Nov 24, 2022 2 min read

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

3 eggs

1, 15 oz. can pumpkin

3/4 cup butter – melted

1 cup chopped dried cranberries (reserve 1/4 cup for topping)

Brown Butter Frosting (see below)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 15×10 baking pan with baking spray and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin, and melted butter. Add in the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Fold in three-fourths cup of dried cranberries. Spread this batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. While cake is baking, prepare brown butter frosting recipe. Frost the cooled bars. Sprinkle with the remaining one-fourth cup of chopped cranberries.

Brown Butter Frosting

1, 8 oz. package of cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups confectioners’ sugar

1-2 tablespoons milk

Place the butter into a small skillet over medium heat. Heat the butter until it melts. Continue to cook while stirring and scraping the pan. Once the butter near the bottom starts to brown and the butter smells nutty, remove the pan from the heat and transfer the butter to a heat-proof bowl. Let the butter sit at room temperature to re-solidify before continuing with the recipe.* In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat together cream cheese, browned butter, and salt until light and smooth. This will take about 5 minutes. Add in the vanilla, and beat to combine. Add the confectioners’ sugar slowly, about 1 cup at a time, and mix until smooth. Add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, to achieve desired consistency.

*Place the browned butter into the refrigerator to help speed up the process. However, if the browned butter is cold, let it return to room temperature before proceeding.

Debra Ruffing

Washington