Orange Glazed Pumpkin Bars

These delicious and moist cake-like bars
are easy and quick to make.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 egg
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1 1/2 cups unsifted all purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon each ground ginger, allspice and baking soda
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup chopped dates (optional)
1 1/2 cups unsifted powdered sugar
7 teaspoons orange juice concentrate
(or 7 teaspoons Gran Marnier, or 1 teaspoon grated orange peel & 7  teaspoons orange juice)
1/2 teaspoon brandy or rum extract (omit if using Gran Marnier)

Method: 
Preheat oven to 350*. In a large bowl cream together the butter and brown sugar. Add the egg and pumpkin and beat well. Blend the flour with the spices and soda and sift into creamed mixture. Add pecans and dates; mix well. Spread evenly in a greased 9 x 13 baking pan. Bake in a 350* oven until the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean; 16 - 20 minutes.Stir together powdered sugar with orange concentrate (or alternatives). Spread onto baked cake. Cool and cut into squares. Store in refrigerator. Makes about 3 dozen 2 inch squares.

Flavorful and moist little squares.

Notes: See my recipe for "Orange Glazed Candied Pecans." These pecans can be used on top of the glaze to garnish each square, if you would like to dress these up a bit. (Candied pecans can also be purchased at Trader Joe's Markets.) 

One 1/2 cup of pumpkin is about 1/3 of a 15 ounce can. To find other uses for the remaining pumpkin, please see my recipes for "Organic Pumpkin Dog Biscuits" and "Pecan & Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls With Butter Rum Frosting."

Packaged to give to family at Thanksgiving.