Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

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These Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting are super moist and tender with the perfect frosting to make it DELISH.

They are so easy to bake up for family, parties, and not just for fall treats either. 

Because they freeze so well, you can have them on hand for guests who drop in.

You’ll love how simple they come together and how fabulous they taste. 

 

 

 

Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

Bars – 1 egg

1 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

15 oz. can pumpkin

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1 Tbl. pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

Frosting –

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

3 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1-3 Tbl. milk

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 13×10” baking pan, or a jelly roll pan, preferably with parchment paper and coated with non-stick spray.Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil, vanilla and pumpkin until well combined.In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and ground cloves.

Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixtureMix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth.Spread the batter into a 13×10” baking pan, or a jelly roll pan, that has been coated with cooking spray or sprayed and lined with parchment paper.

 

Bake the 30 minutes, or until done when tested with a toothpick.Let cool for 15 minutes.

TIP:  After 15 minutes cover with plastic wrap and allow to cool completely while covered. This traps the moisture and keeps it tender and moist. 

NEXT TIP:   After the cake has cooled, with the plastic wrap still on, place in the freezer for at least 3 hours before frosting. This keeps the crumbs from getting into the frosting. 

 

To make the frosting:

Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixture until smooth.Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined.Stir in the vanilla and mix.Add in enough milk, one tablespoon at a time, to desired consistency.Spread on cooled or frozen pumpkin cake

 

When the cake is covered evenly with frosting 

Cut into bars and serve. 

TIP: Freeze as it is for 20-30 minutes, or long enough to allow the frosting to set up for easier cutting. This works really well if you are plating these and they have time to come to room temperature, or just chilled before serving. Do not leave unwrapped in the freezer longer than the recommended time.

NEXT TIP:  Cover again in plastic wrap if making a week ahead.

 

ONE MORE TIP:  Freeze and then cut using a plastic knife and it will be a clean cut without all of the crumbs

 

Store leftovers in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator or freeze for later use.

Carrie Groneman’s recipe. Copyright Carrie Groneman, A Mother’s Shadow, 2015

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