Ingredients
Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. pumpkin spice (or 1/2 tsp. cinnamon and 1/2 tsp. nutmeg)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. table salt
1 cup canola oil
3/4 cup granulated sugar (or 3/4 cup Splenda for recipes)
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar (or dark brown sugar)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 (15 oz.) canned pumpkin
Optional: 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Frosting:
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. table salt
3 cups powdered sugar
Directions
Prepare oven and pan:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 15 x 10 x 1–inch jelly-roll pan with parchment paper, allowing excess paper to overhang the edges.
Make cake batter:
To prepare cake, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
Whisk together oil, sugars, vanilla, eggs, and pumpkin in a medium bowl.
Add oil mixture to flour mixture; whisk until well combined.
(The texture of this cake is similar to banana bread, so I think walnuts dispersed throughout would also be good. If you want, add walnuts, and stir.)
Bake cake and cool:
Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing into an even layer.
Bake at 350°F until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool cake in pan for 5 minutes; lift cake (using parchment paper) out of pan and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
Make frosting:
When cake is cool, prepare frosting. Place softened butter and cream cheese in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer at medium speed until well blended, about 1 minute.
Beat in vanilla and salt until well combined. Beating at low speed, gradually add powdered sugar until thick, creamy, and smooth.
Finish cake:
Spread frosting over cooled cake.
Cut cake lengthwise into 3 rows; cut crosswise into 8 rows to yield 24 bars.
Original recipe inspiration: https://www.southernliving.com/recipes/pumpkin-bars