Nothing says pumpkin season like Gluten-free Pumpkin Bars with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting! This is the perfect fall dessert with warm pumpkin spice throughout a deliciously moist cake!
It’s officially Fall! Let all the cozy baking can commence!
Frosted Pumpkin Bars are a classic fall dessert and one of my childhood favorites. I took my old family recipe and converted it into this gluten-free version. It is just as good as I remember! This Frosted Pumpkin Bars recipe is a basic, easy-to-make dessert that everyone is sure to love. No special techniques or crazy ingredients are required to produce a great dessert, perfect for any occasion or potluck!
What is a Pumpkin Bar?
If you’ve never had a pumpkin bar, first of all… now is the time! But what exactly is the difference between a pumpkin bar and a pumpkin cake?!
- Pumpkin bars, while they are cake, are thinner and more sturdy than a typical cake.
- You could actually pick these up and eat them like a brownie, no fork required!
- The cake is deliciously warm, dense, and moist, full of pumpkin and spice!
(I know, I know. I hate to use the word ‘moist‘ because I know that triggers some people, but what other option do I have? That’s what it is! Moist! Sorry to say but a ‘not dry, soggy cake’ just doesn’t quite cut it.)
Ingredients
Ingredients for the cake
This cake is made using mostly pantry staples! If you’ve got a can of pumpkin and the basics lying around… you can make this cake!
- Gluten-free Flour: I use Pamela’s All-purpose Artisan Blend Flour. It is great in baked goods! Make sure your blend contains xanthan or guar gum.
- Canned Pumpkin: Make sure you’re using 100% Pumpkin NOT Pumpkin Pie Filling! The only ingredient on the back of the can should be pumpkin.
- Coconut oil: warm the coconut oil just to liquify it. Any other liquid vegetable oil will also work in this recipe.
- Buttermilk: make your own! Place 1 tsp of vinegar or lemon juice in a measuring cup and fill with milk to 1/4 cup.
- Remaining ingredients/pantry staples: sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, salt, baking soda, baking powder, eggs, and vanilla.
Ingredients for the icing
You can frost these bars with your favorite type of frosting, buttercream or cream cheese, but in my opinion, cream cheese frosting is the way to go! The tanginess pairs so well with the pumpkin cake. You can also eat the cake plain, dusted with powdered sugar, but it’s definitely worth the extra step to add the frosting! I add a little cinnamon to the basic cream cheese frosting recipe to take these bars to the next level!
For the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting you will need:
- Cream Cheese
- Butter
- Powdered Sugar
- Vanilla
- Cinnamon
Steps
Step one: Blend the wet ingredients together. Start with the sugars and oil, then add in the eggs and vanilla. Lastly, mix in the pumpkin and buttermilk. Blend until well combined. A stand mixer or hand mixer comes in handy for this recipe.
Step two: Add the dry ingredients and continue to blend well.
Step Three: Spread batter into greased 9×13 pan. I have a short-rimmed pan but any 9×13 pan will work.
Step Four: Bake and cool the cake. Once the cake is cooled, go ahead and make the frosting.
Make the Icing
Making cinnamon cream cheese frosting is very easy and definitely worth making yourself! The most important step is to make sure the cream cheese and butter are softened to room temperature (but not melted)! The cream cheese especially needs to be very soft in order to achieve a smooth consistency.
To make the icing, blend all the ingredients together until well combined. That’s it! Here are some tips:
- A hand or stand mixer will make this process a little easier!
- Make sure your butter and cream cheese are soft and at room temperature!
- Gradually incorporate the powdered sugar. Add in a little powdered sugar, mix until completely incorporated, then add more powdered sugar and mix again, repeat until all sugar is incorporated. Now, you should have a great frosting ready for spreading!
Now it’s time for the fun part, frosting the pumpkin cake! Always make sure the cake is completely cool before frosting or the frosting will just melt. Once frosted, the bars can be sliced and eaten right away or see below for storage tips!
Storage Tips
So how long will the pumpkin bars last? Good news! They actually keep quite well since the cake is so,
- Refrigerate: Bars keep well refrigerated 3-4 days. This is my preferred storage method. (Cold cream cheese frosting… yum!) Store the bars in the pan covered with plastic or store separate slices in an airtight container.
- To Freeze: Refrigerate or flash freeze the bars frist to stiffen up the frosting. Then, wrap tightly in an airtight container. Bars will keep for several months in the freezer. Remove any plastic touching the frosting before thawing at room temp or in the refrigerator.
- Room Temperature: The bars will keep well at room temperature for 1-3 days. Store the bars in the pan covered with plastic or store separate slices in an airtight container.
Leftover Canned Pumpkin
When it comes to pumpkin recipes, I’m always torn. Should I develop the recipe to use the whole can of pumpkin? Or develop the recipe to be a manageable size?! For me, I’d rather store the leftover pumpkin than have so much cake I don’t know what to do with it! But I’ve got you covered! Here are some options for using all the pumpkin!
- Double the recipe! The recipe can be doubled to use the entire 15 oz can of pumpkin. Use a rimmed cookie sheet or jelly roll pan approx. 13 X 18 inches. Just keep an eye on those baking times!
- Easily store the leftover pumpkin! Just because you opened the can doesn’t mean the pumpkin will go bad! Store leftover pumpkin in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks. If you see mold, throw it away.
- Freeze it! Leftover pumpkin can also be frozen in an airtight container and thawed to use in recipes later.
- Use in more great recipes, see below! Or add some pumpkin to your morning waffles or pancakes!
Gluten-free Pumpkin Bars with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 3/4 Cup Sugar
- 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
- 1/2 Cup Coconut Oil, melted
- 2 Eggs
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
- 1 Cup Canned Pumpkin
- 1/4 Cup Buttermilk
- 1 cup Gluten Free Flour Blend, with Xanthan or Guar Gum included
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
Cinnamon Cream cheese Frosting
- 4 oz Cream Cheese
- 1/4 Cup Butter
- 2 Cups powdered sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
- 1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 pan.
- Using an electric mixer, combine the oil and sugars at low-medium speed. Add in the eggs and vanilla, mix to combine. Lastly, add the pumpkin and buttermilk and mix well.
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt. Add to the pumpkin mixture and blend until smooth.
- Spread the batter into the greased 9×13 pan. Bake at 350° for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- Using an electic mixer, blend the butter and cream cheese until smooth.
- Mix in the vanilla and cinnamon.
- Gradually blend in the powdered sugar until fully combined.
- Spread the frosting on completely cooled cake.
Notes
- The recipe can be doubled to use the entire 15 oz can of pumpkin. Use a rimmed cookie sheet or jelly roll pan approx 13X18 inches. Keep an eye on baking times.
- Store leftover pumpkin in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks. If you see mold, throw away.
- Refrigerate: Bars keep well refrigerated 3-4 days. Store the bars in the pan covered with plastic or store separate slices in an airtight container.
- To Freeze: Refrigerate or flash freeze the bars first to stiffen up the frosting. Then, wrap tightly in an airtight container. Bars will keep for several months in the freezer. Remove any plastic touching the frosting before thawing at room temp or in the refrigerator.
- Room Temperature: The bars will keep well at room temperature for 1-3 days. Store the bars in the pan covered with plastic or store separate slices in an airtight container.
More gluten-free pumpkin recipes to love:
- I just love this Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread!
- Gluten-free Pumpkin Spice Cookies are like pumpkin bars in cookie form!
- My favorite Pumpkin Pecan Pie is the best of both worlds!
- Loving these Mini Pumpkin Ricotta Cheesecakes from Zest and Lemons!
- Make this amazing Gluten-free Pumpkin French Toast Casserole from Mama Knows Gluten-free!
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Happy Cooking!
These look delicious!! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, it turned out amazing! I double my spices and use butternut squash from my garden instead. Love the cinnamon in the cream cheese.
It was moist and not at all crumbly.