Easy Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

4.67 from 3 votes

Easy Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Pumpkin Bars are one of my favorite desserts, and these have just the right amount of sweetness. The cream cheese frosting with chopped walnuts tops them off perfectly.

Prep Time20

Cook Time27

Total Time47

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: bars

Calories: 250kcal

Author: Kelly Stilwell

Ingredients

Pumpkin Bar Ingredients

2 eggs room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 C sugar
1/2 C oil
1/2 can of pumpkin
1 C flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 ground cloves

Frosting Ingredients

1 package of cream cheese softened
1/2 C unsalted sweet cream butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts to top off

Instructions

Directions for bars:
Heat oven to 350
In a large bowl, beat eggs, vanilla extract, granulated sugar, oil, and pumpkin until smooth.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, ginger, and cloves.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat on low speed until completely combined.
Grease 9 x 13 baking dish with oil, butter, or baking spray.
Pour batter into the pan.
Bake in the oven for 27 minutes.
Directions for Frosting:
Combine first four ingredients in a large standing mixing bowl until smooth.
Spread that rich cream cheese frosting over cooled bars, starting in the center of the cake and working your way out to the edges.
Top with nuts and cut into 18 bars.

Notes

You can also make this in a square pan for more of a pumpkin cake versus the bars, though you may have a little icing leftover. It's delicious both ways. You would get 12 servings of the cake versus 18 of the bars.

Both pecans and walnuts work well, so you can use either, or none!

I know it's tempting to rush, but if the bars are warm, the frosting will melt right down the sides. Be patient and let the cake cool completely.

Nutrition