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Pumpkin Bars With Cake Mix

Pumpkin bars with cake mix deliver a tender, golden-orange crumb with a creamy cream cheese frosting swirl. Bake in a jelly roll pan, cool completely, then chill briefly so the bars cut into clean rectangles.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
chill 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 280
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pumpkin bars
  • 1 box (15.25 oz) spice cake mix
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
  • 3 eggs
  • 0.333 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
For cream cheese frosting
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • 0.25 cup unsalted butter
  • 3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp milk

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the pumpkin layer
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F, then grease a 15x10 jelly roll pan so the bars release cleanly.
  2. Combine spice cake mix, pumpkin puree, eggs, vegetable oil, and pumpkin pie spice, then stir until smooth with no visible dry streaks.
  3. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan, smoothing the top so it bakes uniformly.
  4. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the edges look set.
  5. Cool completely in the pan before frosting, so the frosting won’t melt or slide.
Frost and chill
  1. Beat cream cheese frosting ingredients together until smooth and fluffy, with a lighter, spreadable texture.
  2. Spread the frosting over the cooled bars, then swirl lightly with a spatula to create ribbons on top.
  3. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before cutting, until the frosting firms and the bars hold their shape.

Notes

For the cleanest bars, cool the baked layer completely before frosting and chill until the top feels firm. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freezer: yes, freeze cut bars in a sealed container up to 2 months. For a lighter option, use low-fat cream cheese and reduce powdered sugar by 1/4 cup to keep the frosting spreadable while cutting calories.