If you love pumpkin desserts then this is for you. It is super moist, ultra delicious pumpkin chocolate chip streusel cake. Perfect as small bars or served it my favorite way with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Ingredients:
CAKE:
- 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 15-ounce can (about 2 cups) canned pumpkin
- 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips or milk chocolate
STREUSEL:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces and softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup (optional)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray (or you can line with parchment or foil and then grease for easy cleanup).
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, cream the butter, applesauce, granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium-high speed until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Add canned pumpkin and mix until combined. It’s ok if the mixture looks curdled.
Mix in the dry ingredients, stirring just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
For the streusel, in a small bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the butter and mix with a pastry blender or your fingers until the streusel is evenly combined and forms small clumps.
Sprinkle the streusel mixture over the pumpkin bars followed by the 1/2 cup chocolate chips and toasted pecans (if using).
Bake until the edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes or even longer. Cool completely in the pan before serving. These bars are delicious at room temp or warm (and super tasty with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!).
