Pecan Pumpkin Butter Dessert Bars

While baking is a passion of mine that I have all year round, during the fall and winter months around the holiday season, this passion is piqued even more. The smells in the kitchen, the way a plate of baked goods look on a special plate, and the smiles seen while devouring every morsel makes it quite enjoyable, as well.  Though pecan and pumpkin flavors are quite common during these months, there are many other ways that these popular flavors can be incorporated into our favorite dishes in more innovative ways.

{Photo from Bakerella}

As a lover of Bakerella's baking blog, I came across these bad-boys last year. Anxious to try their creative approach to blending the two holiday loves of pecan and pumpkin together into a delicious dessert bar, I whipped up a batch for a school bakesale and actually ended up winning. Naturally, when I went home for Thanksgiving last week, I made some again to this time share with my family, instead. 

With this recipe, you will need: yellow cake mix, sugar, flower, milk, eggs, butter, cinnamon, and Muirhead's pecan pumpkin butter. 

This recipe is fairly easy, and will leave you (and your friends and family) feeling like you are the next Betty Crocker.

First, take the cake mix, and remove a cup of the cake mix from the box and mix in a separate bowl with the egg and butter mixture.

Then, press the mixture into the bottom of a 9 by 13 pan.

Now, mix the pumpkin butter with the rest of the eggs and milk, and spread over the ingredients already in the pan.

Finally, for the crumble on the top, mix the rest of the dry ingredients together (including the rest of the cake mix) until it looks like how you would like it and sprinkle on the top of the pumpkin butter layer in the pan.

Bake at 350* for 35 minutes, or until the top crumble is golden brown.

Take out of the oven and let cool. Cut into equal square portions, and enjoy. I hope that this recipe becomes a new favorite holiday staple in your household, as it surely is now in mine.