Scrumptious Pumpkin Bars (GF and DF option)

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I LOVE FALL! It's my absolute favorite season and this year, at 7 months pregnant, I am very ready for cooler weather, sweaters and cozy socks. I've already started changing out the scents in my house to all things fall and the warming scent of pumpkin spice inspired me to make my Mom's amazing pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting. I am gluten-free and have also made this dairy-free so you'll see my adjustments in the recipe below. Dive-in to all things fall and enjoy these moist, fluffy, comforting pumpkin bars that will surely be a hit!

Ingredients:

For the pumpkin bars

4 large eggs

1 cup vegetable or canola oil

2 cup granulated sugar

2 cup canned pumpkin (pure pumpkin NOT pie filling)

2 cup all-purpose flour (for gluten free, I replaced this cup for cup with Bob's Red Mill 1:1 gluten free baking flour)

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

1 tsp ground clove

1 tsp nutmeg

For the cream cheese frosting:

3 oz cream cheese softened (If you'd like to do dairy free, sub regular cream cheese with Kite Hill plain cream cheese as a dairy free alternative)

6 tbsp unsalted butter softened (For dairy free, use Earth Balance or another dairy free butter alternative)

1 tbsp milk (for dairy free, you can sub in any alternative milk. My go to is oat milk but I've used almond before as well)

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups powdered sugar

Steps to make the pumpkin bars:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Prepare a 9 x 13 baking dish and spray with cooking oil.

3. Combine the oil, eggs and sugar in a stand-mixer until blended. Add in pumpkin and continue to mix until combined.

4. In a separate bowl, add all the remaining dry ingredients: Flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, clove and nutmeg. Mix together until blended.

5. Add dry ingredients slowly to the pumpkin mixture. Mix until fully combined.

6. Pour the mixture into a 9 x 13 baking dish and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. (use a fork to check the center of the dish to ensure it fully bakes through, the fork should be clean when you remove it)

7. Let the bars cool in the pan fully.

Steps to make the cream cheese frosting:

1. In a stand mixer or bowl with handheld mixer, combine the cream cheese, butter milk and vanilla together and mix until creamy.

2. Add in the powdered sugar about 1 cup at a time. Mix until smooth and creamy.

3. Once bars are cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting over the bars, slice and serve!