Food Recipes Desserts These Pumpkin Praline Bars Are Our New Favorite Way to Use a Can of Pumpkin Puree 4.5 (2) 2 Reviews A can of Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin Puree is the key to giving these bars their dense, cake-like texture. By Ouita Michel Ouita Michel Ouita Michel is the chef and owner of The Midway Bakery & Cafe in Midway, Kentucky. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on September 27, 2023 Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Recipes published by Food & Wine are rigorously tested by the culinary professionals at the Dotdash Meredith Food Studios in order to empower home cooks to enjoy being in the kitchen and preparing meals they will love. Our expert culinary team tests and retests each recipe using equipment and ingredients found in home kitchens to ensure that every recipe is delicious and works for cooks at home every single time. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Rate PRINT Share Photo: Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Active Time: 20 mins Total Time: 3 hrs 10 mins Yield: 12 servings Bring pumpkin to the table in these easy to make and eat bars topped with a decadent frosting inspired by the flavors of pralines — a classic Southern confection. Topped with decadent brown sugar frosting, these cakelike bars are loaded with fall flavor — earthy and sweet pumpkin, warm spices, and toasty pecans. For chef Ouita Michel of The Midway Bakery & Cafe in Midway, Kentucky, who shared this recipe, these pumpkin praline bars mark the start of fall. “To me these praline pumpkin bars sum up everything that’s best about autumn in Kentucky. That tender and sweetly spicy cake layer, the creamy pecan icing — it’s a whole handful of goodness. We love to pack them for family hikes, but they’d be perfect for football tailgates and outdoor concerts or even a trip to the pumpkin patch!” Frequently asked questions What is praline? Praline is a sweet and chewy confection made from caramelized sugar and nuts such as almonds, pecans, or hazelnuts. Can you freeze pumpkin bars? You can freeze fully cooled, sliced pumpkin bars by wrapping them tightly with plastic wrap and placing the wrapped bars in an airtight container in the freezer. For best results, cool the bars in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before wrapping to help the frosting set up. Can I make this in advance? Bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Different brands of canned pumpkin can have varying levels of water content. To get the dense, cakey texture of these bars, our testers recommend using Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin Puree. When spreading the frosting over the bars, make sure to work quickly as the sugary mixture will set and harden as it cools. Ingredients Cake Cooking spray 2 cups all-purpose flour (about 8 1/2 ounces) 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup vegetable oil 4 large eggs Frosting 3 cups powdered sugar 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar 6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter 1/3 cup heavy cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup toasted pecans, chopped Directions Make the cake Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 13- x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray; line bottom of pan with parchment paper, and set aside. Whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl until combined; set aside. Whisk together pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, oil, and eggs in a large bowl until smooth. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture; whisk until just incorporated. Pour mixture into prepared baking pan, and smooth top. Bake in preheated oven until cake is springy to the touch and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely, about 2 hours. Make the frosting Sift powdered sugar into a large heatproof bowl; set aside. Bring brown sugar, butter, and cream to a boil in a small saucepan over medium, stirring occasionally. Let boil, stirring occasionally, 1 minute. Immediately pour cream mixture into bowl with powdered sugar. Add vanilla, and whisk vigorously until mixture is smooth. Working quickly, spread frosting over cooled cake in pan. (Frosting will begin to harden immediately.) Sprinkle evenly with pecans. Let stand until frosting is set, about 30 minutes, before cutting into bars. Originally appeared in Food & Wine magazine, October 2023 Rate It Print