First of all, I have to chuckle a bit this morning as I sit down to write my first blog entry since October 9th. My first blog entry since the blog entry in which I wrote that I would put writing on my blog and visiting your blogs back up on my list of things to keep in priority, because I so enjoy doing it.
It is now October 21st (can you believe that??) and I am finally taking some time to write an entry. The truth of the matter is, I haven’t been cooking, so I haven’t had a whole lot to blog about. My parents came into town from south Texas on October 1st and left this past Thursday. My husband and I went on vacation during that time, then we all went to Chicago for a long 4 day weekend and then back to life…back to reality…back to the craziness that is our life. I loved having my parents here and my kids loved it too. A day hasn’t gone by since they have left that someone in the family hasn’t asked where Grandma and Grandpa are. So, now we are trying to find our routines again and to settle back into…LIFE.
For those of you in the US and who have the four seasons, can you believe that we are knee deep into Fall now? Where in the world does the time go? As much as I love all the summertime flavors, with fresh veggies and cool treats, I do love the comforting flavors of Fall. The spices, the root veggies, the simmering pots of stew on the stove, the outdoor fire pits, the hot chocolate…all of these things I love. Oh – and if I had the time…the snuggling up on the couch with a good book and my favorite quilt.
One of my favorite fall flavors is pumpkin. It is one of those flavors that I didn’t like as a child, but as I have grown and ended up marrying a man who loves pumpkin, I have learned to appreciate it as well.
Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting has become a favorite of mine over the years. I first had a pumpkin bar several years ago at a work bake sale. I had one bite and knew I needed to find a recipe similar to it. I tried to find the person who made these pumpkin bars, but no one knew who it was. I can’t remember exactly where I ended up getting this recipe, but it is one of those that gets made many, many times during the cool season at our home. Rich with flavor and topped with a generous amount of cream cheese frosting, you will love tasting every last calorie in this delicious recipe. Try this recipe out and fall into the flavors of Fall.
Pumpkin Cake Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 1 2/3 cups white sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 6 ounces cream cheese
- 6 tablespoons butter softened
- 3 cups confectioners' sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Grease and flour one glass 9 x 13 inch pan.
- In a mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; add to wet ingredients and mix thoroughly.
- Spread into prepared pan.
- Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool.
- For the frosting: beat together the cream cheese, butter and confectioner's sugar.
- Evenly spread over bars after they have cooled.
I’ve always loved these two, but didn’t have a good recipe. Thank you, thank you!
Hugs!
Kat
I only have a 1/2 can of pumpkin in the fridge at the moment. This cake will have to wait until I can get to the store. Love pumpkin cake, loaf anything with cream cheese iciing!!!!
Normally I love pumpkin but I made a pudding with some and didn’t like it at all.
I’ve been wanting cookies and here the pumpkin has great appeal.
This looks great!
Pumpkin and cream cheese frosting – Oh yeah!
That is good!
These sound delicious! Cream cheese frosting is one of my favorite things. 🙂
I have a recipe similar to this that is wonderful. I set about to make it for a family gathering and measured out all the ingredients, whizzed them together and tossed it in the oven….all BEFORE leaving for church one morning, after which we would be going directly to our family event.
Taking the bars out of the oven, I tossed my cooling rack on the counter, looked at a bowl of something lying there, trying to figure out what it was….oh god, it was pumpkin wasn’t it?? Egads….the very pumpkin that made my Pumpkin Bars…well, PUMPKIN.
So yeah….I made the Pumpkin Bars pumpkin-less. Although some of the kids claimed they were yummy, I shook my head at the adults and steered them to the other dessert. The rest went in the trash.
C’est la vie….another time perhaps.
I love pumpkin anything.. especially Pumpkin Spice Lattes from Starbucks!
Glad to see you back. 🙂
Yum yum yum. I am always up for another pumpkin recipe and I have been dreaming about making pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting!
Yummy! I will have to try this next time my oldest son is home from college. He loves pumpkin, and I usually bake or (er, buy!) him a pumpkin pie in the autumn. Thanks for visiting my blob.
Pumpkin with cinnamon — yum. Can you make this with canned squash, too?
That looks like such a wonderful recipe. I love Fall, the colors, the cooler temperatures, the flavors, everything. But, man, I so understand about how time flies! So many things to do, so little time…
Hello!! I just printed off the recipe and cannot wait to try it:). I need some pumpkin!
So glad to hear you had a lovely time. Blogs seem to ebb and flow, much like life! Mine did some serious ebbing all summer as we sold our home and moved and stressed and didn’t cook enough… but the blog is inching back up on my priority list too:). Cheers to fall and pumpkin bars!
Exactly the recipe I was looking for a simple pumpkin cake! Thanks!
Looks like you are back in focus…that cake looks very delicious and the photo is beautiful!
I’m going crazy with so many delicious pumpkin recipes on my favorite blogs, sweetie!
This is so mouthwatering!
Life gets busy and time flies!!! I actually made pumpkin cupcakes (still need to blog) and had the hardest time finding a recipe for them. This would have worked perfectly!! I love fall as well, for all of the same reasons that you mentioned. I only wish that fall would stay a little longer and keep winter at bay!
Oh well, you were missed here… but I am so glad to hear you had fun! Hum, I love pumpkin cake, this time of year is just perfect for them!
That sounds divine. I love fall too. It’s just not long enough for all the wonderful pumpkin dishes I want to make!
yummy, I know what I am baking tomorrow, thanks for sharing. I’ll make a batch while I am cutting out my new quilt Nickle quilt pattern.