Okay, wait. “Jess, you just posted a must-try pumpkin bar recipe.”
Hear me out guys! Because yes, I did just post the Pumpkin & Cream Cheese Cake Bars last week. But, these bars are equally as delicious in such a different way.
I made these on a whim this last weekend when my parents were in town, and they barely lasted 36 hours. “But how am I supposed to choose which one to make, these or the cream cheese version?” Let’s chat about that.
So the Pumpkin & Cream Cheese Cake Bars are much more cakey. Lighter, fluffier, and less sweet. They’re incredibly pumpkin-ey and more of a quick after school snack type bar. On the other hand, these frosted Pumpkin Bars are 100% a dessert. And they are SooOOoOoO good!
The bar itself is a dense, yet still moist, cake. Not quite as powerful of a pumpkin flavor but it’s still there. The frosting is the punch line though. Smooth, full of cinnamon, and a slight crunch from the brown sugar.
So depending on what you’re looking for, a snacky cake or crowd pleasing dessert, will help you decide which one to try first. But pin both now, try them later. Or later today.
Happy baking!
Pumpkin Bars with Cinnamon Brown Sugar Frosting
Equipment
- 8×8" baking pan
Ingredients
Pumpkin Bars
- 1 (4 oz.) stick unsalted butter, melted
- 2/3 c. light brown sugar, packed
- 1 egg, at room temperature1
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 1 c. pumpkin puree
- 1-1/2 c. all purpose flour
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. salt
Cinnamon Brown Sugar Frosting
- 1 (4 oz.) stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/4 c. light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- 1-1/2 c. powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 1 tbsp. milk, plus more if needed
Instructions
Pumpkin Bars
- Heat oven to 350ºF. Line an 8×8" pan with foil or parchment paper, or liberally spray with cooking spray; set aside until ready to use.
- In a large bowl, whisk together butter, light brown sugar, egg, vanilla extract, and pumpkin, until thoroughly combined. Add the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together until just combined. Pour batter into prepared baking pan.
- Bake 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool completely on rack before frosting.
Cinnamon Brown Sugar Frosting
- In a medium bowl, on medium-high speed, beat together butter and brown sugar until fluffy and smooth. Add in the cinnamon and salt. On low speed, gradually add in powdered sugar until incorporated.
- Increase speed to medium-high and add in vanilla extract and milk until very light and fluffy. Spread evenly over bars. Cut and serve.
Notes
- I doubled this recipe the first time I made it and used a 13×9″ pan. The baking time was still about 25 minutes, just make sure to check so the cake doesn’t over bake!
- I love using vanilla bean paste in this recipe as a substitute for all of the vanilla extract because the cake and frosting are light enough to see the pretty vanilla specks.
- If the frosting is too thick after mixing, add more milk one tablespoon at a time. On the flip side, if the frosting is too thin (i.e., runny), add additional powdered sugar until the frosting is the desired consistency.
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