December 23, 2005

Pumpkin Bars!

I'd had the craving for a while now. I had been holding on to that extra can of pumpkin since Thanksgiving and I knew just how to use it. I discovered this recipe for pumpkin bars a few years ago and it's a wonderful thing to make for parties. Everyone gobbles them up!

Paul's Pumpkin Bars (they're his favorite!)

4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin puree
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. each nutmeg, clove, and ginger

Mix eggs, oil, sugar and pumpkin until smooth. Sift together the dry ingredients, then slowly mix into the egg mixture. Once incorporated, pour into a 10x15 jelly roll pan. (As I do not own one of these, I pour 2/3 of the mixture into a 9x13 and the rest into an 8x8.) Bake at 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) for 25-30 minutes. Frost bars once cooled.

Cream Cheese Frosting

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
4 oz. unsalted butter, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Mix together cream cheese and butter. Add sugar in small doses, mixing to incorporate. Mix in vanilla once frosting is smooth.

1 comment:

Tea said...

Oooh, a friend just confessed a love of all things baked and pumpkin flavored tonight at dinner. I might have to whip up a batch of these as a present.

Thanks for the recipe!