Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting — soft, spiced pumpkin squares baked in a 9×13 pan and topped with rich cream cheese frosting. A fall favorite!
Servings: 24 servings
Calories: 277kcal
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 1 ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 (15-oz) can pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice *see substitution in notes
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 2 tablespoons butter softened to room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-3 cups confectioners' sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cost a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
To make the bars:
- Whisk together the eggs, sugar, oil, pumpkin puree, and vanilla in a large bowl until fully combined. You can do this by hand or with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and baking soda. Then add the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture. Stir until combined with no dry flour streaks. Try not to overmix the batter.
- Pour the batter into prepared baking dish and spread evenly to the edges. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Transfer the baking dish to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the frosting:
- In a large bowl, stir together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until combined. Stir in the confectioners' sugar until the frosting is smooth. Add additional powdered sugar until it reaches desired consistency.
- Spread frosting evenly once the bars have cooled.
Notes
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: If you don't have this in your spice cabinet, you can substitute: ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground allspice, and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves.
- Pumpkin Purée: Use canned (not pumpkin pie filling). Drain homemade purée well.
- Pan Size: Recipe is written for a 9×13 pan, but can be halved for an 8×8.
- Cooling: Cool completely before frosting to prevent melting.
- Storage: Store covered in the fridge up to 5 days.
- Serving Tip: Bars slice cleanest when chilled.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 277kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 184mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 33g