Replacing whole eggs with egg whites when baking is a solid decision for the health conscious as one egg yolk contains close to 200 mg of cholesterol and is loaded with fat. However, egg yolks play vital roles in traditional baking, including coloring and emulsifying. You will need to add the appropriate substitutions to your recipe to ensure that the finished product is a success.
Baking tenets hold that one egg yolk is equal to two egg whites. This is a relatively even swap in terms of volume only. If you are using a measuring cup, assume that eight egg whites are equal to 12 egg yolks. Both are equal to 1 cup. Substitute two egg whites for one whole egg.
Because egg yolks help give baked goods their appealing golden-brown color, in their absence you will need to add a coloring substitute to your recipe. One-half tablespoon of butter will do the trick, or you can substitute a pinch of turmeric.
Egg yolks are an emulsifying agent; that is, they help to bind ingredients that naturally would not otherwise bind. To hold your baked goods together without egg yolks, substitute between 1/8 and 1/4 cup of tofu, blended thoroughly with the other ingredients. You can also use just under 1/4 cup of soya yogurt or one tablespoon of lecithin granules as an egg-yolk substitute.
Beaten whole eggs are a vital (and in some recipes, the only) leavening agent, so you'll need to give your yolk-less recipe a boost. Substitute 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 1 tablespoon of vinegar for every egg yolk you omit.