Freezing Canned Pumpkin?

[Casey1230]

Help please... I'm making a pumpkin spice bundt cake tomorrow for a 'dine around' event on Wednesday. It calls for 1 cup canned pumpkin... of course, the can is 15oz. I'm going to make another one in about 10 days, but know it will be keep for long in the fridge. Can I freeze the remaining pumpkin and do you think it will affect the cake? TIA

[lindrusso]

I think you'd be just fine freezing it.

Seems like I've frozen canned pumpkin before though usually I just double whatever I'm making to use the whole can and then freeze the baked good.

I puree and freeze butternut squash all the time and it's fine.

[Canice]

I (Miss Anti-freeze ) have actually done this. I put it in Tupperware and place plastic wrap directly on top of the pumpkin before closing the lid. I recall that it gives off liquid when it thaws, but just drain that off.

[oct2189]

I too have frozen leftover pumkin puree. I've frozen it it tupperware like Canice, and I've frozen it in airtight ziploc bags wrapped in heavy-duty foil (it seems to take up less space that way). It does get slightly more watery when it thaws, but it's never affected any recipe I've used it in.

[ljt2r]

I have never tried freezing, but I did want to say when this happened to me recently I decided to add it to French toast soaking liquid, and boy did it make amazing French toast. Just a thought.

[Canice]

I want that!!

[Kate B]

I want the pumpkin french toast, too! Great idea...

To the original question, I've frozen canned pumpkin lots of times with great results.

Kate

[apple*tart]

Absolutely! I freeze pumpkin all the time. I usually divide it into the portions I know I'll want (if I know) on a cookie sheet, (you can cover them with plastic wrap at this point if you want, I usually don't bother), and freeze them in that portion. Once the portions freeze solid, I transfer them to a zip-top bag or vacuum seal them in a bag. That way you don't have to thaw all of the leftover pumpkin if you only need some of it. I thaw mine in the fridge or, if I'm baking something, I'll put the frozen portion in an oven-safe bowl and stick it in my preheating oven until it thaws, checking and stirring fairly regularly.

[Beth]

I've used up ends of pumpkin when making waffles, but French toast sounds good too. If I make bread on Tuesday, it should be old enough by Saturday or Sunday.

[testkitchen45]

Originally Posted by Canice

I (Miss Anti-freeze ) have actually done this. I put it in Tupperware and place plastic wrap directly on top of the pumpkin before closing the lid. I recall that it gives off liquid when it thaws, but just drain that off.

Just another view here: last year, when I posed a similar question about the liquid that's produced by defrosted bananas, Joe (Healthy in MN) said don't drain it off. The liquid is just what was in the fruit to begin with, so it's not added liquid & if you drain it off, your baked goods could be dry & you could need lots more defrosted fruit to make up the amt. needed for the recipe (this is what happened to me: I drained the naner liquid, & had to make up the diff w/ more banana--the resulting naner bread was as heavy as a doorstop). So instead of draining it off, I just stir it into the recipe. And I've frozen pumpkin b4; it works fine.

[apple*tart]

I would love the pumpkin french toast recipe too!

[Canice]

Thanks, TK. "Miss Anti-freeze" should probably have sat this one out!

[testkitchen45]

Originally Posted by Canice

Thanks, TK. "Miss Anti-freeze" should probably have sat this one out!

No no no. I was just deferring to Joe, or The Chef Who Helped Me Before.

[Canice]

I totally agree! And it makes perfect sense.

[zackaboo]

Originally Posted by apple*tart

I would love the pumpkin french toast recipe too!

Here is a really good french toast recipe that I got from the BB a few years ago...


* Exported from MasterCook *

Pumpkin French Toast

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Breakfast French Toast

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 pound brioche- style bread -- unsliced (or challah)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 pinch coarse salt
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup half and half
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon fresh ginger -- grated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
grated zest from 1/2 an orange
6 Tablespoons butter
maple syrup
2 Tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur -- or OJ

Trim ends of bread. Cut into 12 1-inch-thick slices.

Combine sugar, cinnamon and salt in bowl. Whisk in pumpkin, half-and-half, eggs, liqueur, ginger, vanilla and orange zest. Pour mixture into large pan. Add bread slices to pan; turn slices over to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Add 2 T butter to skillet on medium-low heat. When butter is sizzling, add bread slices 2 at a time and cook until bread is golden brown, 2-3 minutes, on each side. Keep warm in oven while finishing all the bread. Add more butter to pan as necessary. Serve with maple syrup.

Source:
"CLBB (Missindi)"