Pumpkin Bars Recipe

It's your lucky day!!  

We finally made Pumpkin Bars!  

Yeah!!! 

(applaud wildly)

I invited my cousin Callie over to help me bake, 

and we quickly whipped up two batches.  

The first one was completely evil.  

No alterations.  

The second one had some experimentation with the fat and sugar.

After they were completely cool, we got to taste test.  

Yummm!

It's funny, they came out of the oven looking very different, 

but tasted almost identical.  

We had a small panel of 5 taste-testers.  We all agreed that they were both delicious.  The "Fully Loaded" version seemed thicker and sweeter from the very beginning.  It definitely rose more, so it was fluffier and had a lighter crumb.  The modified version tasted "lighter but creamier" and had a tad bit of an appley taste.  It was also a lot more dense.  But still very delish.

Then we frosted them.  

It's funny, because the tastes actually changed once we put the frosting on.  Again, they were both really good, but some (the adults) thought the modified version was better because it wasn't quite as dead-sweet.

 

So, there you have it.  The results are in.  They are both fantastic.  

Hope you all enjoy making whichever version you feel like indulging in!

A little side note: 

 Mom wanted to make a third version completely healthy, 

but that was turned down by the two bakers...

Pumpkin Bars: Fully Loaded
Ingredients:
4 eggs
1 2/3 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups (1 16-oz can) pumpkin
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 heaping tsp. pumpkin pie spice* (see note below)

Frosting:
1 8-oz pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 lb. powdered sugar

Directions:
Beat the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin together.  Sift together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir in pumpkin pie spice.  Add to wet ingredients and stir well.  Spread batter in an un-greased 15x10x1 inch pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool completely.
For the frosting, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth and creamy.  Add in powdered sugar and beat well.  Spread over cooled pumpkin bars.

Pumpkin Bars: A Little Healthier
4 eggs
2/3 cup agave nectar or honey
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup applesauce
2 cups pumpkin
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 heaping teaspoon pumpkin pie spice*

Pumpkin Pie Spice Recipe
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves

Question of the day:
So, when are you planning on making these and which version?
I look forward to hearing your responses!  Let me know what you think of the recipe!!