When baking recipes that call for banana, you may wonder if you can substitute pumpkin instead. Pumpkin and banana both have sweet, moist flavors that work well in baked goods, but they are not quite interchangeable. Here’s what you need to know about substituting pumpkin for banana in recipes.
Can you substitute pumpkin for banana?
Yes, you can substitute pumpkin puree for banana in many recipes. Banana and pumpkin puree have similar textures and moisture content, so pumpkin can work as a replacement in recipes where banana is used for texture and moisture. Some examples where pumpkin can be subbed for banana include:
- Breads like banana bread or zucchini bread
- Pancakes and muffins
- Cookies
- Smoothies
However, there are a few considerations when swapping pumpkin for banana in baking:
Flavor differences
While banana and pumpkin both provide sweetness, their flavors are quite different. Banana has a milder, more subtle flavor and aroma, while pumpkin is bolder and more distinctive. The pumpkin flavor will come through more strongly if used to replace banana.
Moisture content
Pumpkin puree contains a bit less moisture than mashed banana. So if replacing banana with pumpkin, you may need to slightly increase other wet ingredients like milk or eggs to maintain the right moisture level.
Sweetness
Bananas are naturally sweeter than pumpkin. So you’ll typically need to increase the amount of sugar or other sweeteners in a recipe if using pumpkin instead.
Binder properties
Banana acts as a binder in recipes like pancakes and muffins, helping hold the batter together. Pumpkin has some binding abilities but not quite as much as banana, so the texture may be a little more delicate.
Color
Pumpkin will give a more yellow-orange color compared to bananas. So the final product will have a darker, more orangey color if pumpkin is substituted.
Pumpkin to banana substitution ratio
When substituting pumpkin for banana, use the following general substitution ratio as a guideline:
| Banana | Pumpkin puree |
|---|---|
| 1 cup mashed banana | 3/4 cup pumpkin puree |
| 1 medium banana | 1/3 cup pumpkin puree |
However, you may need to adjust the other wet and dry ingredients in the recipe to get the moisture, sweetness, and texture right. Let’s look at some tips for that.
Moisture adjustments
Since pumpkin contains less moisture than banana, you’ll typically need to increase the wet ingredients slightly. Some ways to add moisture when replacing 1 cup of banana with 3/4 cup pumpkin include:
- Add 1-2 extra tablespoons of milk, yogurt, sour cream, applesauce or other liquids
- Add an extra egg yolk
- Decrease any dry ingredients like flour or oats by 1-2 tablespoons
Sweetness adjustments
To balance the less sweet flavor of pumpkin, you’ll need to increase the sugar or other sweeteners. Here are some adjustments to try when substituting 3/4 cup pumpkin for 1 cup banana:
- Increase white sugar by 2-4 tablespoons
- Increase brown sugar by 1-2 tablespoons
- Add 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
- Increase molasses or brown sugar syrup by 1-2 teaspoons if used
You can adjust to taste based on how sweet you like your final product. It’s easier to add more sweetener once baked if needed versus trying to reduce sweetness.
Binding adjustments
For recipes where banana’s binding abilities are critical like pancakes or muffins, you may need extra ingredients to help hold the batter together when swapping in pumpkin. Some options include:
- Add an extra egg or egg white
- Include 1-2 tablespoons of ground flax or chia seeds soaked in water
- Use 2-3 tablespoons extra oil, butter, or yogurt
- Add an extra 1-2 tablespoons of flour
- Replace up to 1/4 cup flour with oat flour or almond flour
Spice and flavor adjustments
Pumpkin has a more distinctive flavor than banana, so you may wish to tweak the spices and other flavorings when substituting:
- Cut back on warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves by 1/4 to 1/2 the amount
- Increase vanilla extract by 1/2 to 1 teaspoon
- Add spices like cardamom, allspice or curry powder to complement the pumpkin
- Include lemon or orange zest for brightness
- Add chocolate chips, nuts or dried fruit to provide contrasting flavors
Recipe examples
To give you an idea of the substitutions in action, here are some simple recipe examples switching banana for pumpkin:
Banana Bread
Original:
- 1 1⁄2 cups mashed banana (about 3 medium)
- 1/3 cup butter, softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1⁄2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
Pumpkin modification:
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/3 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 1⁄4 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
- 1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg
Banana Pancakes
Original:
- 1 cup mashed banana
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
- 1⁄2 cup milk
- 1 cup flour
Pumpkin modification:
- 3⁄4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
- 1⁄2 cup milk
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon ground flax seed (for binding)
Banana Smoothie
Original:
- 2 medium bananas
- 1 cup milk
- 1⁄4 cup vanilla yogurt
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Ice cubes
Pumpkin modification:
- 2/3 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 cup milk
- 1⁄4 cup vanilla yogurt
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1⁄8 teaspoon nutmeg
- Ice cubes
Tips for pumpkin banana substitution success
Here are some top tips to ensure success when substituting pumpkin for banana in recipes:
- Use unsweetened 100% pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
- Make sure to adjust wet ingredients up and dry ingredients down
- Increase sugars or other sweeteners to balance the less sweet pumpkin
- Use eggs, flax, or other binders if needed for structure
- Cut back on spices already in the recipe to let the pumpkin flavor through
- Add extra spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice to complement pumpkin flavor
- Swap up to half of the banana with pumpkin in the recipe as a test before replacing all
- Adjust to taste and tweak based on the final texture and flavor
Conclusion
While pumpkin and banana are not identical substitutes, pumpkin puree can work well replacing some or all banana in many baked goods recipes. With a few simple adjustments to moisture, sweetness, binding, and spices, you can successfully incorporate pumpkin as a substitute in banana breads, muffins, pancakes, and other treats. Getting the proportions and additional ingredients right may take some trial and error, but the results can be a tasty new pumpkin twist on a favorite banana recipe.