With the official start to Fall just a few days away, our thoughts (and appetites) have turned to comfort food like these cake-y cool weather bars.
This recipe is from one of my favorite cookbooks, Breakfast at Nine, Tea at Four: Favorite Recipes from Cape May’s Mainstay Inn. My mom gave me the book; she and my dad stayed a the Inn several times, and Scott and I have also stayed there.
This photo of Mainstay Inn and Cottage is courtesy of TripAdvisor
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a bar pan.
Bar Ingredients: 4 eggs, 2 cups sugar, 1 cup vegetable oil, one 16-ounce can solid packed pumpkin, 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Icing Ingredients: 4 ounces softened cream cheese, 6 tablespoons softened butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 cups confectioner’s sugar.
Beat the eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin together in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the remaining (dry) ingredients. Pour into prepared bar pan and cook 20 minutes or till top springs back to the touch. Allow to cool.
Using a mixer, combine the icing ingredients until creamy. Top the cooled bars (in pan) with icing – cut and serve.
** Full disclosure — other batches I’ve made over the years have been much more “bar-like” — Evan and I worked on these together, and we beat the batter till it was almost whipped. I think that explains the much fluffier cake-height bars this time. ***
squirrel circus 
Looks good! With Halloween coming up, I take it you’ll be sharing pics of jack o lanterns, your own creations, of course?
But, of course!! Don’t expect anything too complicated — I do tend to follow Evan and Will’s directions and ideas 🙂
Oooooh I can’t wait! I love Halloween – pity nobody bothers with it over here.
That IS sad. The boys are asking for a front walk smoke machine this year, but we like to keep it pretty understated. 🙂
Define understated, lol? A smoke machine – sounds like a plan – could bury some bodies in your front garden then you have your own cemetery? Bodies can include human, mineral and vegetable…
Yum! That looks delicious!!
Thank you!!! I totally considered the possibility of combining with a pumpkin spice latte OR a pumpkin ale, but it might be a bit much!
Oh does that make my mouth water. I can see myself w/a cup of tea, about 4-6 pieces of those spice bars, sitting & rockin’, you know – contemplating.
Exactly! Great with tea or coffee — and meditating…