A true fall classic, these Pumpkin Bars can nevertheless be enjoyed all year round—fluffy cake topped with a tangy cream-cheese frosting.
Can you capture the taste of an entire season with one recipe? Those of you shaking your head have clearly never tried these pumpkin bars. If you had even a bite of them, your head would instantly be filled with images of fire-colored leaves, wool sweaters, and early nights. Of kids in costume going trick-or-treating and families getting together for Thanksgiving.
Yes, it’s that evocative a treat. And we haven’t even mentioned the icing yet!
Once you do that, it becomes savory and sweet and just crying out to be paired with a hot cup of coffee (yes, even a pumpkin spice latte). So, if you like pumpkin pie, or perhaps you like pumpkin flavor but not the consistency of a pie, make a batch of these bars!
Can I make my own pumpkin puree?
Pumpkin puree (also known as canned pumpkin) is made by cooking then pureeing pumpkin flesh. That all sounds rather horrific, doesn’t it! It shouldn’t though. It’s pretty straightforward. First, grab a sugar pumpkin or pie pumpkin—they’re the smaller guys known as being both sweet and smooth (like me!). Quarter them then remove the seeds and stringy pulp. You can then either roast, boil, or steam the quarters. This will soften them up and make it easier for you to remove the flesh from the skin. Last step is the pureeing. Run your blender until the desired consistency is reached. Some people also strain their puree to remove what they consider to be excess moisture but that’s up to you.
Ingredients
The Batter:
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 (15 oz.) can pure pumpkin puree
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
The Frosting:
- 6 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 tbsp whole milk
Instructions
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 25 minutes
Yields: 24 servings
Step 1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin until smooth and well combined.
Step 2. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended.
Step 3. Spread the batter evenly in an ungreased 15″x10″x1″ baking pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
Step 4. For the frosting, beat cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, butter, and vanilla extract in a bowl until creamy. Add milk as needed to reach a spreadable consistency.
Step 5. Once the bars are cool, spread the frosting over the top. Cut into squares and serve.
FAQs & Tips
You can make the batter ahead of time and store for up to a few hours on the counter or in the fridge for up to three days. Just wrap it in plastic. The frosting can be stored separately in a jar for up to five days in the fridge. You can also freeze the dough for up to three months. Wrap it first in plastic then aluminum. If you’ve frosted the bars already, just place them in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for up to four days.
While you may think only one is necessary as a leavening agent, in some cases, both are required to get that degree of fluffiness you’re after with your baked goods. Baking soda relies on an acid to produce the carbon dioxide that will aerate your batter. Now, in this recipe, the pumpkin puree can help, but it may not be enough, which is why baking powder is included. Baking powder is made of baking soda AND an acid; between the baking powder, puree, and baking soda, you’ll get the texture you crave.
First, did you follow the recipe completely? Baking is a science; if you don’t measure the ingredients precisely, it could result in a batter that’s not up to snuff. Also, did you overbake it? Did you overmix it? Even the cooling process specifically requires you to let it cool just a bit in the pan, remove it to a wire rack, then wrap in plastic to retain its moisture.
Serving Suggestions
I’ve used a vanilla frosting for this recipe so that the pumpkin flavor can stand out, but you can browse the site and find a frosting you might appreciate more. There’s Cinnamon Cream-Cheese Frosting, as well as Maple Cream-Cheese Frosting—both would complement the pumpkin bars. If you’re looking for mix-ins, consider warm spices, like nutmeg, cloves, ginger, or allspice. You can also change up the texture with the addition of crushed nuts (e.g., pecans, walnuts) and/or fruit (dried cranberries, raisins, or chopped dates, for instance).
Pumpkin Bars
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 (15 oz.) can pure pumpkin puree
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 6 oz. cream cheese softened
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 tbsp whole milk
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin until smooth and well combined.
- In a separate bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended.
- Spread the batter evenly into an ungreased 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
- For the frosting, beat cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, butter, and vanilla extract in a bowl until creamy. Add milk as needed to reach a spreadable consistency.
- Once the bars are cool, spread the frosting over the top. Cut into squares and serve. Keep any leftovers refrigerated.
