Christmas Recipes: Pumpkin Bars from Paula Deen

Here's a recipe someone emailed to my wife because it was a hit with a Bible study group. I saw it and thought it looked good, so I tried it for Thanksgiving. It was such a hit, that my family told me to do it again at Christmas. My daughter liked it because it is not over-powered by spices and you can actually taste the delicate pumpkin flavor. I made it again today to take to work for our Christmas potluck luncheon. It was a hit there as well. It comes from Paula Deen, and you can see the recipe below along with the original website.



Pumpkin Bars

(Recipe courtesy Patty Ronning as adapted by Paula Deen )

Found online at http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/pumpkin-bars-recipe/index.html

Prep Time: 15 min       

Cook Time: 30min

Serves:  48 small bars or 24 larger bars

Level: Easy 

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.

Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin 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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