In India, eggs are actually considered by many to be non-vegetarian, and a large segment of the vegetarian population in India is lacto-vegetarian (they eat dairy, but not eggs). Traditional Indian sweets don’t include eggs, but the advent of British Colonialism ushered a host of egg-filled desserts into the Indian culinary landscape. Naturally, Indians have come up with all kinds of inventive ways to adjust western confections to Indian dietary preferences.

There’s no one-size fits-all approach to eggless baking—eggs play varying roles in desserts as binders, leaveners, fats, and liquids, so different categories of desserts require different egg replacements. After much tinkering, adapting recipes for family gatherings and cultural events, I’ve come up with the following list of egg replacements for any dessert you’re looking to make.

Plus, everyone needs a go-to chocolate & vanilla cake recipe, and mine are below, adapted from the fabulous Isa Chandra of The Post Punk Kitchen.

Psyllium Husk (Isabgol in Hindi): 1 1/2 teaspoons + 3 tablespoons water = 1 egg. This is used by many Indians as a egg replacement but the proportions are tricky. Too much can leave your baked cooks gummy and gelatinous. In the right ratio, however, I've found Psyllium Husk to be the most effective at binding cookies--more so than the more common "flax eggs." Let the mixture sit in a bowl for a minute until the mixture is gelatinous.

Ground Flax Seed: I've actually modified this to 1 tablespoon flax seed + 2 1/2 tablespoons of water = 1 egg. I've found that the standard 1 to 3 ratio doesn't bind as effectively. Let the mixture sit in a small bowl for about a minute before using. This is best for drier baked goods, like cookies, pancakes and waffles, and certain muffins, particularly heartier bran types.

Applesauce: 1/3 cup apple sauce = 1 egg. Applesauce works for moister baked goods, like cake, brownies, and quick breads (banana, zucchini etc.).

Banana: 1/2 cup of mashed banana = 1 egg. Best in cakes and quick breads. It will lend a banana taste, so keep that in mind.

Yogurt: 1/4 cup yogurt = 1 egg. Yogurt is great for cakes, brownies, and some custard-type desserts. Cheesecake, in particular, can be made eggless with yogurt.

Baking Soda and Vinegar: 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1 tablespoon vinegar = 1 egg. This combo, along with yogurt or buttermilk, yields tender & light cakes. See the cake recipes below that use this technique!

Silken Tofu: ¼ pureed tofu = 1 egg. Think dense baked goods: brownies, cheesecakes, custards.

Cornstarch: Use this in the place of eggs for any custard or pudding recipe. About 2 and 1/4 teaspoons of cornstarch for every cup of liquid. This method works well for pumpkin pie!

Eggless Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

1 cup whole milk (you could sub non-dairy to make it vegan)
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (any vinegar is fine, apple cider just gives a nice flavor)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder, Dutch-processed or regular (or a mix of both)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions