Pumpkin bars are a seasonal favorite, with all of that classic pumpkin spice flavor in a sheet cake frosted with silky cream cheese frosting. 

Hello pumpkin season! This easy pumpkin bars recipe delivers all of the warm spice flavor we look for in anything pumpkin, and comes together very easily. I’ve been making these bars for several years, and now our fall season wouldn’t be the same without the perfect fall treat for a little indulgence.

The vanilla buttercream frosting is a dream with the pumpkin cake, using my simple buttercream recipe that includes both cream cheese and butter. I like a thick layer of buttercream, but you can adjust as you see fit; this is one of the many things that makes this the best of all pumpkin bar recipes! 

The bars are a great make-ahead fall dessert to take along to pot lucks (Thanksgiving dessert!) or to enjoy over a several day period. Knowing how to make pumpkin bars in advance is as simple as keeping the cake in the pan and covering with plastic or a lid to keep them moist until you are ready to go.

Pumpkin Bar Ingredients

Cake:

All-purpose flour

Baking soda

Warm spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground clove. Or, substitute a premixed pumpkin spice blend.

Salt

Eggs

Granulated sugar

Vanilla extract

Vegetable oil. Any neutral oil works here.

Pumpkin puree, or pumpkin pie filling

Frosting:

Cream cheese

Unsalted butter

Powdered sugar

Vanilla extract

How to Make Pumpkin Bars

My recipe is made by hand, but you can also make the cake in the bowl of a stand mixer or using an electric mixer.

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with a teaspoon of oil. Dust with flour and tap out the excess. (no parchment paper needed here)

Step 2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt. Set aside.

Step 3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until lightened in color and thickened. Add the oil and pumpkin puree, whisking until combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until the pumpkin mixture is combined and no visible flour remains.

Step 4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spread in an even layer with an offset spatula, and bake until the cake springs back when touched and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool completely to room temperature before frosting.

Step 5. Make the frosting in a large mixing bowl. Stir to thoroughly combine the butter and cream cheese. Add the vanilla and 1/3 of the confectioners’ sugar and mix until combined. Add the remaining confectioners’ sugar and stir until smooth.

Step 6. Spread the tangy cream cheese frosting on the cake using an offset knife or back of a large spoon to create deep swooshes. Chill the cake to set the frosting before cutting into 24 squares and serving.

Variations

Change up this easy recipe in several easy ways. My favorite: add 1 cup of chocolate chips to the cake batter. Or, add a dusting of chopped toasted pecans or walnuts on top, and also to the cake (1/2 cup chopped nuts in the cake). Coconut plays well here too, with a half teaspoon of coconut extract in the frosting and/or in the cake. You can also amp up the warm spice flavor with a little extra pumpkin pie spice (1/2 teaspoon).

Try making homemade pumpkin puree from fresh pumpkin for your pumpkin sheet cake! Of course, a can of pure pumpkin pie filling works beautifully too.

Storing Leftover Pumpkin Bars

These are moist pumpkin bars, and they store beautifully. Store pumpkin bars in the pan for optimal moistness until you are ready to cut and serve. You can freeze pumpkin bars: make the pan an airtight container by covering it with plastic and aluminum foil, then freeze for up to 3 months, thawing at room temperature unwrapped. Or, store them at room temperature for up to 3 days, also covered.