The fall season always stirs feelings of nostalgia. The air turns crisp, the leaves change color and the sounds of football games on TV become the background noise to our lives.
As a University senior, I’ve become familiar with my fall routine — start school in September, come home for Thanksgiving break, finals, then winter break.
When I return home each year for Turkey Day and walk into my spotless house, the aromas of scented candles, cloves, cinnamon and apple pie tickle my nose, and then — I see them — pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting. The best. The ultimate fall time treat. I eat two or three within 15 minutes and continue to snack on them throughout the day. I stow a knife by their side and whittle away at them until I stage a self-intervention, put the knife down and go to bed.
Every fall as September ends and Halloween and Thanksgiving grow near, the itch for comfort foods grows, and I can’t help but scratch it.
Pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting remind me of chilly autumn, school and family. They are near and dear to my heart and still after a lifetime of enjoying their fall flavors, keep me coming home.
Prep time:15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Makes: 48 small bars or 24 large bars
Ingredients
Bars:
4 eggs
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
15-ounce can pumpkin
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
Icing:
8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin and mix using an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth. Spread the batter into a greased 13 by 10-inch baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting. Cut into bars.
To make the icing: Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again. Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.
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Pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting
Daily Emerald
October 14, 2009
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