Pumpkin…my favorite Fall treat! And I’m not kidding when I say that! So, when the air gets crisp & cold, I look for any & all ways to serve pumpkin. Over these years these Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting have definitely been a go-to recipe. They’re so easy & fast! You can hand mix them in one bowl, pop them in the oven & in less than 30min you’ll have a warm, moist, spicy treat. For simplicity, I usually serve these bars sans cream cheese frosting…but I will admit that with it, they are truly amazing! Enjoy!
Makes about 24 bars
Ingredients
For Pumpkin Bars
- 2 c sugar
- 4 eggs
- 3/4 c canola oil
- 1 t vanilla
- 2 c pumpkin puree
- 2 c flour
- 2 t baking powder
- 1 t baking soda
- 1/2 t salt
- 2 t cinnamon
- 1 t ginger
- 1 1 allspice
- 1/2 t cloves
- 1/4 t nutmeg
For Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1/2 c unsalted butter, softened to room temp
- 1-1/2 c powdered sugar, sifted
- Scant pinch of salt
- 6 oz cream cheese, cold straight from the fridge (cut into 1″ pieces)
- 1/4 t vanilla
Make the pumpkin bars:
Mis eggs, oil, sugar, vanilla & pumpkin in a large bowl. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt & spices. Mix until just blended. Pour into a 11 x 17 pan. Bake at 350 deg for 20 min. Remove from oven & cool.
Make the cream cheese frosting:
Using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or an electric handheld mixer, beat butter until light & creamy, about 2-3 min.
With mixer running on low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar & salt. Raise speed to med-high & whip until light in both color & texture, about 05 min. With mixer still on med-high speed, add 1 piece of cream cheese at a time, one after the other, mixing well after each addition so there are no lumps. Continue whipping until light & fluffy & air pockets have formed. Beat in vanilla until just incorporated.
Spread over cooled bars & enjoy!
Photo Cred: Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting – Chocolate with Grace
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