Pumpkin Bars

We had friends over for lunch the other day and someone brought these pumpkin bars that were fabulous. She e-mailed the recipe but, it never came through so, I had to go in search of it on my own. I don't think these were the exact same but, they were pretty darn good anyway. They were more of a bread than a bar but, I later remembered that I had misread the recipe and instead of doubling the required amount of baking soda, I quadrupled it. Maybe that's why? Didn't matter in the end, it was still good.

Pumpkin Bars

4 eggs
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
15 oz. can pumpkin
2 cups sifted all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda

Icing:
8 oz. package cream cheese softened
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 359 degrees. Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth. Spread the batter into a greased 13 by 10 inch baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting. Cut into bars.

To make the icing: Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again. Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.

I actually wanted a lighter icing so went with a whipped icing:

1 cup (1/2 pint) cold heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Whip the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue to whisk until you have firm peaks.