Pumpkin Bars with Rum Frosting

Pumpkin Bars with Rum Frosting

What You Will Need for the Bars:

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

1-1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1 tsp. Patricia & Paul Cinnamon Pear Dark Balsamic

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

2 c. white or whole wheat flour

1 c. Splenda Brown Sugar blend (if using regular brown sugar, use 1-2/3 cup)

2/3 c. Patricia & Paul Roasted Walnut Oil

1/3 c. Patricia & Paul Robust Premium EVOO

16 oz. fresh or canned pumpkin

4 eggs

What You Will Need for the Frosting:

Large bar of cream cheese, softened at room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 c. butter

2 Tbsp. Patricia & Paul Butter Infused EVOO

4 Tbsp. dark spiced rum or bourbon whiskey

3-1/2 c. powdered sugar (may need more to reach desired consistency)

chocolate shavings

chopped pecans

Grease and flour a 10x13 jelly roll pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder in bowl. Set aside.

Mix the brown sugar, pumpkin, walnut oil and EVOO until well blended. Add eggs one at a time, then ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Add the Cinnamon Pear Balsamic and mix for 3 minutes at medium speed. Scrape sides of bowl and begin to add the flour mixture in small amounts at low speed, until all has been well incorporated into the batter. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 or until a toothpick comes out clean. Try not to over bake.

Cool bars completely before frosting.

Mix the cream cheese, vanilla extract, butter and rum or bourbon on high speed until creamy and light. Add powdered sugar in small amounts until the frosting has the desired consistency. Frost the cooled bars and sprinkle chocolate shavings and pecans over all.

Enjoy these amazing bars for dessert, breakfast, or just because. They will last a week or longer in the refrigerator.