Spiced Pumpkin Bars with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

• •1 cup all-purpose flour
• •1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• •0.5 teaspoon ground ginger
• •0.3 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• •0.1 teaspoon ground cloves
• •0.5 teaspoon baking powder
• •0.5 teaspoon baking soda
• •0.3 teaspoon fine sea salt
• •0.8 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
• •0.5 cup granulated white sugar
• •0.3 cup light brown sugar, packed
• •0.3 cup vegetable oil or canola oil
• •2 large eggs, room temperature
• •1.5 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, divided
• •0.3 cup unsalted butter
• •4 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• •1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• • to taste ground cinnamon (for dusting)

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8x8-inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides for easy removal.

2. 2

   In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, baking powder, baking soda, and fine sea salt until evenly distributed.

3. 3

   In a separate large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until completely smooth and glossy.

4. 4

   Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredient mixture. Gently fold with a rubber spatula just until combined and no flour streaks remain; do not overmix.

5. 5

   Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

6. 6

   While the bars cool, make the brown butter: Melt 0.25 cup unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Swirl occasionally until the butter foams, turns golden-brown, and releases a nutty aroma with speckled brown milk solids at the bottom (about 4–6 minutes). Immediately pour into a shallow dish and let chill in the refrigerator until solidified back to a soft, room-temperature consistency.

7. 7

   In a mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and cooled brown butter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for 2 minutes until light and creamy.

8. 8

   Add the sifted powdered sugar and the remaining 0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat on low speed until combined, then increase to high speed and beat for 1 to 2 minutes until fluffy and smooth.

9. 9

   Once the pumpkin bars are completely cool, lift them out of the pan using the parchment paper handles. Spread the brown butter frosting evenly across the top with an offset spatula, creating decorative swooshes.

10. 10

    Lightly dust the top with a pinch of cinnamon, slice into 4 large squares, and serve.

Chef's Tips

• 💡Ensure the browned butter is cooled to soft solid room temperature before whipping into the frosting; if it is melted and warm, the frosting will become runny.
• 💡Always use pure pumpkin puree instead of canned pumpkin pie filling, which already contains added sugars and spices.
• 💡Make sure the bars are 100% cooled before frosting to prevent the cream cheese frosting from melting into the cake.