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Pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting on a white plate
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Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Soft, spiced pumpkin bars topped with an easy cream cheese frosting. A handed-down family recipe that makes one big 10x15 inch pan, perfect for feeding a crowd all fall.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 24 bars
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Pumpkin Bars
  • 15 oz canned pumpkin
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 4 eggs beaten
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp salt
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 5 tbsp butter softened
  • 3 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
  • 3-4 tsp milk

Method
 

Pumpkin Bars
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 10x15 inch baking pan.
  2. In a mixing bowl, beat the pumpkin, sugar, and oil together until smooth.
  3. Add the beaten eggs and mix well.
  4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
  5. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and beat until well blended.
  6. Pour the batter into the greased pan and spread it evenly into the corners.
  7. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the bars cool completely in the pan.
Cream Cheese Frosting
  1. Beat the softened butter and cream cheese together until smooth, then mix in the vanilla.
  2. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time, then add the milk one teaspoon at a time until the frosting is soft and spreadable.
  3. Spread the frosting over the completely cooled bars and cut into squares.

Notes

This recipe came from Eliza's mother-in-law, whose recipe card calls it Pumpkin Sheet Cake. Use pure canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. Store the frosted bars covered in the refrigerator, and let them sit out a few minutes before serving. The unfrosted bars freeze well for up to 3 months.