Pumpkin Spice Cake Bars

Pumpkin Spice Cake Bars

Part pumpkin cake, part pumpkin pie, these Pumpkin Spice Cake Bars are all delicious.

Pumpkin Spice Cake Bars

All too often I take the long way around, but I’m slowly learning some kitchen hacks that save time and still give the delicious and mouthwatering results that my family loves. Scott is great at doing this very thing in the kitchen, and even he endorsed this fall dessert recipe, as evidenced by repeated trips to the baking pan for “just one more.”

Don’t get me wrong, he wasn’t the only member of the household to fully loved these Pumpkin Spice Cake Bars. Aside from yours truly, the rest of the boys in the household all gave this one a thumbs up. I think you will too when you find out just how easy and tasty these are to enjoy.

These Pumpkin Spice Cake Bars start with a spice cake mix from a box. Part of the mix acts as a base and the other half is added to the next layer which is combined with packed pumpkin and sweetened condensed milk. Hopefully, your salivary glands are starting to kick in, and you are beginning to get the picture.

There’s more though! We toasted some walnut pieces to add to the base; these provide a bit more structure and of course their warm flavor. Many times, our boys don’t care for nuts in their desserts. There was nary a word of opposition in this case. Of course as with any recipe, nuts are entirely optional for those with allergies or other aversions to them.

Finally, these Pumpkin Spice Cake Bars are topped with a simple toasted oatmeal streusel. If you’re like this family and you usually have ice cream in the freezer, it would be nothing less than unnatural to omit a generous scoop of that as well. You can see from the photos that we go the natural route as much as possible. Try these Pumpkin Spice Cake Bars, they are sure to be a fall and holiday standard in our family and likely yours as well.  -Dan

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Pumpkin Spice Cake Bars

4.16 from 13 votes

Adapted from Duncan Hines

Cook: 40 minutes mins

Total: 40 minutes mins

Yield: 16 servings

By: Dan from Platter Talk

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 package Spice Cake Mix
• ▢ 1/2 cup vegetable oil, divided
• ▢ 3 eggs
• ▢ ½ cup walnuts, chopped and toasted
• ▢ 1 16 oz. can solid pack pumpkin
• ▢ 1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
• ▢ 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• ▢ ½ tsp. salt

for the oatmeal streusel topping

• ▢ ¾ cup light brown sugar
• ▢ ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 8 tbsp. cold butter
• ▢ ¾ cup quick oats
• ▢ 1½ tsp. cinnamon
• ▢ Pinch of ground ginger
• ▢ Pinch of salt

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Reserve ½ cup dry cake mix. In a large bowl, combine remaining cake mix, 1/4 cup of oil and 1 egg; Beat until crumbly. Stir in nuts. Press firmly on the bottom of 13"x9" pan.
• In the same bowl combine remaining ingredients (Not including the oatmeal streusel) and mix well. Pour over prepared crust. Place the 13"x9" pan on a cookie sheet (to prevent excessive browning on the bottom) then place and in a 350°F pre heated oven for 15 min.
• To prepare streusel combine all dry ingredients and cut in butter until the mixture is crumbly.
• After the first bake time of 15 minutes has elapsed remove the 13"x9" pan from the oven and spread the streusel topping evenly over the top of the pumpkin bar.
• Place back in the oven on the cookie sheet to prevent the bottom from getting to dark.
• Bake your pumpkin oatmeal streusel bar until set and the top is golden.

Nutrition

Calories: 413kcal, Carbohydrates: 56g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Cholesterol: 55mg, Sodium: 18524mg, Potassium: 228mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 36g, Vitamin A: 4707IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 176mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

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