My favorite Spiced pumpkin bars with cream whipped cheese frosting. Perfect for all of your Fall gatherings.
Today I wanted to share these Spiced Pumpkin Bars with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting. There are lots of pumpkin bar recipes, but this one is a little different, it is a cross between pumpkin cake and bread. The end result is moist, dense, spicy and delicious. 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.
If you love all things pumpkin I’ve got your covered this Fall, try these pumpkin recipes, you will not be disappointed. Pumpkin bread with streusel topping and maple glaze , Pumpkin Scones, Pumpkin Cheesecake with Pecan Praline Topping, Pumpkin Soup, and Pumpkin Mac and Cheese.
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 Spice Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Recipe adapted from : Food.com, Taste of Home, Bon Appetit
Ingredients
To a make these easy pumpkin bars you need just a few things.
- 2 cups all purpose 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 vegetable oil, olive oil, or melted butter
- 1/2 cup of applesauce
- 1 15 oz can of pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp Nielsen-Massey vanilla bean paste
Frosting Ingredients
- 1 8 oz package of softened cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup of softened butter
- 2 cups of confectioners or powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream
Directions
For Pumpkin Bars
- Pre heat oven to 35 F0. Prepare 3 x 9 inch pan, with cooking spray then line with parchment paper, set aside.
- In a medium bowl sift together flour, baking soda, powder, cinnamon, clover, ground ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. Set aside.
- In a large bowl combine eggs, sugar, brown sugar, oil, and ix until combined, stir in applesauce and pumpkin.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mix until batter is smooth.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth with an offset spatula. Bake spicy pumpkin bars for 35 – 40 minutes until golden brown, checking at 35, test by inserting a toothpick into the center. Cool on wire rack.
Instructions for the frosting
- In a stand mixer or using an electric mixer, cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy on medium speed.
- Turn mixer to low and slowly add confectioners sugar, mix again.
- Add heavy whipping cream, and vanilla and mix on high for a few minutes until light and fluffy.
- Frost cake, cut, enjoy and share!
NOTES
- Substitute 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice for the spices listed in the recipe, the taste will be different but still very good.
- Add chocolate chips to the bars.
- Make sure to use pure pumpkin in the recipe, not pumpkin pie mix
- Add freshly grated zucchini to make pumpkin zucchini spice bar.
THAT’S ALL FOR NOW
What is your favorite pumpkin recipe?
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Spiced Pumpkin Bars with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
My favorite Spiced pumpkin bars with cream whipped cheese frosting. Perfect for all of your Fall gatherings.
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 12 bars 1x
Ingredients
For Bars
2 cups all purpose 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 vegetable oil, olive oil, or melted butter
1/2 cup of applesauce
1 15 oz can of pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling
3 large eggs
1 tsp Nielsen-Masseyvanilla bean paste
For Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
1 8 oz package of softened cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup of softened butter
2 cups of confectioners or powdered sugar
2 teaspoons of vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream
Instructions
For Bars
Pre heat oven to 35 F0. Prepare 3 x 9 inch pan, with cooking spray then line with parchment paper, set aside.
In a medium bowl sift together flour, baking soda, powder, cinnamon, clover, ground ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. Set aside.
In a large bowl combine eggs, sugar, brown sugar, oil, and ix until combined, stir in applesauce and pumpkin.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mix until batter is smooth.
Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth with an offset spatula. Bake spicy pumpkin bars for 35 – 40 minutes until golden brown, checking at 35, test by inserting a toothpick into the center. Cool on wire rack.
For Frosting
In a stand mixer or using an electric mixer, cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy on medium speed. Slowly add confectioners sugar, mix again. Add heavy whipping cream, and vanilla and mix on high for a few minutes until light and fluffy.
Frost bars, cut, enjoy and share!
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 35-40
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
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: https://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!