Pumpkin Bars for the Dessert Plate

Set out all-purpose flour, baking powder, and kosher salt before you start Pumpkin Bars for the Dessert Plate. The batch is written for 16 bars.

Count on 15 minutes of prep, 25 minutes of cooking, about 40 minutes from the first measurement to the plate.

Ingredients Method

What goes in the bowl

For the Pumpkin Bars

• 2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice *
• 2 large eggs
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup pumpkin puree not pie mix
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup dark brown sugar packed
• 1 cup unsalted butter melted and hot

For the frosting

• 5 ounces cream cheese brick style, full fat, softened
• 4 ½ tablespoon unsalted butter softened
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

How the cooking goes

Pumpkin Bar Base

1. Warm the oven to 325°F and line a 9×13 inch baking pan or dish with parchment. There should be an overhang on two sides.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, kosher salt, and pumpkin pie spice mix. Keep it to one side.
3. Melt the butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. You can also do this over a pot of simmering water.
4. While the butter is still hot, whisk in the sugars until the texture looks smooth. Then, add the eggs and egg yolks until the texture looks smooth and emulsified.
5. Put the vanilla extract and the pumpkin puree to the butter mixture and whisk until the texture looks smooth.
6. Put the flour mixture to the bowl with the pumpkin mixture and whisk until the mix just comes together. Like with cake and cookies, you don’t want to over-mix the batter at this stage.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Even out with an offset spatula for an even bake. Bake for 25-28 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Place the cake pan on a wire rack and cool until it is no longer warm.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Whip together softened butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a mixing bowl with a hand mixer until the texture looks smooth.
2. Add the confectioner’s sugar then mix until completely smooth. Start on a low speed to prevent the powdered sugar from going everywhere.
3. Add the vanilla extract and lemon juice then mix to combine.
4. Dollop the frosting on the cooled cake and spread it with an offset spatula. You can make it perfectly smooth or swirl it decoratively. Slice into bars and serve.

After it comes off the heat

Let the pan settle before you slice, so the crumb stays together. Cover leftovers once they are cool.

If you want another plate from Brownies and bars, open Gingerbread Blondies with a Steady Rise and Brown Butter Brownies with a Fudgy Middle.