Apple Squares with Cream Cheese Frosting

Mmmm...apple cake.  It's chewy, buttery, sweet, and oh-so-apple-y.  There is nothing I'd rather do than sink my teeth into one of these magnificent little apple cake bars.  Especially with the cream cheese frosting, they are melt-in-your-mouth perfection.  I made these for a Christmas party and let me tell you: these put all the other desserts to shame.  Seriously, these bars were gone instantly, so I had to apologize for not making more.  They look very pretty when you drizzle the cream cheese frosting on them too(:  Just a warning: be careful cutting them, cause they're kind of messy due to their chewy, delicate, amazing-ness. These chunky bars are sure to please.

Yield: about 16 squares (1 9x9 inch pan)

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup apple juice
• 2 cups chopped apple
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x9 inch pan. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix together melted butter, brown sugar, and 3/4 cup of white sugar until smooth. Stir in the egg, vanilla, and apple juice. Blend in the flour mixture until just combined, then stir in the apples. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared pan. In a small bowl, stir together the remaining cinnamon and sugar; sprinkle over the top of the bars.
3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in preheated oven; finished bars should spring back when lightly touched. Cool in the pan, frost with recipe below, and cut into squares

Cream Cheese Frosting:

Ingredients:

• 1 (3-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons milk

Instructions:

Beat first 2 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended. Stir in vanilla and 1 Tbsp. milk. Add remaining 1 Tbsp. milk, 1 tsp. at a time, stirring until icing is smooth and creamy.

Drizzle or spread on top of cooled bars.

***I drizzled it by placing the frosting in a zip-lock baggie, cutting a very tiny hole, and squeezing it through.