If you love pumpkin pie, then you are going to love this recipe. These bars are soft and yummy just like pumpkin pie.  This would be a good recipe to use for a beginning baker who is afraid to make a pumpkin pie. These bars are spicy just like pumpkin pie, and they are very easy to make!  I absolutely love fall baking! When these bars are baking, the aroma fills the house with pumpkin pie scent and that is definitely a smell I love to have in my house in the fall.  I took these to work and they were loved by all…and that is a good thing in my book! I hope you enjoy these bars the way my co-workers did, and the way I do!

Happy Pumpkin Bar Baking!

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 and 1/2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cloves

4 eggs, slightly beaten

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin

1 cup vegetable oil

1 recipe Browned Butter Icing (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and cloves.  Add eggs, pumpkin and vegetable oil; stir until combined.  Spread batter evenly into an ungreased 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan.

2. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool in pan on a wire rack for 2 hours.

Browned Butter Frosting

In a small saucepan heat 1/3 cup butter until butter over low heat until melted.  Continued heating until butter turns a light golden brown.  Remove from heat.  In a large bowl, combine 3 cups powdered sugar, 2 Tablespoons milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla.  Add browned butter.  Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined.  Beat on medium speed until spreading consistency, adding additional milk if necessary.  Makes 1 and 1/2 cups.

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens Fall Baking Magazine.