Nothing like Pumpkin Pan Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting for a late night snack! Or for a great after dinner treat for the family.
Once fall arrives, I love cooking with pumpkin puree. I make my own puree and make all sorts of tasty treats with the end result. Pumpkin pie is my favorite but my kids love Pumpkin Pan Bars and I love making them for them.
Pumpkin puree is easy to make. Slice a couple fresh pumpkin pie pumpkins in half and remove all the seeds from the middle. Take a knife and make some slices in the pumpkin flesh and place them on a cookie sheet flesh side up. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until the pumpkin is easily pierced with a fork.
Remove the pumpkin from the oven and allow it to cool completely. Remove the flesh from the rind with a large spoon and scoop into a food processor and puree until smooth. Use immediately or store in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days or in the freezer for 3 months.
I used two cups of homemade pumpkin puree but you can substitute a can of pumpkin puree. Once the bars are cooked and have cooled, prepare the cream cheese frosting and spoon the frosting on top and smooth out with a knife or spatula. Cut the bars into squares and enjoy.
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Pumpkin Pan Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 4 Medium Eggs
- 2 Cups Granulated Sugar
- 1 Cup vegetable oil
- 1 15 oz Can of Pumpkin Puree
- 2 Cups All Purpose Flour
- 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
- 2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
- 3/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 8 oz Cream Cheese softened
- 1 Cup Unsalted Butter
- 2 Teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
- 4 Cups Confectioners Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs with a hand mixer until foamy.
- Add in sugar, oil and the pumpkin puree. Beat on medium until mixed well.
- In a medium mixing bowl, mix flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.
- Slowly mix the powder ingredients with the liquid ingredients until combined.
- Pour the batter into the baking pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean about 25 minutes.
- Allow the cake to cool completely.
- In a separate bowl, combine the cream cheese, butter, and the vanilla extract until creamy.
- Slowly add the confectioner's sugar until the frosting is smooth.
- Spread the frosting evenly over the top of the cake. Sprinkle the top with cinnamon.
- Enjoy!