#14. Pumpkin Cake Bars

Do you have leftover canned pumpkin from Thanksgiving that needs to be used up? This is a great recipe for that, as well as for using up that random old box of vanilla cake mix you have sitting in your pantry. This is a pretty easy recipe, and the result is a hybrid between a cake and a bar that can be sliced ahead and stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Ingredients:

Crust:

3/4 cup unsalted butter (cold)

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

Filling:

4 large eggs

2 cups cooked canned pumpkin

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. cloves

Topping:

1 box white or yellow cake mix

1/2 cup butter (melted)

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Method:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prep a 9x13 baking pan by lining with foil or parchment paper and spraying well with non-stick spray.

In a mixer with a paddle attachment, mix together flour, brown sugar and salt. Add in the cold butter that is cut into very small pieces. Let mixer run on low until dough comes together and just starts to clump. Spread and press evenly into bottom of pan.

In a seperate bowl, mix together all ingredients for filling until combined. Pour over crust. Top crust with the entire box of cake mix. Pour pecans or walnuts over top of cake mix evenly. Drizzle entire top with melted butter.

Bake covered with foil for 40 minutes. Then uncover and bake another 40 minutes. Let cool. Slice into 24 bars or 48 small bars. Also, you may top warm with whipped cream for a unique dessert!