INGREDIENTS

  • 6 tablespoons butter , melted and cooled
  • 1 3/4 cups sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 (8ounce)package cream cheese , at room temperature

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar until smooth.
  2. Beat in 2 eggs, pumpkin, and 1/3 cup water until well blended, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. In another bowl, mix flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and nutmeg; stir or beat into butter mixture until well blended.
  3. Spread batter evenly in a buttered and floured 10- by 15-inch baking pan.
  4. In a bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese, remaining egg, and remaining 1/4 cup sugar until smooth.
  5. Drop cream cheese mixture in 24 evenly spaced 1-tablespoon portions over batter.
  6. Pull a knife tip through filling to swirl slightly into batter.
  7. Bake in a 350° oven until center of pumpkin batter (not cream cheese mixture) springs back when touched, about 30 minutes.
  8. Let cool completely in pan, then cut into 24 bars.