Blogging Buddies

One of the many things I love about blogging is all the people you get to ‘meet’. Some of these fellow bloggers are just people I have stumbled upon on the internet and just exchange comments and emails with each of and others I have physically meet in ‘real life’.
But what I love most is that all of us bloggers are so unique yet have so much in common.

Take Lisa of Lisa Knows Tea. Lisa is a blogger, cookbook author, tea expert, speaker, and my also my aunt. I feel that through our passion of food and the food world we have become closer as aunt and niece.

I first stumbled upon Jessica’s blog, How Sweet It Is, about a year ago. At that time she had just quit her 9 to 5 job to pursue her dreams of food writing. I had just done the same. We shared emails and comments about our struggles and fears. We were finally able to meet in person back in June at the IACP. It has been fun keeping in touch and cheering each other on while we follow our dreams.

I love finding and getting to “know” fellow Texas food bloggers like Monica of Lick the Bowl Good and Leah of Dinner Made Easy. Not only do I share Texas pride with these gals but many other things to!

And I can’t forget Deborah of Taste and Tell Blog! All her stories sound like things that happen to me or thoughts I have and we coincidently share similar recipes a lot. I know that if I could ever meet Deborah we would have tons of fun baking together because we like the same things! Take the recipe I shared yesterday, Black Bean Pumpkin Quesadillas. I thought they were so original and turns out Deborah made a similar recipe with sweet potatoes.

And I was so giddy to make and share this rich and pumpkiny pumpkin cake with you. I kid you not, the day after I made these Deborah posted a very similar pumpkin bars/cake recipe on her blog! I think that is a sure sign that you need to make this fabulous pumpkin cake!

Pumpkin Cake Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Printable Version
Prep Time: 20-30 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Makes 40 bars

Bars:

4 eggs
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup applesauce
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 package (4 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350°F.

Lightly grease bottom and sides of 9×13-inch pan.

In large bowl, beat eggs, granulated sugar, oil, applesauce, vanilla and pumpkin with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Stir in flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, ginger and nutmeg. Spread in pan.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely in pan on cooling rack, about 2 hours.

In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, milk and vanilla with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until smooth and spreadable. Frost bars. Cut into 7 rows by 7 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

adapted from Betty Crocker and Gold Medal Flour