Nov 14 2012

Pumpkin Pie Bars

Posted by missamy in Baking, Holidays, Step-by-Step Recipes

For all of you pumpkin pie fans out there looking for an alternative to the holiday favorite, do I have a recipe for you! The recipe for Pumpkin Pie Bars, submitted by Tasty Kitchen member Sharon from cheesypennies, has been waiting in my TK recipe box for a while. I finally got around to making a batch a few days ago, and then a second batch today. Yep, they were that good. Not sure why I’ve waited so long. They met approval from all who tried them, so you can be sure that they’ll make a few more appearances around here throughout the holiday season.

Wanna see how to make them?

First you’ll need: yellow cake mix, eggs, butter, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, ground cloves, salt, canned pumpkin, and evaporated milk (although I used almond milk the second time around).

There are three steps to the recipe, with different ingredients divided, so be sure to read through the whole recipe first to avoid any confusion. Not that I would know anything about getting confused or anything … no, not me.

Begin making the crust for the bars by mixing part of the cake mix, with one egg, and some melted butter. Once combined well, spread evenly in 13×9″ pan. I found using my hands to spread out the crust worked much easier, and was much more fun, too.

The second step is to make the pumpkin filling for the bars. Whisk together sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt, pumpkin, evaporated milk, and eggs.

Pour the filling over the crust.

Note: The filling may seem a little thin, but it thickens up during baking just fine. I promise. Also, for the second pan I made, I was out of evaporated milk, so I substituted unsweetened almond milk with no problems whatsoever.

Finally, for the last step, the topping. Stir together the rest of the cake mix, sugar, and cinnamon.

More butter! Toppings need butter, don’t they? Sure they do.

Cut in cold diced up butter. Once incorporated, evenly sprinkle the topping over the filling. Again, I used my hands for sprinkling.

A tip: A pastry cutter is a wonderful tool. I used a fork, but something I remembered while cutting the butter is a tip I learned from my friend Deb over at Smith Bites. She freezes butter and then uses a cheese grater to shred it into biscuits and other doughs when needed. It works wonders. I only wish I would’ve remembered that trick for this recipe. That reminds me, I should stash a pound or two of butter in the freezer now so it’s ready throughout the holiday baking season.

The first time I made these I thought the topping would just sink down into the filling, but it magically sits nicely on top.

Carefully transfer to an oven and bake according to recipe instructions, until golden. Your house will smell divine!

Let cool completely before cutting and serving (if you can wait that long). To push it over the top, serve with a scoop of ice cream, along with a warm cup of coffee. Perfect.

Thanks so much to Sharon from Cheesy Pennies for sharing this delightful recipe with the Tasty Kitchen community. I know it will soon be a new holiday favorite in our home.

Printable Recipe

Pumpkin Pie Bars

by Cheesy Pennies on October 30, 2010 in Brownies and Bars, Desserts

See post on Cheesy Pennies’s site!

4.55 Mitt(s) 9 Rating(s) 9 votes, average: 4.55 out of 5

Description

All the yum of pumpkin pie, minus the hassle of a pie crust, plus the bonus of a buttery cinnamon topping. No trick…just an amazing treat!

Ingredients

1 box (18 oz. size) Yellow Cake Mix, Divided
1 whole Egg, Lightly Beaten
½ cups Butter, Melted
1 cup Sugar, Divided
2 teaspoons Cinnamon, Divided
½ teaspoons Ginger
¼ teaspoons Ground Cloves
¼ teaspoons Salt
1 cup Canned Pumpkin
⅔ cups Evaporated Milk
2 whole Eggs
¼ cups Cold Butter, Diced

Preparation Instructions

This recipe has three parts, a crust, a filling and a topping. Before you start anything, preheat your oven to 350F, and get out a 13×9 pan.

For the crust:
Reserve 1 cup of the cake mix for the topping. Pour remaining cake mix into a bowl, then stir in the one beaten egg and the 1/2 cup of melted butter until the mixture is well combined. Press evenly into the 13×9 pan and set aside.

For the filling:
Combine 3/4 cup of sugar, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, the ginger, cloves, salt, pumpkin, evaporated milk and 2 eggs together. Using a whisk, stir until smooth. Pour over the crust.

For the topping:
Stir together the 1 cup of reserved cake mix, and the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Cut in the 1/4 cup of butter dice using a pastry blender or a fork. Sprinkle evenly over the filling.

Bake at 350F for 35-40 minutes, or until filling is set. Allow to cool completely, cut into bars, and serve!

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Amy Johnson is a blogger who writes about food, travel, the home (both inside and out), and various observations and random musings about anything and everything. Visit her blog She Wears Many Hats for a dose of deliciousness, practicality, hilarity, or just plain fun. She lives in South Carolina with her husband and two children.

Aug 1 2012

Lime Olive Oil Muffins

Posted by missamy in Baking, Step-by-Step Recipes

When I saw the recipe for these Lime Olive Oil Muffins from Tasty Kitchen member Rachel, I thought it sounded interesting. Having never baked with olive oil before, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. But I was pleasantly surprised that there was no hint of olive oil in the taste, and as a bonus, the olive oil helped produce a not-dried-out goody. So if you’re looking for a grain-free, gluten-free or just a healthier option for a morning or snack muffin, look no further. These muffins are tasty and filling, which make for the perfect breakfast muffin in my book. They’re not overly sweet, so they lend themselves well to the addition of jams, jellies, or my favorite, honey. Or for a dessert option, maybe create a coconut lime glaze? Yum.

The cast of characters and process are straightforward.

To get started you’ll need: blanched almond flour, baking soda, salt (not shown), cinnamon, turbinado sugar (I used demerara), eggs, extra virgin olive oil, vanilla, fresh lime juice, and lime zest.

Begin by combining the dry ingredients (almond flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and sugar) together.

In a separate bowl combine the wet ingredients (eggs, olive oil, vanilla, and lime juice) together.

Add the wet mixture into the dry mixture and combine well. Add the lime zest.

Finish the batter by folding in the lime zest.

In a muffin tin coated with cooking spray or lined with paper liners, distribute batter evenly among 6 muffin tins.

Rachel says she used some techniques learned from Sally’s Baking Addiction for baking the muffins. Begin by baking the muffins for a short period of time at 425°F, then the remaining baking time at 350°F. I think this must help create more of a crunchy top on the muffins.

They did turn out perfectly cooked. Moist but firm on the top.

Quite the excellent recipient for a drizzling of honey.

Thanks Rachel for helping me try something new and for sharing a good baking tip, too! For more cooking inspiration from Rachel, be sure to visit her food blog, Studio Cuisine.

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