If you don’t have all the ingredients you need, you may be wondering, can you leave eggs out of banana bread?
What difference will it make to the final bake?
Will it change the taste, texture, or appearance?
Perhaps it won’t rise or cook at all!
What else can be used in place of eggs?
Let’s try and find out the truth about eggs and banana bread.
It is possible to make banana bread without eggs. However, a specific recipe for eggless bread should be followed rather than just leaving them out. The resulting loaf could be chewy or dense as eggs add moisture. The banana bread may dry out quickly without the addition of eggs. The color may also be different, as eggs help to create the familiar shade of golden brown. Eggs also help the banana bread to rise, as they help to trap in air, and as such, the loaf may be somewhat flatter than expected. For those who are allergic to eggs, then apple sauce can be substituted when mixing the banana bread.
Why Do You Need Eggs in Banana Bread?
The majority of recipes for banana bread will include eggs in the list of ingredients.
Eggs serve several purposes, with the whites and the yolks playing their own separate roles.
Egg whites contain protein, and this is why you don’t end up with a loaf that is either too gooey or too crumbly.
In effect, the whites give structure to the bread.
The egg yolks contain fat, and this is where the flavor, moisture, and color come from.
The yolks also contribute towards rising, ensuring the banana bread is not flat or dense.
In general, the eggs help the mix to bind together.
As the eggs add moisture, they keep the loaf from drying out too quickly.
The egg yolks also contribute to the golden brown color of the banana bread.
What Can Be Used Instead of Eggs in Banana Bread?
Don’t panic if you are about to start baking banana bread and discover that you have no eggs!
Or perhaps you are allergic to eggs and cannot use them.
There are a surprising number of substitutes for eggs.
However, do use a recipe that is specific to eggless banana bread, as the proportions of your other ingredients may change.
Surprisingly, the number one ingredient that you can use is apple sauce!
It adds moisture and binds well together with the other dry components.
And no, it won’t make your bread taste like apples!
However, do use the smooth varieties of apple sauce with no chunks in it.
And preferably the unsweetened variety; otherwise, you may have to adjust the amount of sugar you use.
The resulting loaf may be slightly flatter than usual because it won’t have the benefit of eggs helping it to rise.
Other fruit substitutes include canned pumpkin or pureed prunes.
Instead of eggs, you can also use baking soda and vinegar, arrowroot powder or soft tofu or chickpea cooking water, or ground flax seeds and water.
Each variation will produce different results, so you need to experiment first.
This is the Best Eggless Banana Bread in the World
Final Thoughts
It is perfectly possible to bake banana bread without eggs.
It could change the texture, taste, or appearance but should still be delicious!
There are numerous ingredients that can be substituted for eggs, but apple sauce gives the best results.
Make sure you follow a specific recipe rather than just leaving the eggs out, as you may need to change the proportions of the other ingredients.
No eggs? No problem!
Of course, you might have the opposite problem and find that you have put too many eggs in your banana loaf!