Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
This is a great bar that goes quickly at autumn bake sales. Try adding ¼ cup of chopped candied ginger to the frosting for a sweet and spicy flavor.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 40
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 pound mashed pumpkin
- Cream Cheese Frosting
Butter 15" × 10" jelly roll pan; set aside. Preheat oven to 350°F.
Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and spices; set aside.
Cream together butter, brown sugar, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Blend in pumpkin.
Stir dry ingredients into creamed mixture; blend well. Spread mixture evenly into pan.
Bake 30–35 minutes, or until top springs back when lightly touched. Cool completely before frosting.
Softening Brown Sugar
Brown sugar can get rock hard at times; it does this when improper storage allows the moisture to evaporate. To soften it up, just add a slice or two of fresh bread and seal the bag. The next day the bread will be extremely stale, but the brown sugar will be soft and easy to work with.
