Healthy Pumpkin Bars
You only need 10 minutes prep to make these easy, healthy pumpkin bars. They have a lovely cake-like texture, which works beautifully with the decadent cream cheese frosting.
Servings: 12
Calories: 411kcal
Equipment
- 10 x 8 inch baking pan
Ingredients
- 3.5 cups almond flour 350g
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ⅓ cup powdered erythritol 60g, or any powdered sweetener of your choice
- 6 tablespoon chopped pecans 45g
- 5 large eggs room temperature
- ⅓ cup butter melted and cooled, 70g
- 2 teaspoon sugar free vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup almond milk 80 ml, unsweetened, room temperature
- 1 cup pumpkin puree 250g
Cream cheese frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter 114g, room temperature
- 1 cup cream cheese 250g, room temperature
- ½ cup powdered erythritol 80g. Use up to ¾ cup or 120g for a sweeter frosting.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350F / 180C /(electric) or 320F / 160C (fan). Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
- Place all dry ingredients (almond flour, baking powder, pumpkin spice, sweetener and pecans) in a large bowl and mix to combine.
- Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Beat the egg whites using an electric whisk until light, fluffy and stiff peaks form.
- In a clean mixing bowl, add the egg yolks and beat with an electric whisk for about 30 seconds. Add the melted butter, vanilla, almond milk and pumpkin puree. Whisk until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the egg yolk mix and stir to combine. Last, fold through the egg whites.
- Fill the cake batter into the baking pan and level the top with a spatula.
- Bake the pumpkin bars in the oven for 25 - 30 minutes until you can insert and remove a toothpick without any crumbs sticking. Remove from the oven and allow to cool fully.
Frosting
- Chop room-temperature butter into chunks. Whip the butter and room-temperature cream cheese until smooth with an electric mixer. Then, whisk in the sweetener and vanilla. Place the frosting in the fridge for 10 - 15 minutes to firm up.
- Spread the frosting on top of the bars. Option to sprinkle with a light dusting of pumpkin spice mix and serve.
Notes
Net carbs: 5.6g per generous slice. Makes 12 squares.
The sugar-free frosting is optional. Pumpkin bars taste delicious on their own or spread with some butter or almond butter.
ESSENTIAL: All ingredients MUST be at room temperature. This prevents the batter and also the frosting from splitting.
Separating the eggs and beating the egg whites until stiff makes the bars extra light. The recipe will work if you don't do this, but I recommend it.
Storage: Airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 411kcal | Total Carbohydrates: 9.5g | Protein: 11.1g | Fat: 39.3g | Saturated Fat: 14.1g | Fiber: 3.9g | Sugar: 3.6g
