Hello! How was your weekend? Mine was GREAT! I had a ton of stuff to do and I managed to finish it all and have time to whip up some delectable treats, including these spiced pumpkin bars.
pumpkin bares with cream cheese frosting
Did I mention that I like pumpkin? Just kidding, I think I may have said it at least 50 times in just the last few weeks. Frankly after about 15 recipes containing pumpkin I still love it.
Although I already shared pumpkin macaroni and cheese, pumpkin banana bread, and pumpkin waffles I wanted to share these Spiced Pumpkin Bars with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting.
This recipe is delicious, it is a cross between cake and bread. The end result is moist, dense, and spicy. The frosting adds a little tartness to the sweetness and spice of the bar and of course a sprinkle pecans adds a bit of nuttiness.
Pumpkin spice bars are a a great dessert to take to a party, a pot luck, to serve on game day or to give away which is what I did. I cannot be trusted to have these pumpkin spice bars in the house or I will forgo anything of nutritional value and just eat them all. Sad but true, I am weak and I know it.
Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Recipe adapted from : Food.com, Taste of Home, Bon Appetit
Ingredients:
2 cups of flour sifted
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
dash of cloves
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup of light brown sugar
1/2 cup olive oil, or you could use melted butter or vegetable oil
1/2 cup of applesauce
1 15 oz can of pumpkin puree
3 large eggs
1 tsp Nielsen-Masseyvanilla bean paste
NOTE: You can substitute Pumpkin Pie Spice for the above listed spices, use 2 or 3 tsp, the taste will be different but still very good.
Preheat oven to 350. Lightly butter 13 x 9 inch pan, set aside. Sift together flour, baking soda, powder, cinnamon, clover, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. Set aside. In a separate bowl combine eggs, sugar, brown sugar, oil, and ix until combined, stir in applesauce and pumpkin. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture, mix until batter is smooth. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 35 – 40 minutes, checking at 35, test by inserting a toothpick into the center. Cool on wire rack.
Frosting
1 8 oz package of softened cream cheese
1/2 cup of softened butter
2 cups of confectioners sugar
2 teaspoons of vanilla bean paste
1 to 2 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream
In a stand mixer, cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Slowly add confectioners sugar, mix. Add heavy whipping cream, and vanilla and mix on high for a few minutes until light and fluffy. Frost cake, cut, enjoy and share!
Tell me, what did you do this weekend? Work or have fun or a little of both? Did you see any Fall color? Or feel the crisp air, perhaps light a fire?
Whatever you did I hope that you spent it with people you love! Enjoy you week!
Also, October is Breast Cancer month, please get a mammogram, do your self breast exams and nag your friends to do the same!
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Good Morning dear friend! What a treat it was to see your sweet message today…thank you for your beautiful words. Anita is a shining star for all of us. I feel so blessed to have such loving people in my life..people like you!
We spent the weekend nursing my dear daughter's cold, actually. Back to school comes with its little drawbacks….germs!
These bars look AMAZING! I am finding that my favorite frosting is indeed cream cheese based, I may have to try these. So glad you had a nice weekend, dear Elizabeth! I am giggling…you did say this would be a month of pumpkin for you! 😉 Which reminds me that I need to make that pumpkin white hot chocolate…how I wish you could join me! 🙂
Much love to you,
– Irina
This is one point on which we differ, unless it's just because I have never eaten a good pumpkin pie, I don't really like pumpkin. However I could make an exception for this, it looks delicious 🙂
Enjoy your week my friend.
Di
xxxx
STOP! You are killing me….. I am sooo craving this, it look so dense and moist and yummy!!!!!! What a perfect fall dessert, glad you had a wonderful weekend.
WOW…this is SWEET INDEED!
Thank you for coming to visit my post dear Elizabeth…yes, I will learn A LOT as I try to sell my art. I will learn much.
Your help is much appreciated, I truly mean that. Now, off to start another day. Anita
Oh my looks like this is the kind of pumpkin bars I so like. I like it moist and this looks moist to me. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Kim,USA
These look divine – what a perfect recipe for the first day of October!
Oh, dear. This is cruel and unusual punishment. They look so … good.
I don't believe I am far from you. Do you deliver? 😉
I like pumpkin but I don't know about it with macaroni and cheese!!! BUT I do think I would like this!!! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much for the recipe. This looks absolutely delectable! I love pumpkin, so will be trying this soon 🙂
Grrr, I've been so flipping busy the last couple of weeks I think I missed a few of your pumpkin recipes. I'll go back and read since I too love pumpkin! I just made a pumpkin risotto this past weekend with spiced pumpkin seeds…loved it! I am so making those bars this coming weekend since it's a long weekend around here and we'll have people to enjoy them.
XXX
Debra~
This looks delicious. I hope you will post the pumpking macaroni and cheese soon. Sounds interesting.
Looks heavenly!! So happy you linked up with us at Mop It Up Mondays!! Featuring you today at The Tuesday Ten: http://www.ishouldbemoppingthefloor.com/2012/10/the-tuesday-ten.html
{HUGS},
kristi
oh man
these look so moist
and densely fabulous
thanks for sharing
at Fridays Unfolded!
alison
HPS!
It's Thanksgiving weekend here. I should have a piece of this amazing cake!
Gabriela
How tasty! Happy pink Saturday!
Your comment at my PINK Post is always appreciated.
These lovely goodies make me want to break away from my diet just for a taste of these goodies. They look so yummy. Thanks for the recipe.
Thank you for sharing this yumminess at the Thursday Favorite Things blog hop. Sorry It's taken me a while to get here and say thank you xo
Thanks so much for sharing this delicious recipe on Simple & Sweet Fridays. It looks so good…
Jody
I too love anything pumpkin. I love the anticipation of fall so that I can find all of the good recipes that I want to try! This will be among them…a cream cheese based frosting is always the best, I think!
These look so yummy! I'm pinning these! Have a lovely weekend 🙂 Deborah
Ohhh goodness, these bars look amazing. Love that gorgeous transferware plate as well! 😉 Visiting from FF. Have a super weekend.
Hi Elizabeth! These look fabulous! I love anything made of pumpkin this time of year. Check out my party this week to see your bars featured.
I like pumpkin too! These look great! Thank you for joining Home Sweet Home!
Sherry
Thank you for sharing on Simple & Sweet Fridays.
Jody
Sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing this on 'Or so she says…' at last week's link party! I would love to have you add the party to your list and stop back to share more of your great ideas. There's actually a party going on right now (it's every Saturday through Tuesday.) Thanks a bunch! ~ Mariel http://www.oneshetwoshe.com
Divino!!!
They look good! #Friendshipfriday
Thank you Lydia!
Thank you for sharing this on Traffic Jam Weekend. It has been chosen as a fave feature for this week’s link party that goes live on Thursday at 5:00 pm CST.
Thank you Kimberly!