Harvest Pumpkin-Spice Bars

Moist and delicious--with or without the frosting! It brings out all the flavours of an old-fashioned pumpkin pie; but so moist it melts in your mouth. These bars were a big hit at Thanksgiving parties.

• Ready In: 3 hrs 35 mins
• Yields: 49 bars

Ingredients

• Bars

• 4  eggs
• 2  cups granulated sugar
• 1  cup  vegetable oil
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix!)
• 2  cups Gold Medal all-purpose 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 chocolate chips, if desired

• Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1⁄3 cup butter or 1⁄3 cup margarine, softened
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 2  cups powdered sugar
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped walnuts, if desired

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F
2. Lightly grease bottom and sides of 15x10x1 inch pan (glass is best) with shortening.
3. In large bowl, beat eggs, granulated sugar, oil and pumpkin until smooth.
4. Stir in flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, ginger and cloves.
5. Stir in chocolate chips, spread in pan.
6. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until light brown.
7. Cool completely in pan on cooling rack, about 2 hours.
8. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla with electric mixer on low speed until smooth.
9. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, on low speed until smooth and spreadable.
10. Spread frosting over bars.
11. Sprinkle with walnuts.
12. For bars, cut into 7 rows by 7 rows.
13. Store in refrigerator.
14. Tastes better the day after!