Pumpkin Bars

This one is an old standby from my mom.  She usually makes these as bars, baking them on a jelly role pan.  I didn't want to have that many left to contend with, so I made mine more like a cake.  Even so, it won over the approval of the committee at our pumpkin carving gala tonight.

Bars/Cake

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 cup salad oil

4 eggs

1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin purée

2 tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. nutmeg

¼ tsp. ginger

½ tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Mix all ingredients together.

3. If baking bars, spread on a greased jelly role pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when stuck into the center.  If baking in a 9x13" cake pan, bake for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when stuck into the center.

4. Frost when completely cool, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Frosting

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

½ cup shortening

2 cups powdered sugar

½ tsp. vanilla

½ tsp. salt

Mix well with a mixer and frost bars.

What I like about these:
Unless someone is completely offended by pumpkin, it's a hit with everyone!

What You Should Know:
If you make this as a cake, at the 30-minute mark the edges will be done.  I covered them with aluminum foil (yes, it can get tricky) then baked the cake for another 20 minutes.

Also, because there is less surface area, the cake requires less frosting, so I did end up discarding some.

I'm giving this recipe 5 out of 5 pumpkins.  A classic pumpkin treat!