Healthy Pumpkin Spice Bars

These light, fluffy bars are so easy to make and so delicious.   With no butter and only half a cup of oil I think these pumpkin spice bars can also lay claim to being healthy.   

Pumpkin is always enhanced by the use of spices.   I have used mixed spice which is a blend of sweet spices including allspice, cinnamon, cloves, coriander seed, ginger and nutmeg, but pumpkin spice is a suitable alternative.

So as to lighten the bars I didn’t completely cover them with a rich cream cheese icing, but instead drizzled a lighter icing over the top.   But please feel free to pair them with your favorite cream cheese frosting.

Preparation time:  15 minutes
Cooking time:  20 minutes
Makes about 50

Ingredients

   2 cups all-purpose / plain flour
   ½ cup packed brown sugar
   ½ cup granulated sugar
   2 teaspoons baking powder
   ¼ teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
   1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
   1 teaspoon mixed spice / pumpkin spice
   ¼ teaspoon salt
   2 eggs
   1 cup cooked mashed pumpkin
   ½ cup sunflower oil
   ¾ cup raisins

How to Make

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 180ºC / 350°F.   Line a 10½ x 15½ x 1 inch (27 x 39 x 2.5 cm) jelly roll pan with parchment paper.

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F.   Line a 10½ x 15½ x 1 inch (27 x 39 x 2.5 cm) jelly roll pan with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl mix together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, mixed spice and salt.   Stir with a whisk to aerate the flour and mix all the ingredients together. 

Step 2

In another bowl lightly beat the eggs.  Add the pumpkin and oil and whisk together until the mixture is smooth and creamy. 

Step 3

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and stir in the pumpkin mixture.  Fold the pumpkin gently through the flour mixture until almost mixed.  Then add the raisins and continue mixing until all streaks of flour have disappeared. 

Step 4

Spread the batter into the prepared tin.  Spread the mixture evenly over the tin making sure it reaches the corners.

Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until a wooden toothpick or skewer inserted near the center comes out clean.

Place the tin on a wire rack and leave to cool.  When cooled completely lift out using the parchment paper, top with your favorite cream cheese frosting and cut into squares or bars.

Variation

2 teaspoons finely chopped candied ginger, or ½ teaspoon ground ginger can be added to the recipe.