of cakes myself, I would atleast want to taste.
Since I don't eat egg, the bakes has to be eggless and over the years I have used different Egg Substitutes to replace the egg. To be frank, I actually don't know how a cake with egg tastes. However I have felt the texture and how it springs back etc. Well I don't do it openly if you are concerned that I stare at cakes..:)
I started my time in kitchen through baking as I have said before. Those days when I was in college, I used to bake with eggs but never tasted and used to invite my friends for tasting it. When I started blogging, I decided I would only bake eggless, to catch up all the cakes I missed eating during college days.
Infact Hubby dear and Konda keeps asking me for an egg based cake and I am still making it. Just to make sure I have the sponge cake in place, I baked a basic Vanilla sponge Cake with eggs. As I had mentioned in that post, this basic cake was the highlight of my growing up years.
Later I have replaced the eggs with different substitutes, but mostly looks like chocolate has come out of my oven.
The basic Chocolate Sponge Cake is my kids favorite. There are other sponge cakes on the blog, I know it becomes tiresome if I have to list them all here.
Today's post will be under Quick Breads and Egg Substitutes theme that I will be doing as well.
As you all know, when a cake calls for one egg or two, it can easily be replaced with other ingredients. I have used different substitutes like Condensed Milk, Apple Cider Vinegar, Curds, Buttermilk, Flax Seeds along with baking powder and baking sode. I have also used Paneer once and yet to try my hands on Silken tofu.
In the forthcoming posts I will share whatever I have experimented in my kitchen and those bakes that came out great.
One of the inspiration behind baking a sponge cake wsa during our BM#50 Meet. Baking experts of the BM group baked eggless cakes for the final day cake cutting. While I have never really bothered much about plain cake, those cakes with the icing tasted awesome. When I asked Nandini, she said she used this recipe of Gayathri and I saw that it was very similar to my own Eggless Chocolate Sponge Cake.
I was surprised that a version of this with plain sponge cake was missing in my blog. So I used my chocolate Sponge cake to make this Vanilla Sponge Cake. I mention Vanilla because I never use any essence in my baking, though the recipe might mention it. So the vanilla aroma was so predominant and it felt like those typical small bakeries when the cake got done.
When Konda asked me if I was going to add something else, I said it is going to be just plain cake and not even a chocolate chip will be added. Surprisingly everybody loved the cake. Infact Amma, who eats egg cakes, said this tastes better than that as there is no smell! That's the best compliment I could ever have.
One of the basic thing that we have to remember to get the spring in a sponge cake is to cream the butter and then fold the leavening agent.
While for different egg substitutes, different ingredient act differently, in today's recipe, even though the baking powder and baking soda is added ahead, the final ingredient that gives the spring to this cake is the apple cider vinegar. so I added it in the end.
Eggless Vanilla Sponge Cake Squares
Ingredients Needed
All purpose Flour - 1 cup
Butter - 1/4 cup
Condensed Milk - 200 gm / 1/2 tin
Baking powder- 1 tsp
Cooking Soda 1/2 tsp
Milk - 1 cup
Apple Cider Vinegar - 1/ tsp
Vanilla Extract - 1/2 tsp
How to make Eggless Vanilla Sponge Cake Squares
Keep the butter at room temperature till it softens a bit. Using a beater, beat the butter and then add condensed milk. Again beat till you get a creamy mix.
Next add the baking powder, baking soda, vanilla essence and gently blend in.
Add the flour and fold the mixture together in one side.
Next add the milk and continue till everything is folded well. Finally add the apple cider vinegar and ensure everything is folded well.
Pre heat oven at 170 C.
Grease and dust a 8" square baking tray. Ensure the extra flour is removed
Pour the batter into the tray. The consistency is dropping state, gently pat it down using the spatula or pat it down.
Bake the cake for 30 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean.
Remove from oven and let it cool for 5 minutes.
Invert on to the wire rack and allow it to cool completely before slicing.
Notes:
Sieving the flour along with baking powder, soda will help reduce the stirring in. The butter and condensed milk should be creamed well.
Add the apple cider vinegar will ensure your air pockets are not disturbed much.
I didn't use any butter paper, and the tray was greased and dusted well. Let it rest for 5 - 10 mins, and gently tap after inverting.
The cake literally springs back when you press it.
Recipe
Eggless Vanilla Sponge Cake Squares ~ Egg Substitutes in Baking
Tried this recipe?Mention @spicingyourlife_ or tag #spicingyourlife_!
Srividhya says
Its a wonderful base cake for all the other cakes naa. Loved ur presentation
Foodiliciousnan says
Superb detailed post Valli. I love your posts where you get all analytical! Like you even I don't add any flavour even when recipe calls for it, esp in chocolate bakes. And so in this one, the vanilla stands out!
Varadas Kitchen says
Substitutions are a big part of cooking and baking. Nice post giving basics of substitutions and the cake looks great too.
vaishali sabnani says
Valli posting a vanilla cake is strange but i agree how much chocolate.. Cake looks good and spongy.. Even I have never tasted a egg cake, but actually the eggless ones come out so good rhat I have never had the temptation too.
Nivedhanams Sowmya says
Beautifully baked... Such a fluffy and soft cake.. Love the light yellow color in it...
rajani says
Knowing the right substitute for eggless baking is the clue and as you said 1-2 eggs are easy to replace.
Suja Ram says
Wow.. such a perfect spongy cake. I could feel that in the last 2 stepwise pics itself. Great one. Iam yet to try Eggless Vanilla with condensed milk. Will follow this recipe and try.
The Pumpkin Farm says
very beautiful color on top, and lovely cake overall
Pavani N says
Perfectly made sponge cake Valli. Looks so moist & fluffy.
Harini-Jaya R says
Cakes with condensed milk come out good all the time! These cake squares sounds just as delectable!
Suma Gandlur says
The sponge cake turns out good with the addition of condensed milk. It looks good.
Nalini's Kitchen says
This is one such soft and spongy cake,perfectly bake..very well explained..
veena krishnakumar says
Yes. I was surprised to see a cake which is not chocolaty her 🙂
I have tried the chocolate cake fro Gayatri's blog too. Cake looks super spongy!!
Priya Suresh says
Super prefect cake, i love eggless cake with condensed milk.. Sooo beautiful.
Usha says
Cake looks soft and spongy. Looking forward to your chocolate theme.
Kalyani says
great basic recipe for so many dessert foods ! good post valli - bookmarking 🙂
Padmajha PJ says
I have stopped eating cakes with egg long back..When eggless cakes have such good taste and texture who will be tempted to try the other version right! Well, this is a nice detailed post.Looking forward to other substitutions in bakes...
Padma Rekha says
Very interesting and helpful sub theme Valli... I just started changing my bakes with eggs in egg less. I tried this egg less vanilla sponge with condensed milk but didn't add vinegar will try next time
Priya Srinivasan says
Beautiful bake valli and they way you explain the science behind the ingredients added and the method it is made, is awesome!!!!
Cake looks absolutely delicious and i can feel that spring here !! 🙂
Saraswathi Tharagaram says
Gorgeous Cake bites!! With perfect Spongy texture..
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
Valli the cake looks gorgeous! Love the texture of it and yes it is very rare to see something without chocolate from you 🙂
Gayathri Kumar says
Somehow I prefer this cake to other eggless cakes as this forms a beautiful base for so many flavour combinations. You cake looks super soft and yumm....
sneha datar says
This eggless cake is very spongy and has a lovely crust.
Archana Potdar says
this is a beautiful post.All the agonies that we go through before baking something disappears once the cake is appreciated .
Ruchi Indu says
I am in love with that color