Pumpkin Bars With Cream Cheese Frosting (Print Version)
Moist spiced pumpkin bars topped with luscious cream cheese frosting
# Ingredient List:
→ For the Pumpkin Bars
01 - 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
04 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
06 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
07 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
09 - 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
10 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil
11 - 2 large eggs
12 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
13 - 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
→ For the Cream Cheese Frosting
14 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
15 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
16 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
17 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
18 - Pinch of salt
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper or lightly grease with cooking spray.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger until well combined.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add pumpkin puree and mix until fully incorporated.
04 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined, being careful not to overmix the batter.
05 - Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake for 22-27 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan before frosting.
06 - Beat softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt; beat until light and fluffy.
07 - Spread frosting evenly over completely cooled bars. Cut into squares and serve immediately or refrigerate for later.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The texture is impossibly moist, almost like a cross between cake and a dense brownie, staying fresh for days
- The cream cheese frosting strikes that perfect balance between tangy and sweet, letting the pumpkin spices shine through
02 -
- Cooling the bars completely before frosting is nonnegotiable—warm bars will melt the frosting into a sad, runny mess
- Room temperature ingredients are your friend here—cold cream cheese creates lumpy frosting that no amount of mixing can fix
03 -
- A room temperature pumpkin puree incorporates more smoothly into the batter than cold straight from the fridge
- Use an offset spatula for the frosting—it makes getting those perfectly smooth restaurant style swoops effortless