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Paula Deen Pumpkin Bars

Paula Deen pumpkin bars with a rich pumpkin batter and a very smooth cream cheese frosting. Bake in a jelly roll pan until set, then cool completely for clean, sliceable golden bars.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Southern American
Calories: 410
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the bars
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
For Paula Deen's cream cheese frosting
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 pecan halves for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the pumpkin bars
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a 15x10 jelly roll pan.
  2. Whisk all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a bowl.
  3. Beat the eggs, vegetable oil, and pumpkin puree until combined, then fold into the dry ingredients.
  4. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
  5. Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes until the bars are set.
  6. Cool the bars completely in the pan.
Make and frost
  1. Beat the cream cheese and unsalted butter until very smooth.
  2. Add the vanilla extract, then gradually beat in the powdered sugar until smooth.
  3. Spread the frosting generously over the cooled bars.
  4. Press a pecan half onto each bar as garnish.

Notes

For the cleanest slices, cool the bars fully before frosting, and refrigerate after frosting for firmer cuts. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days; freeze frosted bars up to 2 months (wrap well). For a lighter swap, use reduced-fat cream cheese and butter (texture will be slightly softer but still works).