The Best Pumpkin Bars........

It is scary to think it has almost been 11 months since my last post.  I have missed my blog and sharing all my favorite recipes with you all.  When I last wrote I was seven months pregnant and was not feeling great and ready to be done with this whole pregnancy thing.   Now 11 months later, I am the momma of a 9 month old perfect little boy.  Crazy what can happen in 11 months.  While pregnant I lost all taste and desire for anything sweet and plus had a rough pregnancy so baking was not my thing for those 9 months.  But once I had Jack, my sweet tooth was back and stronger than ever.  It was like my body was making up for the last 9 months it missed out on.   And of course, as I have said thousands of times, I love fall and all things pumpkin.  I had to get on here and share the most amazing, simple and perfectly pumpkin-ee recipe ever.  I have made this several times since I saw it on a blog I enjoy reading called "i heart nap time" and it never disappoints.  It is easy to make, is moist and a perfect mix of fall spices, pumpkin and creamy cream cheese frosting.

The Best Pumpkin Bars

Pumpkin Bars

4 eggs

1 2/3 cup sugar 

1 cup vegetable oil
1 16 oz can pumpkin

2 cups flour sifted

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp nutmeg

Cream Cheese Frosting
(I like to double the frosting)

3 oz cream cheese

1/2 cup butter

1 tsp vanilla

2cups powdered sugar

Start off by preheating the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 15x10 inch pan or I used my jelly roll pan which worked great too. Set aside.

In a large bowl (preferably a Kitchen Aid mixing bowl) beat eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until fluffy.  Then in a medium sized bowl stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, soda, and spices. Once done with the dry ingredients, slowly add the dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture. Mix until fully combined but be careful not to over mix.  Once complete, spread batter into the greased pan. Bake for 25 minutes, or until lightly browned. My bars took just under 20 minutes to bake, so keep a close eye on them.  Once fully baked, take out and place on a cooling rack.

While bars are cooling, get started on the cream cheese frosting.  I like to double the cream cheese frosting to give it a richer taste.  So to begin, using your mixing bowl, cream together cream cheese, butter and vanilla.  Mix until light and fluffy.  Then gradually add powdered sugar. Beat the frosting until smooth and creamy.  Once bars have completely cooled frost the pumpkin bars and voila, you have a delicious and yet easy make dessert that will make your guests think you have been in the kitchen for hours baking!!!

Happy Fall Baking!

Southern Humingbird Cupcakes

My husband informed me yesterday that the boys at work were having a potluck which meant I needed to bake something for it. I was excited because there was a cupcake recipe that I had been wanting to try and had even already bought the ingredients for it. I came across the this particular recipe the other day when I was perusing my favorite baking blogs and seeing what new recipes were being featured. On one of my fav blogs called Bake or Break there was a cupcake recipe that caught my eye...a Hummingbird cake.

For those of you who may have not ever heard of a Hummingbird cake, it is a southern cake and one that is a staple here in the south. I did a little research on it and the first recipe "published" was in Southern Living in 1978 and was referenced as a traditional southern recipe.


So I decided that since I am now a resident of the South, married to a true Southerner and have a potluck to cook for some Southerners, I would try this recipe. It was easy to make and they were so good. I loved the interesting combo of the pineapple, bananas and cinnamon, plus the cream cheese frosting was literally icing on the cake. In the end the Hummingbird Cupcakes really lived up to their reputation.

Hummingbird Cupcake
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 large eggs, beaten
1 cup vegetable or canola oil
1 & 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple
1 cup chopped pecans
2 cups chopped bananas
chopped pecans or sanding sugar, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour regular cupcake pans. Set aside.

Start off by combining in a large bowl the flour, baking soda, salt, sugar, and cinnamon (I used my stand mixer for this recipe). Next making sure the eggs have been beaten well, add the eggs, then the oil to the dry mixture. Turning my stand mixer on low, mix the batter slowly making sure you mix it until it is barely moistened. Lastly, stir in the vanilla, pineapples, pecans, and bananas until it is mixed well.

Pour the batter into prepared pans, filling them up a little over halfway. Bake for 15-25minutes (depending on your oven, mine cooked in about 16 minutes) until a toothpick or butter knife is inserted in the center comes out clean. Remember to watch them closely because nobody wants a dry cupcake.

Let the cupcakes cool in pan for a few minutes before removing and placing the cupcakes on a cooling rack. Let them cool completely.

While the cupcakes are cooling start on the easy cream cheese frosting......

Cream cheese frosting
12 ounces cream cheese, softened (about 1 1/2 cubes cream cheese)
1 cup butter, softened
1.5 pounds confectioners sugar, sifted
2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Using a stand mixer (or hand mixer), make sure that both the butter and cream cheese are at room temperature, combining the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Gradually add the sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla. Then on high, beat the frosting for about 4-5 minutes. This makes the frosting smooth and fluffy. Then place the frosting in the refrigerator, so that it is easier to work with.


Once all cupcakes are cooked you can either use a butter knife and frost or I used a frosting bag and with a fancy tip and piped on the frosting. As garnish you can either use pecans as a garnish or leave them plane.

Makes about 36 regular-sized cupcakes.

This unique combo is a southern treat that you will want to make over and over again. So enjoy!

Yummy Chocolate Frosting

I feel like it is so hard to find a truly good chocolate frosting. This frosting recipe is a cross between my mom's recipe and my own. It is yummy and I use it for brownies, cakes and cupcakes. Also you can take this recipe and leave out the cocoa and add a 1/2 cup more confectioner's sugar and you have a yummy vanilla frosting.


Chocolate Frosting

1/3 - 1/2 cup butter, depending on how much butter you like, I like a lot
(at room temperature)
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 cups confectioner's sugar

Using a stand mixer beat the butter (at room temperature) until smooth and fluffy. Then add the confectioner sugar one cup at a time, mixing until well incorporated. Then add the cocoa, mix well. Next add the milk, if the consistency is too dry, add a little more milk until it is the consistency you like (about 2-3 tablespoons). Lastly, add the vanilla. Once all ingredients are combined, turn mixer to medium and let mix for 5-6 minutes, stopping every few minutes to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Remember the longer you mix your frosting the smoother it will be and the fluffier the appearance.

You will not be disappointed with this recipe and will use it for most all your desserts. Mark my word.

Enjoy!