Duck eggs v Hen eggs for baking

trying-very-trying

I've managed to find a very reasonably priced local source for free range eggs. Only problem is that she doesn't like hens, so I can get either duck or goose eggs.
Now that isn't a problem in so much as we do love the eggs, but the problem is if using them for baking, how do they compare? The duck eggs have very little white, very rich yolks mind you, so does that affect when baking? I know that an average hen egg weighs about 2oz, so I can work out the weight differences, that's no bother, but how relevant is the yolk or the white in cake making etc?
Obviously I'm not planning on using the duck eggs for meringue.

thriftlady_2

Not sure about duck eggs, but goose eggs make wonderful cakes;)

ka7e

Duck eggs are very rich and my SIL uses hers for all her baking.
For a basic sponge mixture I weigh my eggs and use exactly the same weight fat, sugar and SR flour. The air you incorporate into a cake mixture should be in the creaming (fat and sugar) stage, supplemented by the raising agent in the flour. The type of eggs used shouldn't have any effect.

Paulie'sGirl

My mum swears duck eggs make a sponge cake rise better and be lighter. I've never dried goose eggs though.

Worth a whirl?

trying-very-trying

Thanks, I'll give them a go. I know that 1 duck egg is about equivalent to 2 hen eggs, I just didn't know how relevant the proportion of yolk to white was. Will report back tomorrow.

ViksB

We have both ducks and hens (and in the past geese) we find that all the hens are lovely. I always choose to bake with duck eggs as it makes the sponge richer and lighter and tastier.
I also prefer duck eggs scrambled, but hen eggs for poached or boiled.

Hope this helps

neral1

I want to bake a cake and by mistake I have purchased Duck free range eggs, has anyone tried ? and will they taste the same? can they be used for baking cakes?
Any bakers or experts pl suggest.

Thanks

searching_me

my nan always used duck eggs never seemed to be any different just my grandad prefered them x

Pink.

Hi neral,

Duck eggs are great in baking. There's a recent thread on this so I'll add your thread to it to keep the replies together.

Pink

Churchmouse

neral1 wrote: »

I want to bake a cake and by mistake I have purchased Duck free range eggs, has anyone tried ? and will they taste the same? can they be used for baking cakes?
Any bakers or experts pl suggest.

Thanks

Duck eggs are gorgeous! They're richer than hen's eggs and will work beautifully for baking. They are usually larger than hen's eggs. If yours are very large you may have to adjust your recipe slightly, but in most instances it won't make any difference, you'll just get a really good "rise":D

Pink beat me to it, lol

jordylass

I bought some duck eggs in the summer and had a dreadful allergic reaction to them, thank goodness I'm OK with hens eggs. They are supposed to be the better in cakes though.