425g cooked, mashed pumpkin (or 1 can pumpkin puree)
5 mls pure vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting:
226 g full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
60g soft butter
360g icing sugar
5 mls pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground ginger
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Pinch of ground cloves
Pinch of ground allspice
Generous pinch of salt
Method:
Preheat the oven to 175°C and grease a 10x15-inch baking dish.
In a medium bowl, mix the dry ingredients and set aside (flour, baking powder, bread soda, salt, cinnamon, and spices). In a large bowl, whisk the oil, eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, maple syrup, pumpkin, and vanilla extract together until combined. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and use a mixer or whisk until completely combined.
Spread batter into the grease dish. Bake for 40 minutes. Baking times vary, so you can check with a toothpick (inserted in the centre, it’s done when it comes out clean).
Remove the bars from the oven and cool bars completely. Alternatively, this can be eaten warm without frosting. If you decide to eat it warm WITH frosting, just be aware that it will melt a bit on the warm cake.
To make the frosting, use a large bowl and a handheld mixer. Mix the cream cheese and butter together on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, spices, and salt. Whip for another couple of minutes.
Cover leftover bars tightly. If you skipped the frosting, cover and store plain cake at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. If you frost your cake, be sure to refrigerate it.
This can also be made as a layer cake, or as cupcakes. If you make two layers of cake, reduce the baking time to 30 minutes. Cupcakes will take 25 minutes.
