Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bars                Nancy Harrison

These Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bars are moist pumpkin bars with swirls of cream cheese frosting throughout.

Yield 18 bars

Ingredients

Filling:

·         1 (8 ounce package) cream cheese, softened

·         1/4 cup sugar

·         1 egg

     

Batter:

·         1 cup canned pumpkin puree

·         1 cup sugar

·         1 egg
           1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

·         1/3 cup vegetable oil

·         1 cup all-purpose flour

·         1 11/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (see Note for substitution)

·         1 teaspoon baking powder

·         1/2 teaspoon baking soda

·         1/2 teaspoon salt

·         optional 1/2 cup chopped pecan pieces

Instructions

1.     Preheat oven to 375°.

2.    Spray a 9x13" baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

3.    For the filling: With a hand mixer blend together softened cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla until smooth. Set aside.

4.    For the batter: Combine the pumpkin, sugar, egg and oil in medium mixing bowl and mix until well combined.

5.    Stir in flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well to combine.

6.    Pour batter into prepared baking dish, and spread to cover bottom of pan.

7.    Add dollops of the cream cheese mixture over the batter. Cut through the batter with a knife to make a marbled effect w/ the cream cheese mixture in an up and down pattern. Repeat going the other way. When marbling make sure you don't go all the way to the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with the chopped pecans if desired.

8.    Bake for 25 - 28 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

9.    Cool and cut into squares. Store in the refrigerator.