PIONEER WOMAN PUMPKIN BARS RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8 square baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.
  Place graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and powdered sugar in a mixing bowl and mix until well combined. Press firmly into the bottom and partway up the sides of the prepared baking dish.
  Bake in preheated oven for 10–12 minutes, or until crust is just starting to change color. Set aside to cool completely.
  Place the water in a small saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin on top. Set aside for 10 minutes.
  Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Add pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, salt, and vanilla and beat again until smooth.
  Heat the gelatin mixture over the stove, whisking often, until gelatin completely dissolves. Pour into the pumpkin mixture and beat well.
  In a separate mixing bowl, beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into the pumpkin mixture in 3 even additions. Be careful not to deflate the whipped cream too much.
  Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge while you make the topping.
  In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar together until smooth. Gradually add whipping cream. Beat until stiff peaks form.
  Spread over the pumpkin filling with an offset spatula. Cover with plastic wrap and chill the bars in the refrigerator until they are set, about 4–6 hours. Just before serving, sprinkle with the toasted pecans. Serve chilled.
  

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a sheet pan (11-inches by 17-inches) with baking spray and set aside. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Whisk in the pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice until it's totally combined. Whisk in the boiling water until the mixture is smooth and combined. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Whisk and set aside. In a liquid measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, eggs, baking soda, vanilla and maple extract, if using. Whisk and set aside. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture and stir until halfway combined. Pour in the buttermilk mixture and stir until combined. Pour into the sheet pan and bake the cake for 20 minutes. Remove and allow to cool. For the frosting: In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix together the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and salt until smooth. Add the half and half or milk and check the consistency. It should be somewhat thick but thin enough to spread in a thin layer. Spread the frosting all over the surface of the cake. Cut into squares and serve. Keep leftovers in the fridge, as frosting will get soft.