Cranberry Bliss Bars

CAKE

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cups diced dried cranberries (craisins)
6 oz. white chocolate, cut into chunks


FROSTING

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
4 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 C. butter


ICING

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 T. milk
2 tsp. vegetable shortening


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cake: beat butter and brown sugar together with an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs, vanilla, ginger and salt. Beat well. Gradually mix in flour until smooth. Mix in 3/4 cup diced dried cranberries and white chocolate by hand. Pour batter into a well-greased 9 x 13 pan. Use a spatula to spread the batter evenly across the pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes until edges of cake are light brown and a toothpick to the center of cake comes out clean. Allow cake to cool completely.

Frosting: combine softened cream cheese, 3 cups powdered sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. When the cake has cooled, use a spatula to spread frosting over the top of the cake. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of dried cranberries over the frosting on the cake.

Icing: whisk together 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 T. milk and shortening. Drizzle over cranberries in a sweeping motion using a pastry bag (or a baggie with a small hole cut in the corner). Allow cake to sit for several hours in the fridge, then slice the cake into squares and then triangles.