Soft and Spiced Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Name: Soft and Spiced Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 24
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups all purpose flour; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 cup vegetable oil; 4 large eggs; 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar; 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree; 8 ounces cream cheese, softened; 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened; 2 cups powdered sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

These moist pumpkin bars are the perfect autumn treat for your next family gathering.

By Recipes By Nani· 🌍 American· July 20, 2026

Soft and Spiced Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

recipesbynani.com

Prep

15 minutes

Cook

25 minutes

Total

40 minutes

Serves

There is something so comforting about the smell of pumpkin and cinnamon baking in the oven. These bars have a beautiful soft texture and just the right amount of spice to make them a favorite whenever the weather turns cool.

My best tip for this recipe is to make sure your cream cheese is completely soft before you start the frosting. It makes a big difference in getting that smooth, velvety finish that everyone loves.

🧺 Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

👩‍🍳Instructions

1
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 10 by 15 inch jelly roll pan.
2
Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together in a medium bowl.
3
In a separate large bowl, beat the oil, eggs, sugar, and pumpkin puree until the mixture is smooth.
4
Gradually add the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture and stir until just combined.
5
Spread the batter evenly into your prepared pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
6
Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
7
While the bars cool, beat the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon until the frosting is light and fluffy.
8
Spread the frosting over the cooled bars, slice into squares, and serve.

💡 Tips

Store these bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep the frosting fresh. They taste even better the next day after the spices have had time to settle into the pumpkin. You can also sprinkle a little extra cinnamon on top for a pretty presentation.

#dessert #pumpkin #autumn #baking #vegetarian

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