Welcome to the ultimate solution for effortless fall baking: these incredible 2-ingredient pumpkin bars with cake mix. This recipe is widely hailed as the best cake mix hack, offering a surprisingly simple yet wonderfully delicious dessert perfect for any occasion. Whether you’re preparing for a cozy family evening or a festive holiday gathering, these easy and cheap pumpkin bars will surely impress. While they’re delightful on their own, a luscious cream cheese frosting elevates them to a truly irresistible treat. Feel free to customize them further with white chocolate chips or crunchy nuts for an extra layer of flavor and texture.
These incredibly easy pumpkin bars are a delightful twist on our widely popular 2-ingredient pumpkin muffins, requiring just those two core items to create a baked masterpiece. While the basic recipe is fantastically simple, we often experiment by adding various extras to the batter. However, even plain, topped with a generous layer of frosting, these quick treats are universally adored and disappear fast. This guide will walk you through every step, ensuring your pumpkin bars are moist, flavorful, and perfectly baked.
The Magic of Cake Mix Pumpkin Bars: A Fall Favorite
Our website frequently features a wide array of cake mix recipes because this versatile base ingredient can be transformed into an astonishing variety of desserts. If you’ve only used boxed cake mix for standard birthday cakes or cupcakes, you’re truly missing out on a world of culinary possibilities! Begin your cake mix adventure with these simple pumpkin bars, then explore other exciting options. We’ll even highlight a few other fantastic recipes that incorporate pumpkin puree, perfect for embracing the autumnal spirit.
When it comes to topping your delicious pumpkin bars, the choices are plentiful. A ready-made tub of frosting offers ultimate convenience. Alternatively, you can whip up a simple glaze by whisking powdered sugar with a splash of milk and a dash of vanilla extract. Our homemade Cream Cheese Frosting Without Butter, made with Cool Whip, also provides a wonderfully light and fluffy complement. For an extra festive touch, consider folding a pinch of pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon into your chosen frosting. We’ll also provide tips on how to adjust this 2-ingredient pumpkin cake recipe to achieve your preferred bar thickness.
Elevating Your Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Let’s delve into the world of dry mixes for a moment. Anyone who has ventured down the baking aisle knows the vast selection available. During the fall season, you’ll often find spice cake mixes, which are absolutely ideal for this recipe and other creations like our Cake Mix Pumpkin Pie Dump Cake. These mixes already contain those comforting autumn flavors, saving you an extra step and ensuring a delightful taste profile without additional effort.
If a spice cake mix isn’t available or is priced higher than other options, a yellow or white cake mix can be used as a substitute. Be aware that this will result in a noticeable difference in flavor. To compensate, we highly recommend incorporating a teaspoon or two of pumpkin pie spice, ground cinnamon, and perhaps a pinch of nutmeg to infuse those essential fall notes. You could even make your own spice blend for an authentic touch. The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity. To make these delightful bars, you truly only need two primary components, plus the optional but highly recommended frosting:
Essential Ingredients for Your Easy Pumpkin Bars
- 1 box Spice Cake Mix: This serves as the dry base for your bars.
- While spice cake mix is preferred for its inherent autumn flavors, any cake mix flavor (yellow, white, even chocolate) can be adapted.
- 1 can (15 oz.) Pumpkin Puree: The moist, flavorful heart of your pumpkin bars.
- Frosting (Optional, but highly recommended): Because what’s a bar without a creamy topping?
Choosing the Right Pan Size for Your Cake Mix Bars
While this recipe focuses on convenience, you can certainly go the extra mile and prepare homemade pumpkin puree if you wish. For the beautifully proportioned bars showcased in our images, we utilized a standard 9×13 inch baking pan. This size yields a good balance of thickness and surface area for frosting. If you prefer thicker, more substantial bars, an 8×8 inch pan works perfectly, though you’ll need to increase the baking time by a few minutes to ensure they cook through evenly.
Understanding the Difference: Pumpkin Puree vs. Pumpkin Pie Mix
This is a crucial distinction that can significantly impact your baking results. No, pumpkin pie mix is NOT the same as pumpkin puree. These are two distinct products:
- Pumpkin Puree: This is 100% cooked, softened, and blended pumpkin, with no added ingredients. It has a natural, earthy pumpkin flavor and a smooth consistency.
- Pumpkin Pie Mix: This product comes pre-seasoned with a blend of spices (like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves) and often contains added sugar. It’s specifically formulated to make pumpkin pie with minimal effort. Using pumpkin pie mix instead of pumpkin puree in this recipe would result in an overly sweet and intensely spiced bar with a potentially different texture. Always double-check your can to ensure you have pure pumpkin puree for the best results in these bars.
This recipe provides a fantastic and effortless solution to the common question: “What can be done with leftover pumpkin puree?” If you have a can nearing its expiration date from last year’s holiday baking, this is the perfect opportunity to put it to delicious use! The most important caution we can offer for this recipe, similar to our Libby’s pumpkin muffins, is to meticulously watch your baking time. You absolutely do NOT want these bars to become dry. Begin checking for doneness at around 20 minutes by inserting a toothpick into the center of the bars.
If the toothpick comes out with wet batter clinging to it, give the bars another 2 minutes in the oven and check again. If only moist crumbs are attached to the toothpick, your bars are perfectly baked and ready. Allow the baked bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire cooling rack before attempting to add any frosting. Applying frosting to warm bars will cause it to melt and slide right off, so patience is key for that perfect finish.
Classic & Easy Pumpkin Bars Recipe with Cake Mix
This recipe takes the guesswork out of fall baking, delivering moist and flavorful pumpkin bars every time. Here’s how to make them:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large mixing bowl, combine the entire box of cake mix with the can of pumpkin puree. Mix thoroughly until the batter is smooth and no dry streaks of cake mix remain.
- Prepare a 9×13 inch baking pan by either lining it with parchment paper (leaving an overhang for easy lifting) or generously spraying it with nonstick cooking spray. Evenly spread the pumpkin mixture into the prepared pan.
- Bake for approximately 20-22 minutes. To check for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the bars. It should come out clean or with moist crumbs attached. Avoid overbaking to keep the bars wonderfully moist.
- While the cake cools completely, prepare your frosting. In a medium bowl, combine 1 tub of cream cheese frosting with 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon. Whisk until the frosting is light and fluffy and the spice is evenly incorporated.
- Once the pumpkin pie bars are thoroughly cooled, spread the spiced cream cheese frosting evenly over the top. Slice into individual bars and ENJOY this delightful autumn treat!
We often use this same 9×13 inch pan size for our pumpkin pudding cake, and it consistently yields excellent results. However, if your preference is for thicker, more substantial dessert slices, you can absolutely use an 8×8 inch pan. Just remember to line it with parchment paper or spray it with non-stick spray, and increase the baking time to about 25 minutes to ensure a perfect bake throughout.
Delicious Pumpkin Bars Without Frosting: Customization Options
For those who prefer their pumpkin bars without frosting, there are still many ways to enhance their flavor and texture. Instead of a topping, we highly recommend stirring in some white chocolate chips directly into the batter before baking. We’ve done this with our Cake Mix Pumpkin Blondies, and it provides a fantastic creamy burst of sweetness that complements the pumpkin beautifully. Another excellent addition for a delightful textural contrast would be crushed walnuts or pecans, lending a nutty crunch. Of course, leaving them plain is perfectly fine too – their inherent pumpkin flavor is wonderful on its own! 😉
This principle also applies to our Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Cake Mix; a topping isn’t strictly necessary, but in my household, it’s almost an unwritten rule to finish off such a delicious treat with something extra. The choice is entirely yours! If you happen to have any leftovers (a rare occurrence with these delicious bars!), proper storage is essential to keep them wonderfully moist and fresh for as long as possible.
Once you fall head over heels for these incredibly easy pumpkin bars, we encourage you to grab another box of that same spiced cake mix and embark on your next baking adventure: cake mix pumpkin donuts. The versatility of a simple cake mix truly knows no bounds!
If your pumpkin bars are unfrosted, you can safely wrap them in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store them on your countertop for up to 3 days. However, if you’ve prepared pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting, refrigeration is absolutely necessary. Always wrap them tightly in an airtight container before refrigerating to maintain freshness and prevent them from drying out. They will last just as long, if not longer, when chilled.
Yes, if your pumpkin bars are topped with frosting, particularly cream cheese frosting, they should be refrigerated. Store them wrapped securely or in an airtight container to protect them from excess air. Plain pumpkin bars can be left out for a few days, but personally, I find that both frosted and unfrosted pumpkin bars taste even better when chilled.
Easy Pumpkin Bars with Cake Mix
Equipment
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1 9×13 inch pan
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1 Large Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 box cake mix, spice type recommended
- 1 can pumpkin puree, 15 oz. (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large bowl, combine the cake mix and pumpkin puree. Mix thoroughly until the batter is smooth. Spread the batter evenly into a 9×13 inch baking pan. (Ensure the pan is either lined with parchment paper or generously sprayed with nonstick cooking spray).
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Bake for approximately 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs. While the cake cools completely, prepare the frosting. Mix together 1 tub of cream cheese frosting and 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon until light and fluffy.
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Once the cake has cooled completely, spread the spiced frosting over the top. Slice into bars and ENJOY!
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** If you prefer thicker bars, use an 8×8 inch pan lined with parchment paper or non-stick spray and bake for approximately 25 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 79kcal,
Carbohydrates: 18g,
Protein: 1g,
Fat: 1g,
Saturated Fat: 0.3g,
Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.05g,
Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g,
Trans Fat: 0.05g,
Sodium: 157mg,
Potassium: 10mg,
Fiber: 0.3g,
Sugar: 9g,
Vitamin A: 4IU,
Vitamin C: 0.004mg,
Calcium: 45mg,
Iron: 0.4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Additional Info