Pumpkin Raisin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

With the holidays coming everyone seems to look forward to pumpkin pie. I admit that I'm not a big fan of pumpkin pie. I do like the pumpkin flavor though. I found this recipe from Paula Deen that is very good. I thought I could improve on it though. So I took her base recipe and added a few touches. I hope you enjoy these cake-like bars as much as I do!

Pumpkin Raisin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Bars:
4 eggs
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
15 ounces canned pumpkin
2 cups sifted flour plus 2 tbs flour
1 cup raisins
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp allspice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan. Soak raisins in water for 2 to 5 minutes (until they are plump). Drain the raisins and pat them dry. Toss with 2 tbs flour.

Mix eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin at medium speed until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl mix 2 cups flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and spices. Add the dry mix with the pumpkin mix at low speed until well mixed and smooth. Stir in the flour covered raisins by hand. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix the butter and cream cheese until well mixed. Slowly add the powdered sugar until completely combined. Mix in the vanilla extract. Spread over cooled bars.

Tips: Store completed bars in the fridge. Be sure to sift your flour and your powdered sugar. Sifting the flour assures the bars come out light and fluffy. Sifting the sugar assures complete smoothness of your frosting. The raisins don't need to be soaked but I like my raisins juicy so soaking them before hand helps retain moisture. Also coating the raisins with flour keeps them from sinking to the bottom of the bars.