This recipe is inspired by Tastes Better From Scratch. I reduce sugar in nearly every recipe I make, so what I've written out here is the reduced sugar version. I also changed the frosting and a few other things.
1. Take cream cheese and butter out of the fridge or freezer and bring to room temperature.
Ingredients
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
1 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
½ cup salted butter
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp epicure pumpkin spice mixture
OR, use these spices:
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Cream Cheese Frosting
6 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup 18% cream or heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 Tbsp corn starch
pinch salt
1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 block of cream cheese
Instructions
Add butter and sugars to a mixer and cream together until light and fluffy. Add pumpkin, yogurt, eggs, and vanilla then mix.
In a separate mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Mix the dry ingredients with the wet. Pour batter into a jelly roll pan (10×15 inch). Bake at 350 degrees F for about 27-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
For the Frosting: As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, make the frosting. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, cream, brown sugar, powdered sugar, cornstarch, and salt, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a gentle boil. Whisk in cream cheese. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla. Mix well. Add a little extra powdered sugar, as needed, until you get a soft and slightly thick, but pourable frosting. Gently spread warm frosting over bars. Allow to cool before serving.
