Cream Cheese Frosted Harvest Pumpkin Bars
Cream Cheese Frosted Pumpkin Bars
Servings 16
Ingredients
Pumpkin Bars
- ⅓ cup canola oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
Cream Cheese Frosting
- ½ pack 4 oz softened cream cheese (114 grams)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 42 grams, softened
- 1 ¾ cups confectioners' sugar 210 grams
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional ¼ cup diced crystallized ginger and/or chopped pecans
- Dried cranberries may also be sprinkled over the top.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9 inch square baking pan or line with nonstick foil. Alternatively, you can use a 7x11 inch baking dish
- With an electric mixer, beat together oil, eggs, sugar, pumpkin, baking powder, salt, and spices.
- Add the flour and stir until blended.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean -- about 30 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.
- In a large bowl, beat softened cream cheese and butter until well combined. Add powdered sugar and mix until creamy, then beat until fluffy (it's fairly stiff). Beat in vanilla.
- Spread cream cheese over bars. If desired, sprinkle with nuts and crystallized ginger.
- Cut into 16 bars.