For The Love of PUMPKIN!

Our family loves pumpkin. Pumpkin pie. Pumpkin muffins. Pumpkin cakes. Pumpkin Rolls. Pumpkin dips. Pumpkin cheesecake. It goes on and on and on.  Year before last, I sent my husband to the store to pick up a "few" cans since they were on sale.  He brought home 15, so I would have a stockpile.  Pumpkin ROCKS.

Anyway, I love baking this time of year! And this past week have made 2 different pumpkin recipes I wanted to share.

Though the recipe says BARS, my men have just been gnawing off HUNKS of this cake and slapping it on a plate. I made it last night, frosted it at 8ish this morning, and it's already half gone.

Harvest Pumpkin Spice Bars

Bars

4

eggs

2

cups granulated sugar

1

cup vegetable oil

1

can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

2

cups  flour

2

teaspoons baking powder

2

teaspoons ground cinnamon

1

teaspoon baking soda

1/2

teaspoon salt

1/2

teaspoon ground ginger

1/4

teaspoon ground cloves

1

cup raisins, if desired

Cream Cheese Frosting

1

package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened

1/3

cup butter or margarine, softened

1

teaspoon vanilla

2

cups powdered sugar

1/2

cup chopped walnuts, if desired

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease bottom and sides of 15x10x1-inch pan with shortening. In large bowl, beat eggs, granulated sugar, oil and pumpkin until smooth. Stir in flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, ginger and cloves. Stir in raisins. Spread in pan.
2. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until light brown. Cool completely in pan on cooling rack, about 2 hours.
3. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, on low speed until smooth and spreadable. Spread frosting over bars. Sprinkle with walnuts. For bars, cut into 7 rows by 7 rows. Store in refrigerator.

The second recipe I am in love with comes from one of my favorite blogs I follow called Mennonite Girls Can Cook. I love this blog and have printed off LOTS of recipes from here. Run!! Don't walk!! and go check this blog out!!
I made these for our annual Achievement banquet for 4-H, just because I had the stuff already on hand, and was too lazy to go to the store and get something else to make. I only ended up bringing home 4, which we all enjoyed for breakfast the next morning!! I will say I do need to play with these a little, to get my middle filling JUST RIGHT. I seem to be putting too much batter in first, therefore causing my filling to be more up towards the top.  In the middle or not, they are still delicious!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Filling:

• 8 oz. / 250 gr cream cheese
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons sugar

Muffins:

• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups pumpkin puree
• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cloves
• 1 teaspoon ginger

Topping:

• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Directions:

1. For filling...combine cream cheese, sugar and egg in small bowl and mix well until smooth.
2. In large mixing bowl, combine oil and sugars.  
3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Mix in pumpkin puree.
5. Combine all the dry ingredients; add to batter and mix just until incorporated.
6. Grease muffin puns.
7. Put a spoonful of batter in the bottom of each muffin well (less than 1/3 full).
8. Drop a rounded teaspoon of cream cheese filling in the center of each muffin.
9. Top with remaining batter, spreading to cover cream cheese completely.
10. Sprinkle with crumb topping.
11. Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes.
12. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

“Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.”  Jim Davis