Pumpkin Bars

These "bars" are excellent (its actually more like a cake)!  I couldn't get enough of them...maybe that's because I was 6 months pregnant at the time I made them ;-)


I used fresh pumpkin that I steamed then mashed so the pumpkin flavor was a bit more mild than if using canned, but it was much fresher and lighter tasting. I halved the amount of icing and it seemed just right, any more would have overpowered the taste of the cake. This recipe will be added to my list of favorites and will be one I am sure to make many more times. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. 

Ingredients

Bars:

4 eggs

1 2/3 cups granulated sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

15-ounce can pumpkin

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

Icing:

8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth. Spread the batter into a greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting. Cut into bars.

To make the icing: Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again. Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.

Thanks Paula Deen!