October is here so that means pumpkin EVERY THING. Just kidding. I kind of claim cinnamon as my favorite fall flavor but pumpkin is nice and complements cinnamon very well so that's what the base is of these delicious Vegan Pumpkin Bars w/ Cream Cheese Frosting. These are light, not overly sweet thanks to the tartness of the cream cheese, and are very simple to throw together.
You might be asking, isn't this just cake? No and yes. I would say this Pumpkin Bar is a cross between a cake and a blondie. It's more dense than a cake but still light and airy so not quite a blondie texture. This recipe is perfect if you want an easy and hassle free dessert that everyone will enjoy. The pumpkin flavor isn't super overwhelming and it's perfectly spiced with pumpkin pie spice and extra cinnamon.
What You Will Need For These Vegan Pumpkin Bars w/ Cream Cheese Frosting
Kitchen Essentials:
For these Vegan Pumpkin Bars w/ Cream Cheese Frosting, you'll need a hand mixer or a stand mixer to make the fluffy cream cheese frosting. The pumpkin bar itself requires only a whisk to combine.
Main Ingredients:
- Pumpkin Purée
- Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Cinnamon
- Vegan Butter
- Aquafaba
- Cream Cheese
Substitutions:
When it comes to baking, I don't recommend substituting. I've tested this recipe a few times and this recipe is what brought me the best results. That being said, I did test this recipe with ground flaxseed mixed with water instead of the aquafaba and it worked pretty well. So if you don't have a can of chickpeas around, give ground flaxseed a try.
How To Make The Best Pumpkin Bars
Do not over mix the batter. This will result in a very dry pumpkin bar which is not what we want. Mix just until all the dry ingredients are combined.
Aquafaba is the liquid that comes in a can of chickpeas. When whipped in a stand mixer it gets frothy and forms stiff peaks like egg whites. We don't need to whip them for this recipe. Simply, whisk by hand until white and frothy.
More Dessert Recipes You Might Like:
If You Make This Recipe:
Tag me on Instagram! I’d love to see your delicious re-creations and feature them! As always, I would greatly appreciate if you share your review in the comments below. Don’t forget to add if you made any fun substitutions. Thank you!
Vegan Pumpkin Bars w/ Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Vegan Pumpkin Bars:
- 1 ⅓ cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1 tablespoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
- ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¾ cup Melted Vegan Butter
- ¾ cup Pumpkin Purée
- ¾ cup Coconut Sugar
- 3 tablespoons Aquafaba
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- ½ cup Vegan Cream Cheese
- ¼ cup Softened Vegan Butter
- 3 cups Powdered Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Whisk together the all purpose flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted vegan butter, coconut sugar, and pumpkin purée.
- Whisk the aquafaba by hand until light and frothy in a small bowl. Not looking for stiff peaks or anything, just frothy. It will turn white and bubbly. Add the aquafaba to the wet ingredients and use a spatula to combine.
- Combine the dry and the wet ingredients and fold until just combined. Don't over mix.
- Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper. Pour the batter in the pan and spread evenly. Bake for 35-40 or until you can press down gently on the center of the cake and it bounces back. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
- Once cool, make the frosting by combining soften butter and cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer. Can also do this with a hand mixer. Whip the cream cheese and butter together and then add in the powdered sugar. Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy.
- Frost the pumpkin bars. Cut in to 9-12 bars and serve!
Bruce Standen says
Hi Liv
Tried this as a reward for my vegan son who is in the midst of University exams. It was a big hit. His comment: This is soooo good! I added a little lemon juice to the frosting but I feel the original recipe was better. I'm in the good books with my wife too and we'll have tea and pumpkin bars for morning tea. Thanks again for another awesome recipe.
Liv says
So glad you tried out this recipe!! Thank you for your support. 🙂