Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese frosting

I have found that most pumpkin bars can taste bland, making the frosting the highlight. This bar recipe has a definite pumpkin flavor, which I love. This is a large recipe which makes TWO 9x13” pans. One to eat..one to give away. NOTE: Oil adds lightness/fluffiness to a recipe, however I may try either melted coconut oil or butter sometime. Also apple sauce can be substituted for half of the oil/fat, as a healthier option.

2 cups All purpose flour

2 tsp Baking powder

2 tsp Baking soda

2 tsp Salt

2 tsp Ground cinnamon

2 cups Canned pumpkinThe ingredients on the can must be just pumpkin, not “pumpkin pie filling” which includes spices

1 cup Vegetable oilI use canola

4 Eggs

2 cups White sugar

1 cup Walnuts or PecansOptional- I don’t add nuts

Cream cheese frosting

12 oz Cream CheeseThis is 1 1/2 packages

⅓ cup Butter-softened

2 tsp Vanilla

3 cups Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9x13” pans. I use bar pans with lower sides instead of cake pans.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix the pumpkin, oil/butter, eggs and sugar. Add the flour mixture and stir just until combined. If desired, mix in nuts.

Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool on wire rack and frost bars with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Cream cheese frosting - combine butter and cream cheese into a mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer mix together, add powdered sugar slowly to incorporate and mix until smooth. Add vanilla. If it doesn’t feel stiff enough, add more powdered sugar.

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Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese frosting