Small Batch Pumpkin Bars
These small batch pumpkin bars are soft, spiced, and topped with a thick layer of tangy cream cheese frosting, all made from scratch for one or two. A frosted fall dessert in a small dish, without a big pan of leftovers.
Servings: 4 servings
Equipment
- 5-inch baking dish or a 4x6-inch baking dish
Ingredients
For the bars
- 1 large egg
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ cup vegetable oil or canola oil or avocado oil
- 3 ounces canned pumpkin puree
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
For the frosting
- 2 ounces cream cheese - softened to room temperature
- 2 tablespoons salted butter - softened to room temperature
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the bars
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly butter a 5x5-inch baking dish.
- In a medium bowl, beat the egg, sugar, oil, and pumpkin purée with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix on low speed just until the flour disappears.
- Pour the batter into the buttered dish and spread it level.
- Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, until the top springs back and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the bars completely in the dish on a wire rack before frosting.
Make the frosting
- In a small bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar and vanilla, and beat until creamy.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled bars, then cut into 4 squares.
Notes
Measure the flour correctly. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife, rather than scooping straight from the bag. Scooping packs in too much flour, which dries the bars out.
Mix just until the flour disappears. Once you add the dry ingredients, mix on low only until you no longer see streaks of flour. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour and makes the bars tough instead of soft.
Soften the cream cheese and butter first. Let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before you make the frosting. Softened cream cheese and butter beat together smooth, so the frosting spreads without lumps.
Cool the bars completely before frosting. Let the bars cool all the way in the dish before you spread on the frosting. Frosting a warm cake melts it into the surface instead of sitting on top.
Check your oven temperature. Home ovens are often off by 25 degrees or more, so an oven thermometer helps the bars bake evenly and come out on time.
To double this recipe, double the ingredients and use two 5x5-inch baking dishes or use one 6.5x6.5-inch baking dish, or one 6x8-inch baking dish.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 424kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 376mg | Potassium: 99mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 3742IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 1mg
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