This fluffy pumpkin cake comes together easily and makes the most delightful low-key afternoon snack or dessert when cut into bars. The pumpkin puree keeps everything wonderfully moist, even several days later.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 2 hr 10 min |
| Active: | 30 min |
| Yield: | 24 bars |
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 2 hr 10 min |
| Active: | 30 min |
| Yield: | 24 bars |
Ingredients
- Nonstick baking spray, for the baking pan
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (see Cook’s Note)
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
- One 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- For the bars: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13-by-9-inch metal baking pan with nonstick baking spray and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper, leaving an inch of overhang on the sides.
- Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, salt, nutmeg and cloves in a large bowl until evenly combined. In another bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, oil, vanilla, eggs and pumpkin puree until smooth. Pour the pumpkin mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until the batter just comes together.
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let the cake cool for 30 minutes in the pan, then unmold and let cool completely on a wire rack.
- For the icing: Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl and beat on medium speed with a handheld mixer until smooth. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and salt and beat until evenly combined and smooth. Spread the icing on the top of the cake in a smooth and even layer. Cut the cake into twenty-four 2-inch squares and serve.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 24 servings |
| Calories | 322 |
| Total Fat | 19 g |
| Saturated Fat | 6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 35 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 26 g |
| Protein | 3 g |
| Cholesterol | 57 mg |
| Sodium | 207 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 of 24 servings |
| Calories | 322 |
| Total Fat | 19 g |
| Saturated Fat | 6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 35 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 26 g |
| Protein | 3 g |
| Cholesterol | 57 mg |
| Sodium | 207 mg |
Reviews
Made these today. I used cooled melted butter instead of oil. They are great!! I will say that I took them out of the oven several minutes ahead of the recipe – probably 30 or so. Keep an eye out because they are perfect!
Added walnuts to the top of the cake before baking. Very moist! Next time will add craisins to the batter. Brought to work party and gone in 30 minutes.
We were craving something with pumpkin so tried these today…and wow, really quite delicious. Bars were super moist – and not very sweet which we prefer. I did make the cream cheese frosting which was very light and fluffy – only adjustment made to the frosting was to cut back on the powdered sugar (used just over half of what recipe called for). We did not miss the extra sugar. No doubt my family will be asking for these regularly.
Excellent- I was out of ginger so substituted about 1-1/2 teaspoons of candied ginger cut up very small. The cake was awesome. The frosting was very light and fluffy and not too sweet – perfect match for the cake. Again, was too far into the process when discovered only had 1 stick of butter and just went with that. The frosting was so spreadable and light I will make it again with the reduced amount of butter. Thanks for this awesome fall dessert!
This is Ina Garten’s recipe….
Daughter made this in a Bundt pan for Thanksgiving. Left off the icing…So yummy!
Delicious and so easy.
These were the most delicious bars I have ever made!!!! Seriously, mouth watering delicious!!!
The best pumpkin bars I have ever had, and I have been making them for about five years.
My favorite fall dessert. Absolutely delicious and easy to make. As others have mentioned, the frosting is optional but it’s delicious so if you have time, do it! I put the cake in the fridge after it was fully cooled before frosting and it worked great.