Pumpkin Bars

Happy Halloween!  These pumpkin bars should really be called pumpkin cake because they have a cake-like consistency and you have to eat them with a fork instead of just picking them up.  I can safely say that the best part of this dessert is the icing.  After you eat some of the icing, maybe you can join me at the gym so we can run some of it off.  I tried to make up for it somewhat by using whole wheat flour and substituting half of the vegetable oil for applesauce.

These are delicious, and they don't have any weird ingredients that you have to search for.  They're a perfect treat for Halloween or Thanksgiving.  Enjoy!

Pumpkin Bars

Bars:
4 eggs
1 2/3 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil (or 1/2 cup oil and 1/2 cup applesauce)
1 (15oz) can pumpkin
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Icing:
1 stick butter, softened
1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350.  Using an electric mixer at medium speed, cream together eggs, pumpkin, oil/applesauce, and sugar.  In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.  Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture on low speed or by hand-stirring until smooth.  Spread the batter into a greased 10x13-inch baking pan, and bake for 35-40 minutes.  Let cool completely before frosting. 

While bars are cooling, combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth.  Add the sugar and mix at a low speed until combined.  Stir in the vanilla and mix again.  Spread onto cooled pumpkin bars.