Pumpkin Bars With Cream Cheese Frosting (Printer-friendly)

Moist, spiced pumpkin bars with creamy frosting—perfect fall treat

# What You'll Need:

→ 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

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper or lightly grease the surface.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger until well blended.
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 mixture into dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined; avoid overmixing to prevent dense texture.
05 - Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake for 22-27 minutes until 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 Hints:

01 -
  • The texture is impossibly moist without being dense, almost like a cross between cake and a brownie
  • That cream cheese frosting transforms them from simple home baking into something that feels like a bakery treat
  • They actually taste better the next day, making them perfect for make ahead situations
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients for the frosting are mandatory, cold cream cheese creates tiny lumps you can never fully beat out
  • The toothpick test should come out with moist crumbs but not wet batter, these continue cooking slightly as they cool
  • Frosting warm bars is the number one mistake, the frosting will slide right off and look messy
03 -
  • Use the bottom of a measuring cup to press the batter into an even layer before baking
  • Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt over the frosted bars for a salted caramel effect

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