Ingredients
Scale
For the Pumpkin Bars:
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Set oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan or line with parchment paper.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix sugars, pumpkin, oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
- Combine Mixtures: Add dry ingredients to wet and stir until just combined—don’t overmix.
- Bake: Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth out evenly. Bake for 28–32 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool: Let cool completely in the pan on a rack.
- Make Frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla, mix until fluffy.
- Frost: Spread frosting over cooled bars. Slice and serve.
Notes
Make sure the bars are completely cooled before frosting or you’ll end up with a melty mess. Don’t skimp on the spices—they’re what make the bars sing.