VOICE FOR EVERYONE | Share your voice with KSHB 41’s Lindsay Shively
Let's stretch your grocery store dollar if you're making food for family and friends this weekend. How does a five-dollar homemade(ish) dessert sound?
If mayonnaise in cupcakes sounds bizarre to you, I say you've got to try it. A jar is cheaper than a dozen eggs but even better if you already have a jar in the fridge! That or just pick up a two bananas and you could make frosted Carrot Cake cupcakes to bring to any holiday gathering this weekend for only about five dollars!
Here is a breakdown of what my baking cost me at a local grocery store this week. If you already have mayonnaise or bananas, all you might need is carrot (or spice) cake mix, frosting, and a bag of fresh carrots! All of that only cost me $4.56 plus tax!
BASE-
Cake Mix $1.19
Frosting $1.88
Carrots $1.49
(Bananas or Mayo you already have? = 0!)
TOTAL- $4.56*
Here's a look at what buying all the ingredients with eggs would look like at the local store where I shopped. I always choose the cheapest option of each item! I had to go to a second store to find 1/2 dozen eggs. The first store only had one left and when I opened it, they had some cracks. I also found signs warning about potentially lingering supply shortages at both stores.
Made with eggs -
Cake 'base' - $4.56
Dozen Eggs- $4.97
Vegetable Oil $2.98
TOTAL- $12.50*
Cake 'base' - $4.56
1/2 dozen eggs $2.86
Vegetable Oil $2.98
TOTAL - $10.40*
*plus tax
If you don't have mayonnaise or bananas, this is how much it cost me. Bananas still kept it at about $5.00 total because I only had to buy two at twenty cents a piece! I skipped the oil in both. Mayonnaise is already made from oil so I used 3/4 cup when the recipe called for three eggs. I skipped it with bananas because I didn't realize I was out of oil until I got home, but honestly I think they turned out great without it! I used 3/4 cup of ripe mashed bananas for this. They weren't as moist as the 'mayo' batch but light and still delicious. You can definitely taste banana flavor.
Made With-
Cake base - $4.56*
2 Bananas $0.40
TOTAL- $4.96*
Cake base - $4.56*
Mayonaise $3.29
TOTAL- $7.85*
*plus tax
There are lots of other egg substitute options that might be hiding in your pantry. I found this list from Colorado State University. I'd still love to try flaxseed!
Have you tried any? Let me know!
https://engagement.source.colostate.edu/7-affordable-egg-substitutes-for-baking/
