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Pumpkin Bars With Brown Sugar Frosting

Pumpkin bars with brown sugar frosting—tender spiced pumpkin bars baked in a greased 15x10 pan and topped with a caramel-brown, fluffy frosting. Baked until just set, then cooled completely for clean, sliceable rectangles and easy spreading.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
cooling 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 24 bars
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 340
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the bars
  • 2 cup flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 4 eggs
  • 1.67 cup sugar
  • 1 cup oil
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin
  • 1 tsp vanilla
For brown sugar frosting
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 0.33 cup heavy cream
  • 2.5 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 pinch salt

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the pumpkin bars
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a 15x10 pan, so the bars release easily after baking.
  2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt until evenly combined.
  3. Beat the eggs, sugar, oil, pumpkin, and vanilla until smooth and glossy, with no streaks.
  4. Fold the wet mixture into the dry ingredients just until combined, then spread the batter evenly in the pan.
  5. Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes, until the center looks set and a tester comes out mostly clean.
  6. Cool the bars completely to prevent the frosting from melting and sliding.
Make and spread brown sugar frosting
  1. Melt the unsalted butter and brown sugar over medium heat for 2 minutes until the mixture looks glossy and slightly thickened.
  2. Add the heavy cream and bring it back to a boil, then remove from heat.
  3. Cool the frosting base for 15 minutes, until it is warm but not hot when you touch the pot.
  4. Beat in powdered sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt until smooth and fluffy, with a lighter caramel-brown color.
  5. Spread the frosting immediately over the cooled bars, swirling over the top; it will firm as it cools.

Notes

Pro tip: for clean slices, cool the bars completely before frosting, and spread the frosting right after beating so it stays spreadable. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze frosted bars up to 2 months for best texture. If you want a lighter version, use 1:1 reduced-fat butter in the frosting (texture may be slightly softer).