Pumpkin Bars for Pumpkin Season

 One of my favorite seasonal tastes - Pumpkin. I even have a shirt! 

So when it was my turn to make refreshments in November for a meeting, I chose Pumpkin Bars and searched for a new tasty recipe. I found it at Sallysbakingaddiction.com. The addition of maple syrup adds a good flavor without too much sweetness.  This recipe is also just the right texture, not too dense or too cake like.

 The Best Pumpkin Bars

 

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1 cup packed brown sugar

⅓ cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

 

Cream cheese frosting:

8 oz full-fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature

¼ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

3 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

⅛ teaspoon salt

Optional: sprinkles for decorating

 

Instructions: 

Preheat the oven to 350 ° and grease a 10x15 inch baking pan, or line the pan with parchment paper with enough overhang on the sides to easily lift the bars our as a whole. 

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice together in a large bowl. Set aside. Whisk the oil, eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, maple syrup, pumpkin, and vanilla extract together until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and use a mixer or whisk until completely combined. Batter will be thick. 

Spread batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 28-35 minutes. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on it. The bars are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If you find the top or edges of the bars browning too quickly, loosely tent with aluminum foil. 

Remove the bars from the oven and set the pan on a wire rack. Cook bars completely. 

Make the frosting: in a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to high speed and beat for 2 minutes. If you want the frosting a little thicker, add an extra ¼ cup of confectioners’ sugar. Spread the frosting on the cooled bars. To help ‘set‘ the frosting, refrigerate for 30 minutes before slicing and serving. This makes cutting easier and less messy. 

Cover leftover bars tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.