Gluten Free Pumpkin Bars With Cream Cheese Icing

Pumpkin bars with cream cheese icing are just heavenly....and you won't even miss the all-purpose flour, as they are so moist.  I use a gluten free 1:1 baking flour. These are so delicious, that my kids request them year- round.  The cream cheese icing recipe makes a generous amount, for a nice thick layer of sweet goodness, or save half for another recipe. 

Ingredients: 

2 cups gluten- free flour 

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

1 2/3 cup organic sugar

1/2 cup applesauce 

1- 15 ounce can organic pumpkin

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 drops cinnamon bark vitality essential oil

1 drop clove vitality essential oil

1 drop nutmeg vitality essential oil

For the cream cheese icing:

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

in a small bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. 

In the bowl of an electric mixer, add vegetable oil, eggs, sugar, applesauce, pumpkin, vanilla, and essential oils. Beat until light and fluffy. 

Add flour mixture slowly and mix until just combined.  Do not over mix. 

Pour mixture into a lightly greased 10x15 sheet pan.  Bake approximately 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center, comes out clean.  I often use a 9x13 pan and bake 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

For icing:  In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth.  Slowly, add the powdered sugar and mix until combined.  

When pumpkin bars are completely cooled, spread with cream cheese icing. 

Store in refridgerator. Set out approxomitaly 30 minutes before serving, to allow icing to come to room temperature.