Are you searching for the ultimate easy and crowd-pleasing fall dessert? A treat so moist, so perfectly spiced, and so completely irresistible, it will become your new go-to for every autumn occasion? These incredible, from-scratch Pumpkin Bars with a luscious Cream Cheese Frosting are that perfect recipe. It’s a timeless, beloved classic for a reason—its super-moist, cake-like texture and tangy, sweet frosting make it the perfect dessert for a bake sale, a Thanksgiving gathering, or a cozy afternoon treat.
This isn’t just another pumpkin recipe; it’s your definitive guide to a flawless, impossibly moist dessert that never fails. Forget dry, crumbly, or bland pumpkin bars. We’ll show you the simple but crucial secrets to the most tender pumpkin cake and the smoothest, tangiest cream cheese frosting you’ve ever had. This is a show-stopping, easy-to-make dessert that will have everyone begging for the recipe.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate Easy Fall Dessert
What makes these Pumpkin Bars so spectacularly delicious is their incredible, melt-in-your-mouth texture and their classic, cozy flavor. This recipe is a masterpiece of simple, rustic baking. The “bar” itself is a super-moist, tender, and light, oil-based pumpkin cake. The use of oil is the secret that guarantees a moist crumb that stays soft for days. The cake is infused with the warm, aromatic flavor of cinnamon and classic fall spices. The entire sheet cake is then crowned with a thick, luscious, and tangy from-scratch cream cheese frosting. It’s a perfect harmony of sweet, spiced, and tangy that is simply irresistible.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 1 hour 30 minutes (plus cooling) |
| Active Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | 24 bars |
The Baker’s Pantry: The Essential Ingredients
The beauty of this classic recipe is in its simplicity, which means the quality of your ingredients and the proper technique are absolutely paramount.
- The Perfect Pumpkin Bar:
- Canned Pumpkin Puree: It is absolutely crucial to use 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced. The pure puree provides the signature fall flavor, a beautiful orange color, and a huge amount of moisture.
- Canola Oil: This is the number one secret to an unbelievably moist and tender crumb! Because oil is a liquid at room temperature, it creates a cake that is much moister and stays softer for longer than a traditional, butter-based cake.
- The Spices: A classic, warm, and perfectly balanced fall spice blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves is the key to that signature, cozy pumpkin pie flavor.
- The Ultimate Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Softened Cream Cheese & Butter: This is the non-negotiable secret to a perfectly smooth, creamy, and completely lump-free frosting. It is absolutely essential to use a block of full-fat cream cheese and unsalted butter that have both been softened to room temperature.
The Baking Science Masterclass: The Secret to a Perfect Dessert
This recipe uses a few simple but crucial techniques that guarantee a flawless result.
- Oil-Based Cake: Using oil instead of butter is a brilliant trick for cakes and bars like this. It coats the flour proteins and inhibits gluten development, which is the secret to a super tender, fine crumb.
- Softened Dairy for Frosting: When your cream cheese and butter are at room temperature, their fat is soft and pliable. This is the key that allows them to smoothly and easily emulsify with the sugar, creating a perfectly smooth, luscious, and stable frosting with no lumps.
- Cool Completely Before Frosting: This is the most important rule of frosting any cake! A warm cake will instantly melt your beautiful, fluffy frosting into a sad, greasy, and soupy mess. Patience is key!
Step-by-Step to the Best Pumpkin Bars
This elegant dessert is a joy to prepare.
Part 1: Make the Super-Moist Pumpkin Cake
Step 1: First, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare an ungreased 15x10x1-inch baking pan (also known as a jelly roll pan).
Step 2: In a large bowl, beat the 4 large, room temperature eggs, the 1 2/3 cups of sugar, the 1 cup of canola oil, and the 1 can of pumpkin puree with an electric mixer until the mixture is well blended.
Step 3: In a separate, medium bowl, combine the 2 cups of all-purpose flour, the 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon, the 2 teaspoons of baking powder, the 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and the 1 teaspoon of salt.
Step 4: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet pumpkin mixture and mix until everything is well combined.
Step 5: Pour the batter into your ungreased baking pan and use a spatula to spread it into an even layer.
Step 6: Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. You will know the cake is perfectly done when the center is set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Step 7 (The Most Important Step!): Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack.
Part 2: Whip Up the Perfect Cream Cheese Frosting
Step 1: While the cake is cooling, prepare your frosting. In a medium bowl, beat the 6 ounces of softened cream cheese, the 2 cups of confectioners’ sugar, the 1/4 cup of softened butter, and the 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract with an electric mixer until the mixture is smooth. Step 2: Add the 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk, as needed, to achieve your desired, smooth and spreadable consistency.
Part 3: Frost and Chill
Once your cake is completely cool, spread the luscious cream cheese frosting over the top in an even layer.
Store the frosted bars in the refrigerator.
Moist Pumpkin Bars (with Cream Cheese Frosting!)
A classic recipe for moist, cake-like pumpkin bars baked in a sheet pan, perfect for a fall gathering. The simple, one-bowl batter is made with canned pumpkin, canola oil, sugar, and warm spices like cinnamon, resulting in a very tender crumb. After baking and cooling completely, the pumpkin bars are generously topped with a rich and tangy cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
- For the Bars:
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup canola oil
- 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- For the Icing:
- 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 tablespoons 2% milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin until well blended.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix until just combined.
- Pour the batter into an ungreased 15x10x1-inch baking pan.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the cake is set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
- For the Icing: In a small bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, softened butter, and vanilla until smooth. Add enough milk to achieve your desired spreading consistency.
- Spread the icing evenly over the cooled pumpkin bars.
- Store the bars in the refrigerator.
Notes
- This recipe makes a large batch of bars in a 15×10-inch sheet pan, making it ideal for a party or potluck.
- It is crucial to let the pumpkin cake cool completely before frosting, otherwise the cream cheese frosting will melt.
- Because of the cream cheese frosting, these bars must be stored in the refrigerator.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
- Make-Ahead: This is the perfect make-ahead dessert! The flavors actually become even deeper and more delicious on the second day. You can bake the entire cake, let it cool, and store it, well-covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before you frost and serve it.
- Storage: Store the finished, frosted bars, well-covered, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Freezing: These bars freeze beautifully! You can freeze them either with or without the frosting. Simply cut them into squares and store them in a freezer-safe, airtight container for up to 3 months.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is the absolute, number one secret to truly moist pumpkin bars?
The secret is to use oil instead of butter in the cake batter. Because oil is a liquid at room temperature, it creates a final cake that is noticeably moister and stays softer for longer than a traditional butter-based cake.
Q2: How do I get my cream cheese frosting perfectly smooth and not lumpy?
The non-negotiable secret is to use room temperature, softened ingredients. Both your block of cream cheese and your sticks of butter must be completely softened before you begin to beat them. This is the key that will allow them to blend together beautifully and to create a perfectly smooth, creamy, and luscious frosting.
Q3: Can I make these pumpkin bars ahead of time for a party?
Yes, absolutely! This is an ideal make-ahead dessert. You can prepare it completely a day or two in advance and keep it in the refrigerator. In fact, many people find that the flavor and texture are even better on the second day!
Q4: Can I make this recipe in a 9×13-inch pan?
You can, but you will need to adjust the baking time significantly. Because a 9×13-inch pan is smaller, the cake layer will be much thicker. You will need to increase the baking time to about 35 to 45 minutes.
Q5: What is the difference between canned pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling?
It is very important to use 100% pure pumpkin puree for this recipe. Canned pumpkin pie filling is a pre-made mixture that already contains added sugars and spices, so it would make your final cake much too sweet and improperly spiced.