Baker’s Best! Jane’s Favorite Recipes: Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice

Pumpkin Bars with Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting

Tis the season for all things “pumpkin!”

Fall just isn’t fall without the scent of pumpkin wafting through your kitchen. As the weather cools and the leaves get raked, it is time to go inside, warm up, and bake. 

Raise the “bar” with this tasty pumpkin spiced dessert! A crowd pleaser at any gathering or share with neighbors, friends, and family (as I did this past week).  

Pumpkin Fun Facts:

• The average pumpkin weighs 13 lbs.
• The average pumpkin contains 500 seeds 

(seeds can be dried and eaten or planted to grow pumpkins)

• Pumpkins are 90 percent water
• Pumpkins are grown in every continent, except Antarctica
• Pumpkin spice is actually not made with pumpkin; instead, it’s made of cloves, allspice, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

Pumpkin Bars Recipe

Mix together:

• 1 and 1/2 cups unsweetened pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 and 1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Place in buttered and floured 13×9-inch baking dish

***Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until done (toothpick inserted comes out clean)

Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 5 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 8 oz. block cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

***Frost baked bars when cooled and sprinkle bars with fall colored sprinkles or sugar.