Pumpkin Bars

My friend Kristen made these bars for dessert the other day, and in between me scarfing down the first and second bars, I asked her to forward the recipe to me immediately. I unfortunately ate a pumpkin loaf from Starbucks (it's really just a slice) everyday for two weeks while studying for my first year law school exams, so I think I know a little something about pumpkin bars. Kristen's bars are delicious! And, unlike the Starbucks "loaf," they are fat and calorie free ;-)

Bar/Cake Ingredients
4 eggs
1 ½ cup sugar
1 cup vegetable or canola oil
1 can pumpkin (15-16 oz.)
2 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon cinnamon

Set out cream cheese and butter for icing (to get them to room temperature) while you make the cake portion.

Mix eggs and sugar with a mixer. Add oil and pumpkin. Add all other ingredients and mix well. Grease jelly roll pan (deep cookie sheet) and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Let cool completely before icing.

Icing Ingredients
3-4 oz. cream cheese (1/2 bar) at room temperature
¼-1/3 c. butter at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk or cream

Cream together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Add powdered sugar. Add milk or cream until desired consistency.