‘Tis the season for jack-o’-lanterns, pumpkin pie, and the crunch of fall leaves beneath our feet. This month’s recipe is especially appropriate in the fall and winter, but will likely be enjoyed by you and yours year-round.
I recently baked this recipe so I could photograph the bars for this post, and I took most of the Pumpkin Bars in to work the next day. I put them out in the morning, and they were gone in the blink of an eye! I got rave reviews, too. Thank you emails came flooding in, as did requests for the recipe. My co-workers said how tasty and moist the bars were, and two people who don’t usually eat pumpkin-based baked goods raved about them too. The power to convert non-eaters isn’t something to be taken lightly, so they must be good!
I found this recipe on foodnetwork.com, and am happy to share it with you. It’s pretty quick and easy to make, and though the bars are good with the icing, hubby and I like them just as well without icing – which saves time, money, and makes the recipe a bit healthier.
Pumpkin Bars
Serves: 48 small bars or 24 larger bars
Bars:
4 eggs
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
15-ounce can pumpkin
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
Icing:
8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth. Spread the batter into a greased 13×10-inch baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting. Cut into bars.
To make the icing: Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the confectioner’s sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again. Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. Happy baking!
Warm regards,
Melody
p.s. If any of you have tips on making this recipe a bit healthier – maybe by swapping out some of the oil for applesauce – please post a comment with your suggested ratios or tips. Thanks!
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