Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

 

I’ve been baking with pumpkin a lot lately, and I still can’t get enough!  I am always trying and testing new recipes to share with you all.  I’m a baking addict and I have a problem.  Please send help! Hahahha-it’s just hard not to love fall and to be in the kitchen moreJ

I love these pumpkin bars-they’re classic and simple.  A perfect blend of spices in an incredibly moist cake, topped with a fluffy cream cheese frosting.  Gavin loves cream cheese so these were gone quickly- I think he loved the cream cheese frosting more than the actual cake itself!  I, on the other hand, really enjoyed to cake-it’s like fall in every bite (you get what I mean)!  So, cozy up, have a cup of tea and bite into these bars.  You will love it!

Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes 20 bars

INGREDIENTS

pumpkin bars:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground ginger

1 ¾ cup brown sugar

½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

½ cup vegetable oil (or applesauce)

3 large eggs

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 ½ cups canned pumpkin

pecans, for garnish (optional)

cream cheese frosting:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

4 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2-2 cups powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 13X9 inch baking dish and set aside.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Mix well and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed, combine the brown sugar, melted butter and vegetable oil until well combined. Add in the eggs and vanilla extract until well blended, then add in the pumpkin and mix well.

Next, add in the dry mixture and combine well. Pour the mixture on the buttered baking dish and spread evenly-about 35 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted in the center of the cake and a few moist crumbs attached. Cool completely, covering the baking dish with saran wrap after 15 minutes of cooling to help seal in the moisture.

cream cheese frosting:

In the bowl of  a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whip the butter and cream together on medium speed until light and fluffy, approximately 4-5 minutes. Add in the vanilla and powdered sugar and mix until blended and smooth.

Cut the cake into bars and frost. Garnish with pecans if desired.

Source: adapted from Cooking Classy