Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting | Easy & Homemade

This is my go-to pumpkin cake recipe I use for Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bars as well as my Better Than Sex Pumpkin Cake.

This recipe was inspired by some tasty mini pumpkin cakes our daughter, Brianna, made for her dad's birthday a couple weeks ago.

Then I went down a YouTube rabbit hole when I found the Preppy Kitchen. Love this guy! John (from the Preppy Kitchen) inspired these little beauties:

But I digress... back to our Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bars.

Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe:

If you want to kick your Better Than Sex Pumpkin Cake up a notch, use this pumpkin cake recipe instead a cake mix. It's got tons of pumpkin spice flavor!

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• In a large bowl, sift together 3 cups (360g) flour with 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg. Set this aside.
• In another bowl, beat together 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, 1 cup dark brown sugar, and ¾ cup vegetable oil until thoroughly combined.
• Stir in ½ cup sour cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla, and 1 (14 ounce) can 100% pumpkin puree into the sugar mixture. (Not pumpkin pie filling or mix). Mix well.
• Beat in 4 eggs, one egg at a time, into the pumpkin mixture.
• Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Stir well until just combined.
• Pour cake batter into jelly roll pan or medium baking sheet lined with parchment and bake until done, about 30 minutes. Or pour into 2 9x13 baking dishes and bake for 35-40 minutes.
• While cake is baking, beat 16 ounces of cream cheese with 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt until creamy and smooth.
• Slowly add 1 cup of powdered sugar and beat until there are no lumps. Set aside until cake has cooled completely.
• Cool cake completely after it is done baking.
• Then spread cream cheese frosting over entire cake and refrigerate.

5 from 3 votes

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Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Full of warm pumpkin pie spices and topped with a sweet cream cheese frosting. This is our family's favorite way to celebrate Fall! | 🍂 www.lakesidetable.com

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword bars, dessert bars, from scratch, homemade mayonnaise, pumpkin

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Servings 12

Calories 476 kcal

Author Madalaine

Ingredients

Pumpkin Cake

• 3 cups flour 360 g
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• ¾ cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 can pumpkin puree
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 2 boxes cream cheese 16 ounces
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoons kosher salt

Instructions

Pumpkin Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. In a large bowl, sift together 3 cups (360g) flour with baking soda, baking powder, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, ground ginger, kosher salt, ground cloves, and nutmeg. Set this aside.

3. In another bowl, mix together sugar, dark brown sugar, and vegetable oil until thoroughly combined.

4. Stir in ½ cup sour cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla, and 1 can pumpkin puree into the sugar mixture. Mix well.

5. Beat in 4 eggs, one egg at a time, into the pumpkin mixture.

6. Slowly add the flour mixture into the pumpkin mix. Stir well until just combined.

7. Pour cake batter into 9x13 baking dish and bake until done, about 35-40 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1. While cake is baking, beat cream cheese with vanilla extract, and kosher salt until creamy and smooth.

2. Slowly add 1 cup of powdered sugar and beat until there are no lumps. Set aside until cake has cooled.

3. Cool cake completely after it is done baking. Then spread cream cheese frosting over entire cake and refrigerate.

Nutrition Facts

Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Amount Per Serving

Calories 476 Calories from Fat 153

% Daily Value*

Fat 17g26%

Saturated Fat 13g81%

Cholesterol 60mg20%

Sodium 274mg12%

Potassium 198mg6%

Carbohydrates 76g25%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 49g54%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 5651IU113%

Vitamin C 2mg2%

Calcium 69mg7%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.