Gluten Free Pumpkin Bars

(from Betsy Heady)

Betsy from the Abbies now has to eat gluten free after many years of not knowing she needed to. On a quest to find recipes where you can’t tell they’re gluten free, Betsy and her friends and family rave about this one. This recipe is also trustworthy. These bars are great any time of year, not just in the fall.

Ingredients:
Bars:
4 eggs
1 2/3 cups vegetable oil
15-ounce can pumpkin
2 cups sifted Pamela’s Artisan Flour Blend (wheat free)
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

Icing:
8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
½ cup BUTTER, softened
2 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Bars:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

• Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and baking powder. Add these dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix on low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth.

• Bake for 30 minutes.

• Let cool before frosting.

• Cut into bars.

Icing:

• Combine cream cheese and BUTTER in a medium bowl.

• Mix with an electric mixer until smooth.

• Add the sugar and mix at low speed.

• Then add vanilla and mix again.

• Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.

** NOTE** from Betsy: Pamela’s Artisan Flour Blend is key!!

She also says, “This is the BEST gluten free flour blend I’ve found that can be substituted in any recipe that calls for all-purpose flour using equal amounts. When I make these, our family devours them! You cannot tell they are gluten free!”