Super Soft Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

These Super Soft Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting are what your dreams are made of! Simple to make, pillowy soft, and a frosting that will have you licking your lips and coming back for more!

Is it ever too early for pumpkin? I don't think so. Honestly, I would eat it year-round! Super soft pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting may be the greatest thing of all time!

I like most pumpkin desserts, but a soft pumpkin something with cream cheese frosting is hands down my favorite kind! (This pumpkin roll is my all-time most fav and I make it multiple times every year during the holidays.)

This is like if pumpkin bread, pumpkin roll, and pumpkin cake, all got together and made a love child.

Is that too much? Nah - didn’t know how else to describe it. You’re welcome.

Jump to:

• What Makes These Soft Pumpkin Bars so special?
• Ingredients Needed
• How to Make
• How to Make Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting
• How to Make Ahead of Time
• Frequently Asked Questions
• More Pumpkin Recipes
• Recipe

What Makes These Soft Pumpkin Bars so special?

1. Simple to make. 2 bowls. 1 hand mixer. 2 spatulas. 1 baking sheet. That’s all you need.
2. Feeds a crowd! You can get 24 really good-sized slices out of this. Or go with smaller bite-size slices and get 30-36 servings.
3. They are so pillowy and soft they practically melt in your mouth. And I have never met anyone who doesn’t like cream cheese frosting!
4. Perfect from the beginning of the pumpkin season in October all throughout the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

Have I convinced you yet? Perfect. Let's get baking!

Ingredients Needed

• Eggs
• Sugar
• Canned Pumpkin Puree
• Oil
• Flour
• Salt
• Baking Powder
• Baking Soda
• Cinnamon
• Ginger
• Cloves
• Nutmeg

Cream Cheese Frosting

• Cream Cheese
• Butter - softened
• Milk or Cream
• Vanilla
• Powdered Sugar

How to Make

1. In a large bowl, add your eggs and beat. Next comes your sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Then add in your oil and pumpkin, and you guessed it - mix until it is all one yummy pumpkin batter.
2. Add in your flour and all your spices. Mix well - making sure there are no flour clumps remaining.
3. You will need a half-sheet pan for these bars. Line with parchment paper (I find this helps to be able to slice and remove easily without sticking to the pan) and spray the edges with cooking spray.
4. Spread the batter out evenly and bake. Once these pumpkin bars are finished baking, let them cool completely before frosting.  

PRO TIP - place the pan in the fridge on a cooling pad to speed up the cooling process before frosting (if needed).

How to Make Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting

You can make this with a hand mixer or if you prefer a stand mixer, that will work just fine as well.

1. Place in your room temp butter and cream cheese. Beat until no clumps remain and you have a smooth mixture.
2. Add in 1 cup of powdered sugar and mix until fully incorporated. Start your hand mixer on slow with a big enough bowl or cover your stand mixer with a tea towel to prevent wearing all the powdered sugar you just added in. 🙂
3. Add in your milk and vanilla. Mix.
4. Then add in the remaining 1 cup and powdered sugar and beat until smooth and creamy.

Frost your cake once cooled and then you’re ready to dig in! Be sure to watch the video HERE on how I like to easily frost the top.

How to Make Ahead of Time

• The pumpkin bars can be made up to 3 days in advance. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until needed. Frost right before serving if making longer than 24 hours in advance.
• The cream cheese frosting can also be made 1-2 days in advance and kept in an airtight container in the fridge until needed. Make sure to sit out on the counter for 30 minutes prior to the frosting to let come to room temp - it will be easier to spread out evenly on the cake.
• If you are wanting to make the cake more than 3 days in advance - make it according to the recipe and let cool completely. Wrap tightly in the sheet pan with plastic wrap 3 times - making sure it is sealed tight - this is super important so it will prevent freezer burn! Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. The day before you want to eat it, remove from the freezer and place it in the fridge. This will help it thaw slowly and not create moisture on your cake. Frost before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Pumpkin Recipes

• Baked Pumpkin Donut Holes
• Overnight Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
• Addicting Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Butter Glaze
• Southern Pumpkin Pie
• Sous Vide Pumpkin Pie
• Pumpkin Spice Trail Mix
• Soft Pumpkin Scones with a Maple Drizzle
• Pumpkin Roll
• Pumpkin Dinner Rolls

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Recipe

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