Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting and Candied Pecans

Tis the season for pumpkin everything dessert!!!

Pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin pie, pumpkin rolls, pumpkin spice latte, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin. Need I say more?

Anytime we get to the fall months starting October, its that time.

Pureed pumpkin is my favorite go to buy at Trader Joes, I try and stock up everytime I go grocery shopping.

This recipe is inspired by my love for pumpkin rolls because of the cream cheese filling, but adding a little crunch from my homemade candied pecans just tops it off! We can't seem to get enough. The sweet cream frosting with the moist pumpkin cake, topped with sweet and salty chopped pecans, just hits all levels of pumpkin cravings to a whole other level.

It is such a treat and definitely one of my favorite seasonal desserts!

Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting and Chopped Candied Pecans

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cup flour

• 1 tsp baking soda

• ¼ tsp baking powder

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup sugar

• ⅓ cup vegetable oil

• ¼ tsp nutmeg

• ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice

• ½ tsp cinnamon

• 1 cup pumpkin puree

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

• 6 oz cream cheese, room temperature

• ¾ cup powdered sugar

• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Candied Pecans

• 1 cup pecans

• 2 tbsp honey

• 2 tbsp brown sugar or regular sugar

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• ¼ tsp kosher salt

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray your 9x9 baking pan with nonstick spray.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

3. Using a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat oil, sugar, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and pumpkin puree. Add the flour mixture in batches until completely combined.

4. Pour into the baking dish and bake for 25-27 minutes, until the toothpick comes out clean.

Directions for Candied Pecans

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, place the pecans, drizzle with honey, sprinkle sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Mix all together and space them out.

2. Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.

3. Allow to completely cool, then chop them up into little tiny bite size pieces. Set aside.

Directions for Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Once the cream cheese and butter are softened, cream and combine together using a stand mixer or hand mixer. Then, add the vanilla extract and powdered sugar little by little until smooth and creamy.

2. Frost at room temperature, it's easier to work with.

Assemble the pumpkin bars

1. Once the cake is cooled, place in a platter and apply the frosting on top from corner to corner then sprinkle the chopped candied pecans.

2. Ready to serve or place in the refrigerator to chill until ready to serve.

3. Tastes best when it's at room temperature.