Cuz it’s Fridaaaaay!
And Friday’s instantly make us all giddy inside so a yummy pumpkin bread recipe naturally pairs with that feeling
wonderfully.
That being said, Friday’s aren’t the same for me anymore since Fall quarter started. I have a three hour Anatomy/Physiology lab every Friday morning at 8 a.m…that doesn’t exactly scream happy go-lucky status.
So my Friday mornings normally go like this:
7am: Rushed Breakfast + Coffee + Blogging –> 8am: 3 Hour Lab Mental Atrocity –> 12pm: Trader Joe’s Therapy
It’s not all that bad. I just like to be over dramatic with my life in order to make it more
Intersting . Because in reality my life can be pretty boring from an outsiders perspective. Unless you also find zen at Trader Joe’s on a Friday afternoon in order to clear your mind and get lost in the aisles of foodie heaven.
If that’s the case for you let’s get some two buck chuck, dark chocolate peanut butter cups and become best friends please.
So my latest Friday TJ’s finds included white
Chocolate chips for only $1.99, I mean how could I resist? And of course, canned pumpkin, rolled oats and PUMPKIN CREAM CHEESE. Someone pinch me this stuff is so good.
I don’t usually give into the whole Trader Joe’s pumpkin hoopla…I mean I try a few products here and there but I don’t go crazy with getting ALL the pumpkin things…I have a student budget to abide to unfortunatley.
That being said, after getting mentally beaten down last Friday with a Lab Practical, I felt like treating myself. And that my friends is what Fridays are all about.
Now as I write this post, with The Voice on in the background, pumpkin bread bar in hand slathered in pumpkin cream cheese and sunbutter…I’m finding my zen, my escape from the stress of school and the beauty of treating myself.
And spoiler alert: these taste like cake. No joke, legit cake. The white chocolate chips + maple cream cheese glaze are just icing on that cake (literally). You will not believe how moist and fluffy these little bars are, and it’s all from good-for-you ingredients like oat flour, greek yogurt, peanut butter and pumpkin puree. Sha-zaaam on that note Happy Friday y’all!
P.S. Does anyone else watch The Voice? I think I’m team Adam… (for obvious reasons)
White Chocolate Pumpkin Snack Cake with Maple Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 cup oat flour* (gluten free if needed)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp pumpin pie spice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- sea salt to taste
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt (I used Chobani)
- 1/4 cup vanilla almond milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup peanut butter** (or almond butter)
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
Glaze
- 3 Tbsp cream cheese (Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Cream Cheese = THE BEST)
- 2 tsp maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees farenheit. Grease an 8×8 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- Whisk together yogurt, almond milk and vanilla extract. Let this stand for a few minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Combine oat flour, baking soda, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, sea salt and sugar in a bowl until well mixed.
- Combine pumpkin and peanut butter until well combined. Whisk this into your yougrt mixture until a thick mixture forms. Slowly add in dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon. Fold in white chocolate chips then evenly spread out into your baking dish.
- Bake for 30 minutes and while it’s baking make cream cheese glaze. Melt the cream cheese in the microwave for a few seconds then mix with maple syrup.
- Once bars are done baking, allow to cool in the pan for atleast 20 minutes. Cut into 16 squares then drizzle on maple cream cheese glaze.
Notes
- To make your own flour, simply grind raw oats in a blender or food processor for 30 seconds until smooth.
- **I used Peanut Butter & Co. White Chocolate Peanut Butter flavor but any peanut butter will work, and I am sure almond butter will as well.
- Makes 16 bars. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 5 days or in the fridge. These taste best the next day so I reccommend planning ahead if making for an event! Super yummy warmed up with extra cream cheese or nut butter.