Pumpkin Caramel Bars with Bacon

By cindygwest

Ingredients

• For the Frosting:
• For the Bars
• 8 ounces bacon, diced
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1 t. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 t. table salt
• 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 T. butter, melted
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1/4 cup chopped, toasted pecans
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 stick unsalted butter, cubed
• 4 ounces cream cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes
• Sea salt

Details

Servings 24

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with non-stick spray.
Cook bacon in a saute pan over medium heat until crisp; drain on a paper-towel-lined plate and set aside. Reserve 2 T. drippings.
Whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and table salt for the bars in a medium bowl; set aside.
Whisk together pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, egg, melted butter, bacon drippings, and vanilla in a large bowl until well blended. Stir in flour mixture and pecans.
Spread pumpkin batter evenly into prepared pan; bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.
Boil 2 cups brown sugar, water, and pinch of salt for the frosting in a large saucepan over high heat, 5 minutes, gently swirling occasionally to prevent scorching. Whisk in cream and butter pieces. (Mixture will bubble furiously; keep whisking.) Boil 2 minutes more.
Transfer caramel to the bowl of a stand mixer; whip on high speed until sides of bowl are cool to the touch and caramel is thick, 8 - 10 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as meeded. Add cream cheese, 1 cube at a time, until frosting is smooth. Frost cooled bars.
Finely chop cooked bacon and sprinkle onto frosted bars with sea salt. Store bars in the refrigerator up to 1 week.