Pumpkin-Walnut Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin-Walnut Bars ready for a church event.

My friend, Phyllis Highley (check out her products at Oregon Oats), shared this recipe and we both made Pumpkin Bars for a church dinner last night. Several people requested the recipe, so here it is:

Pumpkin Squares

2 cups sugar
2 cups pumpkin (I used pumpkin I had frozen last year)
3 eggs
1 scant cup vegetable oil
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups chopped nuts (save some to sprinkle on top)

Mix together pumpkin, eggs, sugar and oil in a large bowl. Add flour, soda, cinnamon, salt and nuts. Mix well and pour into a well-greased cookie sheet or jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting
(Phyllis said she likes to double the frosting and that's what we both did for the bars we served last night, so the following recipe is already doubled)

6 ounces cream cheese
2 sticks butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar.

Blend all together and spread over cooled cake.

Jennifer's notes: I used walnuts, Phyllis used pecans. They were both delicious. I lined the pans with parchment and sprayed the sides with oil spray.