Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting are moist, yet light and fluffy. Pair this with the delectable creamy frosting with just a hint of tang and you have our favorite fall favorite dessert at our house.
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This pumpkin dessert is a delicious cross between a quick bread and a fluffy, moist cake that is topped with a creamy and flavorful cream cheese frosting.
Family Recipe for Pumpkin Bars Through the Ages
I have been lucky enough to enjoy the result of this recipe for decades. This is a family recipe that has been passed down through the ages. Whenever you have that type of recipe, you just know it has to be a good one.
It is a must try!
Fall is a Lovely Time of Year!
Fall = Pumpkins, hot cider, campfires, cool evenings, and beautiful trees changing color.
We are lucky enough to live on a farm with many large Maple Trees. They are just gorgeous in the fall. Our neighbors have a pumpkin patch and a corn maze every fall.
One of the things we do every fall is make this scrumptious dessert quite a few times. Even my husband who claims he is not a fan of pumpkin eats these bars.
Just the right amount of light and fluffy moist cake, cinnamon spice, and creamy frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Every time we make pumpkin bars or carrot cake, this is our frosting of choice.
Once the ingredients are room temperature, it really just takes a few minutes to pull together a delicious tasting and amazing looking frosting.
Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe Tips
Use a mixer to mix the eggs, sugar and oil until the sugars are dissolved. Then fold in the pumpkin.
Combine the dry ingredients before adding to the wet mixture. I like to mix by hand at this point or even better, sift the dry ingredients together. It only takes a few minutes to get everything combined.
Use a half sheet pan (18 X 13). There is quite a bit of batter and you could use a cake pan, but the bars would be thicker, and it will take longer to cook. I like using the half sheet pan because these pumpkin bars cook up quickly and you do not have to worry about the center not being cooked all the way through. Lastly, for me, it is just the right amount of fluffy, moist take to cream cheese frosting ratio.
Serving the First Pumpkin Bar with Cream Cheese Frosting. Scrumptious!
Prepare the sheet pan with either a spray oil or a piece of parchment paper cut to fit. If you use the parchment paper, the bars can be lifted out of the pan and cut. It is a bit easier to serve this way, but I find cutting the bars right in the pan to be easy too.
Do not overbake these bars as they will dry out a bit. As soon as the batter springs back when touched in the middle of the pan, they are done. Remove them from the oven and let them cool.
You can substitute half of the oil for applesauce. I find it is barely noticeable and I feel it is a bit healthier for you.
Prepare the cream cheese frosting while the pumpkin bars are cooling. All you need is cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, butter, vanilla, and a smidge of whole milk.
Make sure that the bars are cooled completely before frosting.
Store These Pumpkin Bars for 2-3 Days
The first day, you can keep them on the counter for everyone to enjoy! After that, I like to keep these refrigerated in airtight containers. This keeps the pumpkin cake moist, so they last for 2-3 days and taste just as scrumptious as they did on the first day you made them.
Make the Pumpkin Cake Bars Ahead of Time
The pumpkin cake part of the bars can be made ahead and frozen. The day you would like to devour them, just take them out of the freezer, let thaw and frost!
This is a great option if you are feeding a crowd. My daughter’s birthday is in October. Just imagine how nice it is to pull these out of the freezer, thaw, and frost. That way, I had time to create fun games for her and our guests.
Just a perfect fall dessert – delicious pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting
Add a light dusting of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice if you want to be a bit fancy for your dessert presentation.
Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
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Kitchen Essentials
Ingredients
- 4 Large Eggs
- 1 2/3 Cups Granulated Sugar
- 1 Cup Vegetable Oil
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 15 Ounces Solid-Pack Pumpkin 1 Can
- 2 Cups All-purpose Flour
- 2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
- 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a mixing bowl, use a mixer to mix the eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, and oil until the sugars are dissolved. Then fold in the pumpkin.
- Combine the dry ingredients before adding to the wet mixture. I like to mix by hand at this point. It only takes a few minutes to get everything combined.
- Use a half sheet pan. Prepare the sheet pan witheither a spray oil or a piece of parchment paper cut to fit. If you use theparchment paper, the bars can be lifted out of the pan and cut. It is a biteasier to serve this way, but I find cutting the bars right in the pan to beeasy too.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until set. When you lightly touch the center of the cake bars it will spring back into place. They are done. Make sure not to overbake.
- Cool completely before frosting.
- Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting. The Frosting Recipe is a separate recipe that is just below this recipe.
- Cut into serving pieces and enjoy!
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I hope that you liked this recipe. If you are looking for more ideas on what to make, here are a few other recipes that you may enjoy.
You can find Victoria crocheting, quilting, and creating recipes. She has cooked in restaurants for over 20 years, including many larger parties. She learned to crochet when she was just 11 years old and has been crocheting ever since; over 50 years now. Over 40 years ago, she loved her first class in sewing and continues to hone her skills in quilting. Many have enjoyed the handmade gifts over the years. In her professional career, she has worked in management in a wide variety of businesses including higher education as a dean of a division. All the while attending college part-time to achieve her doctorate in higher education with an emphasis in e-learning.