As summer winds down, it’s the perfect moment to savor the last of the season’s fruits while letting thoughts turn to fall recipes. While August is ideal for baking with berries and apples – Martha Stewart's blackberry and apple cake is a favorite – there’s something irresistible about fall flavors creeping in.
Pumpkin, with its warm, comforting spice, always beckons this time of year. A homemade pumpkin spice latte is the perfect place to start, and before long, you’ll find yourself reaching for Martha Stewart’s iconic pumpkin bars.
Simple to make and full of seasonal flavor, they’re a delightful way to welcome fall into your kitchen.
Ingredients
- For the cake:
- 1 stick (or a half cup) unsalted butter (at room temperature), plus 1 teaspoon for the cake pan
- Half cup milk (at room temperature)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup pure pumpkin puree
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
- Half teaspoon baking powder
- Half teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Half teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
- Quarter teaspoon ground allspice
- Quarter teaspoon ground cloves
- Half teaspoon of coarse salt
- For the frosting (optional):
- 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- Half a stick (or a quarter cup) unsalted butter (at room temperature), cut into pieces
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
- Half teaspoon coarse salt
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and brush the bottom and sides of a 9” x 11” cake pan with butter. (I use these VINAUO sheet pans from Walmart). Line the pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 sides.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder and baking soda, then mix in the cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree and milk.
- Beat the sugar and butter together in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). A stand mixer will be easiest here, but a hand whisk also works.
- Crack the eggs into the butter and sugar mixture and beat until combined.
- While beating at low speed, add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the pumpkin mixture and beating until just combined.
- Pour the batter into your prepared pan, smooth the top with a spatula, and bake for about 35 minutes (or until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean). Transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese, butter and salt until light and creamy (around 2 minutes). Reduce your mixer speed to low and gradually add in the confectioners' sugar, beating until incorporated.
- Once the cake has cooled, spread the icing over the top and cut into 12 bars.
Shop everything you need to make Martha Stewart's pumpkin bars
It might be an investment, but every home baker deserves a good stand mixer – it'll make light work of your cake recipes, and it looks gorgeous on your countertop, too. This KitchenAid model came out on top in our guide to the best stand mixers.
An offset spatula is another essential addition to your baking arsenal. This one is complete with a non-slip ergonomic handle that ensures both comfort and precision. It's the secret to icing cakes like a professional.
Show off your perfectly-iced pumpkin bars using this handsome serving stand. I love the contrast between the sleek aluminum details and the luminescent marble.
Looking for more pre-Halloween treats? Pumpkin patch dirt cups are another winning dessert recipe – I've been using the summerween trend as an excuse to make plenty.
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