A perfect dessert for thanksiving or fall potlucks, this delicious pumpkin bars are made even better with cream cheese frosting. You can always adjust and tweek recipe to taste, but as a rule, you’ll be invited to every Thanksgiving dinner from here on out. My Nonnie and Papa always insisted on their own separate pan for later.
Pumpkin Spice Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
Bars
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
- 2 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup raisins, if desired
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
- 2 to 3 teaspoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, if desired
Directions:
Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 15x10x1-inch pan with cooking spray.
In large bowl, beat eggs, granulated sugar, oil and pumpkin with wire whisk until smooth. Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Stir in raisins. Spread in pan.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and bars spring back when touched lightly in center. Cool completely, about 2 hours.
In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, milk and vanilla with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, on low speed until smooth and spreadable. Spreading frosting over bars. Sprinkle with walnuts. For bars, cut into 7 rows by 7 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.
Tips:
In a pinch, use 2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice instead of the cinnamon, ginger and cloves.
Plain canned pumpkin is not sweetened and doesn’t have flavoring added; pumpkin pie mix contains sugar and spices.
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