Pumpkin Bars With Cream Cheese Frosting (Printable)
Moist spiced pumpkin bars topped with luscious cream cheese frosting. Perfect fall dessert.
# What You'll Need:
→ For the Pumpkin Bars
01 - 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
04 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
06 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
07 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
09 - 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
10 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil
11 - 2 large eggs
12 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
13 - 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
→ For the Cream Cheese Frosting
14 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
15 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
16 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
17 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
18 - Pinch of salt
# How To Make:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper or lightly grease with cooking spray.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger until well blended.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add pumpkin puree and mix until fully incorporated.
04 - Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Fold gently just until combined; be careful not to overmix as this can result in dense bars.
05 - Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 22-27 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan before frosting.
06 - Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt; continue beating until light and fluffy.
07 - Spread frosting evenly over the completely cooled bars. Cut into squares and serve immediately, or refrigerate for later.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The texture is impossibly moist and tender, almost like eating a cloud that happens to taste like fall
- That cream cheese frosting is the kind of thing people will lick off the spatula when you're not looking
- They travel beautifully and actually taste better on day two when the spices have had time to become best friends
02 -
- I once frosted these while they were still slightly warm and ended up with a delicious but messy slide-off situation
- The toothpick test is crucial but don't overbake or you'll lose that signature moist texture
03 -
- Use the bottom of a measuring cup to press the parchment paper into the corners of your pan
- Room temperature ingredients incorporate better and prevent lumps in both batter and frosting