Description
Delightful pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting bring autumn’s warmth to sweet dessert lovers. Spiced layers of tender cake topped with silky frosting offer comfort in each delectable bite you’ll savor.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 eggs
Spices:
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Frosting Ingredients:
- 8 ounces (226 grams) cream cheese
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Warm the oven to 350°F and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, ensuring edges are slightly overlapping for easy removal.
- Sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and baking soda in a medium mixing bowl, creating a uniform dry mixture.
- Whisk vegetable oil, granulated sugar, and eggs in a separate large bowl until the mixture becomes pale and slightly frothy.
- Fold pumpkin puree into the sugar-egg mixture, stirring until completely incorporated and creating a smooth, orange-hued batter.
- Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring gently until just combined without overmixing to maintain a tender texture.
- Transfer batter into the prepared pan, using a spatula to spread evenly and create a smooth surface.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with minimal crumbs.
- Remove from oven and allow bars to cool completely on a wire rack for approximately 1 hour.
- Blend softened cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until the frosting becomes silky and free of lumps.
- Spread the cream cheese frosting evenly across the cooled pumpkin bars using an offset spatula.
- Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes to set the frosting, then slice into squares and serve.
Notes
- Swap out regular flour with gluten-free flour blend for a celiac-friendly version without compromising texture.
- Lower sugar content by using monk fruit sweetener or reducing overall sugar quantity while maintaining moisture.
- Add warm spices like cardamom or nutmeg to enhance the pumpkin’s deep, earthy flavor profile.
- Test doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center – it should come out with minimal moist crumbs for perfectly baked bars.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 210 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg