These easy Pumpkin Bars with Cake Mix have a soft, spiced pumpkin base with a sweet cream cheese swirl baked right in. They start with yellow cake mix and pumpkin puree, take about 15 minutes to prepare, and make a great fall dessert for parties, potlucks, or Thanksgiving.
Why You'll Love Pumpkin Bars with Cake Mix
As soon as the weather cools off, I'm ready for all things pumpkin. These Pumpkin Cake Mix Bars have plenty of fall flavor, with a cream cheese swirl that makes them look a little more special.
The cake mix keeps things simple, while pumpkin puree and spices give the bars that classic pumpkin flavor. They're soft and moist like cake, but firm enough to pick up once cooled.
Unlike pumpkin pie bars, there's no separate crust or custard layer. These are fluffier than my Chess Bars and lighter than my Lemon Brownies.
Ready in about an hour
Ingredients: 7
Texture: Soft, light, cake-like
This recipe is absolutely fall in a baking dish - hope you love it!
What Kind of Pumpkin Bars Are These?
These pumpkin bars are different from pumpkin pie bars, which usually have a separate cake mix crust, a custard-like pumpkin filling, and a crumble topping. This recipe uses cake mix in the pumpkin batter and has a sweet cream cheese swirl baked throughout.
The finished bars are somewhere between pumpkin cake and pumpkin cream cheese bars. You get a lighter, softer texture and richer areas with those swirls of cream cheese throughout.
Ingredient Notes
(See recipe card at the bottom of this post for full list and ingredient measurements.)
For the Pumpkin Bar Batter
- Yellow cake mix: This recipe was tested with a 15.25oz box. A difference of about an ounce is fine, but avoid the newer 13.25oz boxes, which do not contain enough dry mix for the same results.
- Pumpkin pie spice: This gives the bars their spicy pumpkin flavor without measuring several individual spices.
- Eggs: Two large eggs provide structure and help hold the bars together.
- Vegetable oil: Oil keeps the pumpkin bars soft and moist. Stick with oil here - butter makes them a little bit too fluffy.
- Pumpkin puree: Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling already contains sugar, spices, and other ingredients.
For the Cream Cheese Swirl
- Cream cheese: Use full-fat block cream cheese for the smoothest texture.
- Powdered sugar: Powdered sugar sweetens the cream cheese up and blends into it without leaving a grainy texture.
Additions & Substitutions
- Use spice cake mix: Swap in one 15.25oz box and leave out the pumpkin pie spice.
- Skip the cream cheese swirl: The bars will be more like a simple pumpkin snack cake.
- Use cream cheese frosting: Leave out the swirl, bake and cool the bars, then spread frosting on top.
- Add mix-ins: Stir in up to ½ cup of chopped pecans, mini chocolate chips, toffee bits, or cinnamon chips.
How to Make Pumpkin Bars with Cake Mix
- Make the pumpkin batter. Stir the cake mix, pumpkin pie spice, eggs, oil, and pumpkin puree together until just combined. The batter will be thick, so stop mixing as soon as no dry streaks remain. Spread it evenly in a greased 7x11" glass baking dish.
- Prepare the cream cheese mixture. Microwave the cream cheese in 15-second increments until it is easy to stir, then mix in the powdered sugar until smooth. Avoid overheating it, or the mixture can become too thin.
- Create the swirl. Spoon the cream cheese mixture over the pumpkin batter in several spots. Use a butter knife to gently swirl it through the top, keeping some distinct ribbons instead of blending it in completely.
- Bake until set. Bake until the edges look done and the center no longer jiggles. Test the pumpkin portion with a toothpick, since the cream cheese areas will stay softer.
- Cool before slicing. Let the bars cool completely so the center and cream cheese swirl can firm up. For cleaner cuts, chill them briefly and wipe the knife between slices.
What Size Pan Should I Use?
A 7x11" glass baking dish gives you the thicker bars shown in these photos.
You can use a 9x13" dish for thinner bars, but I have not tested an exact baking time in that size. Begin checking well before the 30-minute mark.
Avoid using an 8x8" dish. It makes the batter too thick and increases the chance of an underbaked center.
Step-by-Step Video Tutorial
Storage and Leftovers
Storage: Store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Serve them chilled, at room temperature, or microwave an individual bar for about 10 seconds.
Freezing: Wrap completely cooled bars individually and freeze them in an airtight container for up to three months. When you're ready to enjoy them again, thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Leslie's Testing Notes
- Check the cake mix size: This recipe was tested with a 15.25oz yellow cake mix. Some boxes are now only 13.25 ounces, which can make the batter softer. A difference of about an ounce is fine, but stay as close to 15.25 ounces as possible.
- Do not overmix: Stir only until the ingredients are combined. Too much mixing can make the bars tough.
- Soften the cream cheese: Use room-temperature cream cheese so it blends smoothly without leaving lumps.
- Do not over-swirl: A few passes with the knife will be plenty. Too much swirling will blend the cream cheese into the batter instead of leaving a marbled look.
- Watch the center: The bars are ready when the edges are set and the center is no longer wet or jiggly.
- Let them cool completely: The bars will be very soft when they're warm. Cooling gives the pumpkin base and cream cheese time to firm up before slicing.
FAQs
More Pumpkin Desserts
I hope you love this easy fall favorite! If you make it, leave a rating and let me know what you thought in the comments. And don't forget to add Lamberts Lately as a preferred source on Google to see more great recipes!
Pumpkin Bars with Cake Mix
Ingredients
For Pumpkin Bars
- 15.25 oz yellow cake mix (1 box)
- 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
For Cream Cheese Swirl
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 cup unpacked powdered sugar
Instructions
- In a large bowl, blend 1 box of cake mix, 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice, 2 eggs, ⅓ cup vegetable oil, and 1 cup of pumpkin puree. Spread this mixture in the bottom of a 7x11" glass baking dish.
- In a separate bowl, microwave cream cheese in 15-second increments until stirrable and smooth. Stir in powdered sugar until incorporated.
- Add 6-8 large dollops of this mixture over the pumpkin bars and swirl this mixture in with a butter knife.
- Bake pumpkin bars at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, until middle of the pan of bars is set.
- Remove bars from the oven and allow them to cool for 20-30 minutes.
Notes
- Use a 15.25oz cake mix for the best results.
- Do not overmix the batter or over-swirl the cream cheese.
- Use a 7x11" glass dish for thicker bars. Avoid an 8x8" pan.
- The bars are done when the edges are set and the center no longer jiggles.
- Cool completely before slicing. Chill briefly for cleaner cuts.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Facts
Leslie Lambert is a lifestyle writer and content creator specializing in home organization, family recipes, and intentional living. With 17 years of experience in blogging and digital storytelling, she helps busy women create calm, purposeful homes they love.
What size pan?
I used a 7x11" Pyrex dish for mine, but using a 9x13" would make the bars a little thinner if you prefer.
I made these last night using a spice cake mix and a 9x13 pan. My only change to the recipe was to add 1 tsp of vanilla to the cream cheese and powdered sugar, and I needed the full amount of baking time (35 minutes) for these but my oven sometimes runs cool so others' mileage may vary there! They were fantastic and I was able to slice them very easily after chilling. Great with coffee and they look really pretty with the cream cheese swirl. Thank you! 🙂