Let’s talk all about eggs and why you use them while baking. Eggs are stabilizers and emulsifiers. They also help leaven your baked goods by adding air. On top of all of this, they add flavor. Eggs are broken into two parts by nature: egg whites and yolks. Each part does different things in your batter. Let’s take a close look so that you can better understand the chemical reactions while baking.

A dozen eggs are chilling in a carton on the marble counter, showing off their mix of white and brown shells. Pop open that carton, and youll see their nutritional info printed on the lid, highlighting all the cool health perks they pack!.

What do eggs do in baking?

  • Provide structure and stabilize.
  • Add flavor – the egg yolk is full of fat, and therefore flavor
  • Leaven/rise your baked good – by the aeration process (whipping to trap tiny air bubbles in your batter)
  • Emulsification – the eggs will help two ingredients that don’t mix well together (like water and oil) blend into a cohesive mixture. One major contributor to this is the lecithin found in the egg yolk.

How do eggs emulsify your batter?

Emulsification is one of the most important processes when baking. Otherwise, your baked good will separate during baking, resulting in a greasy and unpleasant texture. To properly emulsify your batter, your eggs need to be whipped long enough to trap tiny air bubbles into the mixture. It is also essential to add the eggs to your batter before you add any of the dry ingredients, like flour, or else emulsification cannot occur.

A white textured bowl packed full of fresh eggs chills on a marble countertop, with one egg chilling next to it. Theres also a blue and white checkered cloth sneaking into the scene, adding some extra charm.

Egg Whites vs. Egg Yolks

  • Egg Whites: 88% water and 10% protein
  • Egg Yolks: 50% water, 30% fat, and 17% protein

Egg whites can be whipped to add lots of tiny air bubbles and aerate/rise your mixture. Yolks can be beaten to add lots of little water pockets, adding stability to your mixture.

For recipes that separate the eggs and use them for leavening and then fat, try my homemade shortcake recipe or delicious tres leches recipe.

A bowl of mixed brown and white eggs chillin on the marble counter, with a couple more eggs hanging out nearby. You can see the edge of a blue and white checkered cloth peeking in from the left, adding to this laid-back vibe of fresh eggs. .

How do eggs stabilize your baked goods?

When eggs are beaten and the molecules unfold, water gets trapped between the protein bonds, thickening your batters and helping the baked goods from collapsing. When you add heat, the eggs coagulate, changing from a liquid to a semisolid or solid.

More Egg-cellent Recipes

For an egg white only recipe (just the protein), try my simple Swiss macarons recipe. For an egg-yolk-heavy recipe, try my vanilla frozen custard (only egg yolks), or my sugar cookies, which call for extra egg yolks. For a recipe that is heavy on the egg whites (12 to be exact), that uses them as a leavening, try my angel food cake recipe or my strawberry angel food cake.

Continue Baking Chemistry

    Heres a carton of six white and six brown eggs on a light surface. The text says, Why You Shouldnt Substitute Eggs in Recipes, because using fresh, quality eggs is key for nailing that perfect dish!.