Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

 

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

    1. 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.

    2. Make cake batter:

       To prepare cake, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.

    3. Whisk together oil, sugars, vanilla, eggs, and pumpkin in a medium bowl.

    4. Add oil mixture to flour mixture; whisk until well combined.

    5. (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.) 

    6. Bake cake and cool:

       Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing into an even layer.

    7. 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.

    8. 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.

    9. Beat in vanilla and salt until well combined. Beating at low speed, gradually add powdered sugar until thick, creamy, and smooth.

    10. Finish cake:

        Spread frosting over cooled cake.

    11. Cut cake lengthwise into 3 rows; cut crosswise into 8 rows to yield 24 bars.

    
    

    1. Original recipe inspiration: https://www.southernliving.com/recipes/pumpkin-bars

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Pumpkin Muffins

Good recipe for pumpkin muffins. They remind me of the pumpkin muffins at Food City stores in the Appalachian region. 

I made muffins, and also put some batter in a jelly roll pan to make it more like a coffee cake. 

The topping is the best part. It candies and crystalizes, providing satisfying texture and flavor. 

The last time I made it, I used AP flour by mistake, and added 1 tsp. each of baking powder and baking soda at the end. It actually rose much better when I did this. 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin 

• 2 eggs

• 2 cups granulated sugar

• ½ cup melted butter

• ¼ cup milk

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• 2 ½ cups self-rising flour (or 2 1/2 cups AP flour plus 1 tsp. baking powder and 1 tsp. baking soda) 

• 1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice (or 1/2 Tbsp. cinnamon and 1/2 Tbsp. nutmeg) 

Topping

• ⅔ cup sugar

• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (or 1/2 tsp. cinnamon and 1/2 tsp. nutmeg) 

• Directions

• In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, eggs, sugar, butter, milk, and vanilla extract. Stir in flour and pumpkin pie spice until just combined. Divide among 2 (12-cup) muffin trays lined with 22 paper liners. Or pour in a jelly roll pan to make a coffee cake. 

• Make Topping: Stir together sugar and pumpkin pie spice; sprinkle over top.

• Bake at 350°F until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 22 minutes. Cool in tray 5 minutes.

• Original recipe inspiration: https://www.southernliving.com/recipes/sugar-and-pumpkin-spice-muffins