The frosted bars are my all time favorite. I have to make them or my life feels incomplete. Yes I’m being a little dramatic but really, these bars are so insanely good. If I could sit down in a corner and eat the entire sheet pan, I definitely would. So now is the time when I make them for myself, and eat one on my pumpkin plate. But this year I wanted to bake something just a little bit different since I’m completely obsessed with maple at the moment. (ok all the time) So I threw some maple extract into my pumpkin bars and some chopped up pecans. And of course pumpkin bars wouldn’t be complete without a thick layer of frosting. Maple cream cheese frosting to be exact. Excuse me while I chow down on a maple pecan pumpkin bar on my pumpkin plate.
First sift together 2 cups all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon nutmeg and 1 teaspoon ginger into a large bowl. Set aside.
In a bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix together 1 (29 ounce) can of pumpkin puree (the big can and make sure it’s plain pumpkin!), 1 2/3 cup sugar, 3/4 cup canola oil, 3 large eggs (at room temperature) and 1/2 teaspoon maple extract. Mix mix mix on medium speed. You can also just whisk this all together but whisk really well!
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Ok that doesn’t look so tasty but I swear it tastes really good.
Now fold everything together with a spatula. Fold it gently!
Chop up 6 ounces of unsalted pecans and throw them in. If you like, you can substitute the pecans for walnuts or leave them out. Whatever floats your boat!
Fold the pecans in with a spatula. Mmmmm pumpkin and pecans.
Lightly grease a 10 by 15 inch sheet pan (also known as a jellyroll pan). Bake the bars for 25 minutes at 350 F.
Cool the bars (in the pan) completely before frosting or you’ll end up with a big mess!
Onto the maple cream cheese frosting. Sift 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar and set it aside.
In a bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix together 6 ounces of softened cream cheese and 1/4 cup softened unsalted butter on medium speed for a couple of minutes.
Add in 1/4 teaspoon maple extract and mix!
Then add in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix again!
Slowly add in the powdered sugar on low speed and then increase the speed to medium. Mix until combined (about 1-2 minutes). Don’t beat the frosting to death! :)
Once the bars have completely cooled, spread the maple cream cheese frosting over the bars. If you like, chop up some pecans and sprinkle on top of the frosting. Enjoy!
Recipe: Pumpkin Maple Pecan Bars
Bars
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 (29 ounce) can of pumpkin puree
3/4 cup canola oil
1/2 teaspoon maple extract
6 ounces unsalted pecans, chopped
1 2/3 cup sugar
Frosting
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon maple extract
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Extra chopped unsalted pecans for topping
Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger into a large bowl. Set aside.
In a bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix together the pumpkin, sugar, oil, eggs and maple extract on medium speed.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold the ingredients together with a spatula.
Chop up the pecans and fold them into the pumpkin batter.
Lightly grease a 10 by 15 inch sheet pan (also known as a jellyroll pan) and spread the batter out evenly.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes. Cool the bars completely before frosting.
Sift the powdered sugar and set it aside.
In a bowl of stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix together the butter and cream cheese on medium speed for a couple of minutes until smooth.
Add in the maple extract and mix. Then add in the vanilla extract and mix.
Add in the powdered sugar on low speed. Mix for 2 minutes by increasing the speed to medium. Be careful not to over mix the frosting.
Spread the frosting over the cooled bars and topped with extra chopped unsalted pecans. Cut into bars and enjoy!
To store the bars, cut them into pieces and put them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Note: These bars are very very moist and more dense. They are not cake like.