Featured comment
Bought an oven yesterday and made these pumpkin bars today as the firstfruits! Wow, SO MOIST! Unbelievable. Everyone loved them. š
Once upon a time, I made a caramel frosting using a recipe from 1980.
This is a true story, by the way. I only tell true stories.
After I poured the frosting all over my face freshly baked pumpkin bars, I went in for the first taste test. That’s not counting the taste test(s) that happened while the butter and sugar were melting in the saucepan.
Frosting + pumpkin bar -> mouth.
Be still my beating heart.
I’m not trying to ignore the goodness of the pumpkin bars, but there is nothing quite like melted butter and brown sugar frosting that is somehow both creamy and glazey at the same time. It was made to go with pumpkiny cinnamony goodness. W-o-w.
Maybe pumpkin bars aren’t your thing. Which makes me wonder, who the heck are you? That’s a sad story.
Maybe you’re in love with cream cheese frosting. Get.over.it.
This old-fashioned caramel frosting? I won’t take no for an answer.
You need to make it, like, yesterday.
Pumpkin Bars with Old-Fashioned Caramel Frosting
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 20 1x
Description
These pumpkin bars are moist and so addicting when topped with this old-fashioned caramel frosting. Always a crowd-pleaser!
Ingredients
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1/2 cup firm butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 3/4 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Mix together bar ingredients (brown sugar through melted butter), adding melted butter last. Pour into a 10 1/2 by 16 inch pan. Bake at 350 until the cake springs back when lightly touched, about 40 minutes.
- For the frosting, boil the butter and brown sugar for two minutes. Add the milk. Bring it to a boil again and add powdered sugar. Whisk until smooth and pour over cooled cake immediately. Frosting will set very fast, so just pour it over the cake evenly to avoid having to spread with a spatula.
Notes
I halved the recipe and made it in a smaller pan – still works beautifully! But it was gone way too fast.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 50 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: pumpkin bars, caramel glaze, pumpkin dessert
Sorry for posting back-to-back sweet baked recipes.
But not really.
Can’t wait to make the caramel frosting,let alone the pumpkin bars…hmm..I have a Hubbard squash I’ve neglected to axe(like split’en wood,whew!)cook and puree up. Next time!. I better follow her recipe especially now that I’ve drooled myself!!!!!
I wanted to try this recipe more for the frosting than anything, and it didnāt disappoint. The cake was tasty too – great amount of spice! It didnāt rise as much as Iād thought, but still tasted lovely. I will make this again. My hubby loves it! Thanks.
I wondered if this recipe is using the 28 or 29 Oz size can of purƩe or 14-15 oz size?
Thanks
You can pick up a can of either since you’ll only need 1 cup out of the can. Enjoy the pumpkin bars, Sylvia!
I wish you would post more ratings from those who have actually made your recipes and love them. This is the second one that SOUNDS good, but I think there’s only one that actually made them. Kinda disappointing!!!!
Thanks For The Sharing Great recipe Of “Pumpkin Bars” with Old-Fashioned Caramel Frosting. Definitely i will try after some time. because find new Recipes is my hobby. Thanks for share such good type of info.
This was a disaster. I baked the cake and then poured the frosting over, as directed. The frosting was runny and completely sunk into the cake. THere is no “frosting” at all on it now–it all sunk in. The bars are teeth-cringing sweet now and greasy from all the melted butter in the frosting. They are completely wet from the absorbed frosting. What the heck happened? You didn’t say to pour it over a cooled cake, so I just did it when the cake came out. I”m an experienced baker and this was a failure.
I finally got to make this pumpkin bars with old fashioned caramel frosting this past weekend and it was such a hit!! I prefer pumpkin – it may reduce cancer risk, protect the skin, boost your mood and other! Thx for sharing Lindsay!
Do these need to be refrigerated for storage or are they fine to sit out in an airtight container for a couple of days?
We’d recommend refrigerating them!
what size can of pumpkin? number of oz/cups?
thx so much
1 cup. š
I want to put this frosting on everything – it tastes like a fudge a small family company makes and sells at the fall fair near my hometown! I just put it on baked chocolate cake donuts tonight – burned myself like crazy dipping them in the hot sugar but it was still worth it!
Can I please have this in my mouth, like yesterday!? Shew! I am definitely making this one tomorrow š
I’ve been eyeing this recipe since I found it after making the Raisin Bran muffins (also AMAZING) and finally did tonight. These will not last long. I just told my husband I didn’t trust him to be alone with them while I am at work tomorrow!!!
i just want to say thank you! i never bake, but these looked SO good and i really wanted to try. i figured i would fail, but they turned out so wonderfully and i’m so happy š thanks for an amazing recipe!
That’s great, Kayla! I’m so glad you liked them!
Does this pumpkin bar have more of a chewy or cakey taste?
I think it’s more cakey.
Okay thanks I’ll find out how to turn my pumpkin into puree, can’t wait to try these, I think the topping would be great on top of gingerbread too, thanks for the recipe.
Do you have a food processor or blender? If you cook the raw pumpkin and then purĆ©e it in the food processor, that usually works. I have done that with squash many times. š and you will love the frosting. Great idea about the gingerbread!
Bought an oven yesterday and made these pumpkin bars today as the firstfruits! Wow, SO MOIST! Unbelievable. Everyone loved them. š
What do you mean by cup of pumpkin, I have a pumpkin do I just cut it up into little chunks or am I misunderstanding the recipe?
Pumpkin puree, canned pumpkin, etc. Not the pie filling, though.
I’m flattered that they were the first baked goods to come out of your new oven! What a great way to break it in. š
I just made some pumpkin bars on Sunday but now I want to make these asap!
And you should. š
Making these right now and they smell amazing. I’m a cream cheese frosting girl, but I’m taking your advice andjust getting over it. Because I’m a caramel girl too… Quick question – do you pour the frosting on these while the cake is still warm or is it necessary to cool it first. Or can I just live one the wild side and do it however I want??
Just saw that it says cooled cake!
I find caramel to be a very underrated flavor. This sounds – well – this just sounds like the frosting might never meet the bar if I made them š And cue a sick stomach!
oh my – I think I need to go into the kitchen and make pumpkin bars. I’ve had a HUGE sweet tooth lately, it must be the cooler air and the warm spices everywhere that make me crave sweets and comfort foods! The caramel frosting looks thick and divine…
I must be doing my job right if I can get the healthy girl to crave frosting. š
this sounds fantastic!!