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Pumpkin Bars With Brown Sugar Frosting

Pumpkin bars with brown sugar frosting are tender, spiced squares baked in a 15x10 pan, then topped with a caramel-brown frosting that firms as it cools. The frosting starts with melted butter and packed brown sugar, then gets silky after adding warm cream and powdered sugar.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 340
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the bars
  • 2 cup flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 4 eggs
  • 1.67 cup sugar
  • 1 cup oil
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin
  • 1 tsp vanilla
For brown sugar frosting
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 0.33 cup heavy cream
  • 2.5 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp salt

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the pumpkin bars
  1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 15x10 pan, so the bars release cleanly after baking.
  2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt together until evenly combined with no dry streaks.
  3. Beat the eggs, sugar, oil, pumpkin, and vanilla until smooth and glossy.
  4. Fold the wet mixture into the dry mixture until just combined, then spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
  5. Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes, watching for the center to set and the edges to look lightly golden.
  6. Cool completely in the pan so the frosting spreads without melting.
Make and add the brown sugar frosting
  1. Melt the butter and brown sugar over medium heat, then cook for 2 minutes to deepen the caramel-brown color.
  2. Add the heavy cream and bring back to a boil, then cool for 15 minutes until warm but not hot.
  3. Beat in the powdered sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt until smooth and fluffy with a spreadable texture.
  4. Spread the frosting immediately over the cooled bars, then let it firm as it cools for clean slices.

Notes

For the cleanest cuts, cool the bars fully before frosting, and spread the frosting while it is still warm and fluid since it firms quickly. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; freeze frosted bars for up to 2 months in a sealed container. For a lighter option, replace the oil with an equal amount of unsweetened applesauce for a slightly less rich crumb.