Pumpkin Bars Recipe (Cream Cheese Frosting)

Name: Pumpkin Bars Recipe (Cream Cheese Frosting)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: Québécoise
Ingredients: 1 cup (250 ml) pumpkin puree; 1 1/4 cups (310 ml) golden brown sugar, lightly packed; 2/3 cup (160 ml) canola oil; 1/4 cup (60 ml) maple syrup; 4 large eggs; 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract; 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour; 2 tsp (10 ml) baking powder; 2 tsp (10 ml) ground cinnamon; 1 tsp (5 ml) baking soda; 1/2 tsp (2 ml) ground ginger; 1/2 tsp (2 ml) ground nutmeg; 1/2 tsp (2 ml) salt; 1/4 tsp (1 ml) ground cloves; 1/4 tsp (1 ml) ground allspice; 9 oz (250 g) block cream cheese, softened; 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened; 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract; 3 cups (750 ml) powdered sugar; 2 tbsp (30 ml) maple syrup

Preparation 25 min
Cooking 40 min
Servings 12
Freezing Absolutely

Ads

Wet

1 cup (250 ml) pumpkin puree
1 1/4 cups (310 ml) golden brown sugar, lightly packed
2/3 cup (160 ml) canola oil
1/4 cup (60 ml) maple syrup
4 large eggs
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract

Dry

2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
2 tsp (10 ml) baking powder
2 tsp (10 ml) ground cinnamon
1 tsp (5 ml) baking soda
1/2 tsp (2 ml) ground ginger
1/2 tsp (2 ml) ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp (2 ml) salt
1/4 tsp (1 ml) ground cloves
1/4 tsp (1 ml) ground allspice

Frosting

9 oz (250 g) block cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
3 cups (750 ml) powdered sugar
2 tbsp (30 ml) maple syrup

Ads

Preparation

Heat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Line a 9×13 inch (23 x 33 cm) pan with parchment, letting two sides hang over so you have handles to lift the cake out later.
In a large bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, ginger, nutmeg, salt, cloves and allspice.
In a medium bowl, whisk the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, oil, maple syrup, eggs and vanilla until smooth.
Pour the wet into the dry and stir only until the flour is moistened. Stop the moment there are no white streaks left. Overmixing develops gluten and gives you a tough cake instead of a tender one. Spread the batter evenly in the pan.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until the center no longer wobbles and a toothpick pushed into the middle comes out dry.
Let the cake cool 30 minutes in the pan, then lift it onto a rack using the parchment. Let it cool another hour and a half, until completely cool to the touch.
While the cake finishes cooling, make the frosting. With an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until creamy and slightly fluffy. Beat in the powdered sugar gradually, then the maple syrup.
Cover the frosting and refrigerate it 30 to 45 minutes. It will thicken and become far easier to spread in a thick layer.
Spread the chilled frosting over the fully cooled cake, swooping it with a spatula. Cut into 12 squares. For clean edges, chill the frosted cake 30 minutes before slicing.