These bar cookies combine raisins, carrot cake, and pumpkin cheesecake into one rich dessert. These bar cookies are easy to make because they begin with a cake mix and canned pumpkin. These are extremely rich so you may wish to cut the bars smaller than usual. Cut into bite-sized squares for a party dessert bar.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes
Yield: 24 to 36 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 cup raisins (see instructions)
- .
- Crust Base:
- 1 box (about 18 ounces) spice cake mix
- 1 egg, beaten
- 8 Tablespoons (1 stick or 1/2 cup) butter, at room temperature
- 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup fine-grated carrots (use a microplane)
- .
- Cheesecake Layer:
- 3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated white sugar, divided use
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Preparation:
Soak raisins in hot water to cover for 15 minutes to plump them. Drain thoroughly and blot with a paper towel to dry. Set aside.
Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with foil. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Crust base:
By hand, combine cake mix, 1 egg, butter, and grated carrots. It may seem like you need some liquid, but do not add any. Just keep folding and pressing the mixture with a spatula until it forms a thick dough. Spoon into prepared pan and spread evenly into bottom of pan.
Sprinkle raisins evenly over crust base and press gently into the crust with spatula.
Cheesecake Layer:
Beat cream cheese, 3/4 cup of the sugar, and vanilla with electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Reserve 1-1/2 cups of the plain batter.
Stir remaining 1/4 cup sugar, pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves into remaining batter.
Spoon the pumpkin batter evenly over crust. Drop dollops of the reserved plain batter over the pumpkin mixture. Cut through batters with knife, gently swirling for marble effect, taking care not to dislodge the crust.
Bake at 350 degrees F. about 45 minutes, until center is barely set. Cool to room temperature and slice into squares before serving.
Yield: 24 to 36 bars
Note: These bar cookies are extremely rich so you may wish to cut the bars smaller.
Pumpkin Carrot Raisin Cheesecake Bars Recipe Photo © 2011 Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with foil. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Crust base:
By hand, combine cake mix, 1 egg, butter, and grated carrots. It may seem like you need some liquid, but do not add any. Just keep folding and pressing the mixture with a spatula until it forms a thick dough. Spoon into prepared pan and spread evenly into bottom of pan.
Sprinkle raisins evenly over crust base and press gently into the crust with spatula.
Cheesecake Layer:
Beat cream cheese, 3/4 cup of the sugar, and vanilla with electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Reserve 1-1/2 cups of the plain batter.
Stir remaining 1/4 cup sugar, pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves into remaining batter.
Spoon the pumpkin batter evenly over crust. Drop dollops of the reserved plain batter over the pumpkin mixture. Cut through batters with knife, gently swirling for marble effect, taking care not to dislodge the crust.
Bake at 350 degrees F. about 45 minutes, until center is barely set. Cool to room temperature and slice into squares before serving.
Yield: 24 to 36 bars
Note: These bar cookies are extremely rich so you may wish to cut the bars smaller.
Pumpkin Carrot Raisin Cheesecake Bars Recipe Photo © 2011 Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, licensed to About.com, Inc.
