COOKING: FALL PUMPKIN BARS

Do not say I did not warn you but these pumpkin bars will be the start of a family tradition. 

Every time I make these pumpkin bars the house is enveloped in that wonderfully comforting homey fall feeling smell! The smell alone is worth making this recipe! A bar does not describe them at their best - envision a spicy light pumpkin cake with fluffy cream cheese frosting cut into bar size slices. Give them a try - easy to make and tasty!

Ingredients

The Cake

• 4 eggs
• 1 cup oil
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 1 large can pumpkin filling (29 oz)
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• ¼ tsp ginger
• 1 tsp salt

Frosting

• 1 (8oz) packaged cream cheese
• ½ cup butter
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla

What to Do

1. Preheat oven 350
2. Mix together eggs, oil, sugar and pumpkin filling.
3. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and salt to pumpkin mixture
4. Spread mixture on to ungreased cookie sheet (one that has edges)
5. Bake 25 minutes
6. To make Frosting: mix all ingredients together. Whip for 3 minutes.
7. Once bars are cooled spread frosting on top
8. Cut into bar sized pieces

These treats are made for our annual Halloween party as well as having made it to the dessert table on Thanksgiving.