Low in both calories and fat, canned pumpkin is a healthy substitute for oil and eggs in a variety of baked goods.
With a bright orange color and creamy consistency, canned pumpkin can be effortlessly added to mixes for cakes, cookies, breads and brownies. It's also low in sodium and high in fiber and healthy antioxidants.
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Although the substitution might add just the slightest hint of pumpkin flavor, the rest of the recipe's flavors will continue to dominate in the dessert.
The Ratio for Using Pumpkin Instead of Eggs and Oil
Add 1/4 cup of pumpkin for each egg. Substitute 1:1 oil for canned pumpkin, says celebrity chef George Duran.
"You may not get a very cakey batter, but it’ll be very tasty," he adds.
How to Use Canned Pumpkin in Baked Goods
Things You'll Need
Canned pumpkin
Bowls
Spoons
Measuring cups
Electric mixer
Baking dish
1. Mix Dry Ingredients Minus Sugar
Mix all of the dry ingredients in the recipe — excluding the sugar — in a bowl and set aside.
2. Add Liquid Ingredients and Canned Pumpkin
Pour the liquid ingredients, including the canned pumpkin, into a separate bowl. Add 1/4 cup canned pumpkin for each egg and an equal amount of canned pumpkin for the oil called for in the recipe.
For example, if your recipe calls for 3 eggs and 1 cup of oil, you will add a total of 1 3/4 cup canned pumpkin.
Tip
"You can also substitute tahini for oil in baked recipes 1:1," chef Duran says. "The easiest way to measure tahini is by using a squeezable one, like Mighty Sesame tahini."
3. Add Sugar and Mix
Add the sugar to the liquid ingredients, mixing vigorously with an electric mixer.
Forcefully mixing the liquid ingredients reduces the formation of gluten strands, which can give your baked goods a tough texture.
4. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients
Combine the dry and liquid ingredients into one bowl, mixing them gently by hand until just combined. Because gluten strands form more actively the more you mix the dry and liquid ingredients together, mix them as little as possible.
5. Add More Pumpkin if Needed
Add an additional 1/4 cup canned pumpkin to the batter if the texture is too dry and mix just until combined.
If necessary, continue adding the canned pumpkin in 1/4-cup increments until the baked good batter is a satisfactory consistency. But expect your batter to be thicker and lumpier when using canned pumpkin in place of eggs and oil.
6. Add Batter to Pan
Pour or drop the batter into the necessary pan or dish for baking. You can use baking sheets, cake pans, Bundt pans, cupcake trays or brownie pans.
7. Bake in the Oven
Bake the batter at the same temperature and for the same length of time as called for in your recipe. To check for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of your baked good. If the toothpick emerges clean, remove the dessert from the oven.
Tip
During the baking process, your various ingredients combine and react with one another to determine the ultimate taste and texture of the final product. Although substituting canned pumpkin for oil and eggs will benefit the overall nutrition of your baked goods, it can also negatively affect the texture.
You might have to experiment with proportions until you achieve a satisfying taste and texture.
