P is for Pumpkin Swirl Bars! (Guest Post: Jenn)

Hello readers!

Tonight we have a very special guest post coming from our colleague, Jenn! A BIG "thank you" shout out to Jenn for making something extra delicious to showcase for the letter "P!"

Hello Letters from my Kitchen readers!  I am another Jennifer but you can call me Jenn.  I work with Jennifer and Jessica and was asked to do a guest post.  Lucky for me we landed on P as pumpkin is absolutely one of my favorite things! 

I searched high and low for a pumpkin recipe that would be delicious and new to me.  I have made many pumpkin items in the past but usually in fall/winter and it’s a little too hot for pumpkin black bean soup or one of my other stew-like pumpkin favorites.  I actually made 2 pumpkin things this week but one was so easy it seemed silly to post on the blog (it was a pumpkin yogurt parfait – greek yogurt, pumpkin and some pumpkin pie spice topped with cereal – see not very exciting). 

These Pumpkin carrot swirl bars were delightful!  They were easy to make as you shall see below and were a big hit with my colleagues and classmates.  Although they are called bars they are really moist and cake-y, so it is almost like a cake with just a teensy touch of icing on top.  I did not cut them according to the recipe and ended up with only 36 bars.  Please forgive the gritty iphone pictures I had a camera fail when I made these. 

Pumpkin Carrot Swirl Bars By:  LIBBY'S PUMPKIN

Prep:  20 mins

Cooking: 25 mins

Level: Easy

Yields:48 servings

Pumpkin, shreds of carrot and brown sugar make a moist, chewy bar just right for the holiday table. Finished with a cream cheese topping they make a pretty sight for any occasion.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 1 cup finely shredded carrot
• Cream Cheese Topping (recipe follows)

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan.

COMBINE flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and baking soda in small bowl.

 Beat granulated sugar, butter and brown sugar in large mixer bowl until crumbly. Add eggs, egg whites, pumpkin and carrot; beat until well blended.

Add flour mixture; mix well. Spread into prepared pan. Drop teaspoonfuls of Cream Cheese Topping over batter; swirl mixture with spoon.

FOR CREAM CHEESE TOPPING:
COMBINE 4 ounces softened light cream cheese (Neufchâtel), 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon milk in small mixer bowl until thoroughly blended.

BAKE for 25 to 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Store in covered container in refrigerator.

Review by Jennifer S.:
Ok, ya'll. Yep, I went all Tennessee on you--but I'm being totally serious. I was lucky enough to be in on the day Jenn (with two N's) brought these into the office. I'm not kidding when I say I was trying all day to keep my paws off these bars (I'd already started out the morning with two). They are so good; you'd be CRAZY not to give this recipe a go. Seriously. It's SO GOOD.

Thanks again,  Jenn!!