Good thing people like pumpkin around here. And I vow to not burn them out on pumpkin pie. These pumpkin cream cheese bars are so soft and sweet.

I use applesauce in replacement for oil, that is traditionally used in fruit breads. Applesauce is a natural substitute that lowers the fat in the recipe and adds moisture.

The frosting on the other hand is not low in fat, so I figure, at least it’s less than if oil or butter were used. It can also be made without the frosting to reduce the sugar and fat content.

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Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bars

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Equipment

Large mixing bowl
13x9 glass baking dish
Stand mixer with paddle attachment

Ingredients

Cake/Bar Ingredients

2 cups Pumpkin puree
1 cup Applesauce
1½ cups Sugar
4 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla extract
2 cups Flour
2 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Baking soda
1 tbsp Pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp Sea salt

Frosting Ingredients

4 oz Cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup Butter, softened
1 tsp Vanilla
3 cups Powdered sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350℉
In a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin puree, applesauce, sugar and vanilla.
Add eggs and stir to combine all ingredients.
Add flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt.
Gently fold in the dry ingredients until mixed and all the flour is absorbed.
Pour the batter into a lightly greased 13x9 baking dish.
Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Allow to cool for at least one hour before frosting.

Frosting

Add cream cheese, butter and vanilla to the stand mixer.
Using the paddle attachment, whip on high speed until the mixture is combined, light, and fluffy.
Add the powdered sugar to the mixer.
Turn the paddle on slowly until the powdered sugar begins to mix with the cream cheese and butter.
Increase the speed to whip the frosting until it is combined, light and fluffy.
When the bars are cool enough to frost, spread the frosting over the entire top of the bars. Serve immediately or refrigerate, covered, for up to 1 week.