Pumpkin Squares With Cream Cheese Frosting

Welcome to Vixen in the Kitchen! That's me, I'm the vixen! Writers easily get lost in storyland, lose track of time, and forget to eat. If you're a writer or aspiring author trying to juggle work, kids, writing, and life, thinking about what to make for dinner or dessert is probably the bane of your existence. So, I decided to share quick, easy, and delish recipes for busy writers like me who still want to eat.

Disclosure: Though included here are some recipes of my own creation, most are ones I've collected over the years and don't claim to have created.

When the air cools to a crisp yet invigorating temperature, and leaves begin losing their shades of green to brighten with an assortment of reds and golds, the time is ripe for pumpkin everything. And I'm not talking about pumpkin spice. I'm referring to down-to-earth one-hundred percent real pumpkin, thrown into an array of dishes: decadent pumpkin cheesecake, tasty pumpkin soup with a hint of curry, hearty pumpkin muffins served with a cup of steaming hot cocoa, creamy pumpkin sauce over rigatoni, and my famous pumpkin squares.

It's not autumn in my house until I bake a batch of scrumptious pumpkin squares. I started making this simple recipe when my boys were little. So, that's probably close to three decades now. They are grown men with lives of their own, but they still hanker for a taste of pumpkin goodness once autumn announces itself. So, like any good mom, I whip up the savory batter, that smells heavenly, and pop a pan in the oven. The flavorful aroma wafts through my home and sets the stage for the change of season. The homemade cream cheese frosting, with its robust sweet taste, complements the versatile cousin of the winter squash with its delicate flavor of underlying sweetness, making these luscious bars a must-have for fall. Taster, beware, these are addicting!

Pumpkin Squares

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. salt

4 beaten eggs

1 16-ounce can pure pumpkin puree or more if you like (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt

In separate bowl combine beaten eggs, pumpkin puree, sugar, and oil - beat until well combined

Spread batter in ungreased 15X10X1 - inch baking pan

Bake at 350 for 25-30 mins.

Cool

Frost with cream cheese frosting

Cut into squares

Makes ~ 36 squares

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 3-ounce package cream cheese

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

Beat together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until light and fluffy

Gradually add powdered sugar Beat until smooth

Spread over cooled pumpkin squares

Sprinkle with fall of Halloween nonpareils if desired