How to Substitute Medium Eggs for Large in a Recipe

It's perfectly possible to replace large eggs with medium ones, but you'll need to adjust the quantity slightly to maintain the integrity of your recipe. While precision is crucial for some dishes like meringues or soufflés, for banana cakes, you can use whatever you have and still get great results.

General Guidelines for Substitution

For recipes that call for 1–4 large eggs, you can substitute 1 medium egg for 1 large egg. If the recipe calls for 5 large eggs, use 6 medium eggs. In baked goods, you may not achieve the same loft but the product will still be edible.

Specific Rules for Different Quantities

Add an extra medium egg for every 3 eggs called for in the recipe. For example, if the recipe calls for 3 large eggs, use 4 medium eggs. This small adjustment is often enough to compensate for the difference in size without significantly altering the final product's texture or structure.

Understanding Egg Size Variations

The size of eggs can vary, even within the same category, due to seasonal changes. In some cases, the criteria by which egg producers grade their eggs can change depending on when they are harvested. Recently, I inquired about the variation in egg sizes and learned that during different times of the year, eggs can be uniformly larger or smaller. This is due to the natural fluctuation in the size of chicken eggs at various times.

Some eggs, like those produced by "cage-free" chickens, can vary more significantly in size throughout the year. However, more generic eggs, such as those not labeled as "cage-free" or "antibiotic-free," tend to be more consistent in size from season to season. Despite this variability, the core characteristics of each egg size classification (e.g., large, extra-large) remain consistent regardless of the time of year.

Conclusion

For the vast majority of baking recipes, you can adjust egg sizes without compromising the final outcome. Whether you're making a banana cake or a soufflé, a little flexibility in your egg size adjustments can save you time and stress in the kitchen.