Pumpkin Bars
Delicious, moist cake-like bars.From Mark & Cori Dodds – Wichita, Kansas – 1996
Ingredients
- 4 Eggs – beaten
- 2 cups Sugar
- 1 cup Vegetable Oil
- 2 cups Pumpkin – canned or cooked and mashed
- 2 cups Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 2 teaspoons Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cloves
- ½ teaspoon Ginger
- ½ teaspoon Nutmeg
- ½ cup Chopped Pecans – optional
Instructions
- Combine eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin in a large bowl; blend well.
- In separate bowl, sift together all remaining ingredients except nuts.
- Gradually beat flour mix into pumpkin mixture until completely combined. Stir in nuts, if desired.
- Pour batter into a greased and floured jelly roll pan/cookie sheet (12×18″ or 13×17″).
- Bake at 350ºF for 25-30 minutes or until center springs back and it begins to pull away from the pan's sides. Cool thoroughly.
- Spread with Cream Cheese Frosting and sprinkle with additional chopped nuts, if desired.
Notes
Yield: 48 bars – Servings: 24
Carrot Bars Variation from Christine Bartholomew:
Use same ingredients for Pumpkin Bars except the oil and pumpkin. Instead, use 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1 cup applesauce, and 1 1/2 cup carrots, finely grated or pulpy and well packed into cup. Add raisins (briefly soaked in water) with nuts, if desired. Follow all other directions. To prepare carrots: wash and peel; shop into large segments and grate with finest grating blade in Cuisinart. Switch to regular blade and process carrots until almost a grainy pulp.
Use same ingredients for Pumpkin Bars except the oil and pumpkin. Instead, use 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1 cup applesauce, and 1 1/2 cup carrots, finely grated or pulpy and well packed into cup. Add raisins (briefly soaked in water) with nuts, if desired. Follow all other directions. To prepare carrots: wash and peel; shop into large segments and grate with finest grating blade in Cuisinart. Switch to regular blade and process carrots until almost a grainy pulp.
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Cream Cheese Frosting
Thick, creamy, and not too sweet frosting which is perfect for Pumpkin Bars
Ingredients
- 6-8 ounces cream cheese softened at room temp
- 6 Tablespoons butter softened at room temp
- 1 Tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
- chopped pecans optional
Instructions
- Combine cream cheese and butter; beat until fluffy.
- Beat in milk and vanilla.
- Beat in powdered sugar adjusting amount for proper spreading consistency.
- Spread on cooled cake or bars.
- Sprinkle with nuts, if desired, and allow to harden
Notes
Consistency will depend on source of butter and type of sugar. May need to add a little more milk for spreadable consistency.