SHF - Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Leslie of "Definitely Not Martha" has chosen a November Beta-Carotene Harvest as this month's theme for Sugar High Friday, the brainchild of Jennifer, who is, indeed, a Domestic Goddess. Since it was just my husband and I this Thanksgiving, I tried this for dessert instead of pie--it was a hit! I cannot describe to you the incredible unctuousness of this frosting--this frosting is light, not heavy and it's over the edge with pumpkin bars or cake. Enjoy.

Pumpkin Bars:
4 eggs
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
15-ounce can pumpkin
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
Icing:
8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons heavy cream


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth. Spread the batter into a greased 13 by 10-inch baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting. Cut into bars.

To make the icing: Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and cream and whip until light. Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.

Pumpkin Bars Recipe courtesy Patty Ronning as adapted by Paula Deen from Paula's Home Cooking Episode: Southern Thanksgiving Leftovers as seen on foodnetwork.com