Is my extract showing?

What’s that you see?  That’s my vanilla extract from Mexico!  No we didn’t go to a tourist venue or a specialty shop to get it… straight to the grocery store… good ol’ Soriana.  Your next question should be “what the heck were you doing in a grocery store in Mexico?”  Well… thanks for asking. (Thanks for playing along.)  I was buying supplies for Honey Bun Cake of course!!  How could I spend a week in a beautiful kitchen in our condo in Mexico and NOT bake something?
My mother-in-law and I walked to the store, me hunting for my baking supplies, she for other odds and ends.  We asked SO many people for disposable aluminum pans (the owner of our condo had no 9 x 13 pans… no baking dishes whatsoever).  Granted, we asked in loud English and made rather large hand gestures and made quite big fools of ourselves.  We scoured the store hunting and looking- still nothing.  We finally found someone who when we asked if he spoke English – he asked if we spoke French!  Ugh!  He DID speak English and said he knew right where to find them.  Sadly no…  but what I did find way at the top of a shelf was a disposable turkey roasting pan.  Jackpot!!  Granted I had to pound out some of the formed pan, but it worked great!
Too bad this isn’t the recipe for Honey Bun cake right?  With that lead in?  Just for the vanilla?  Search to the right there – you’ll find the Honey Bun Cake recipe.  These Cinnamon Roll Cookie Bars?  Pretty stinkin’ good.  It reminded me of carrot cake with the cream cheese frosting, but less carroty.  Enjoy – but make the pieces small they are rich!
Cinnamon Roll Cookie Bars
What you need!
Bars
1 (15.25 oz) box Yellow Cake Mix
1 (4 serving) box Cook and Serve Vanilla Pudding (I used Butterscotch)
3/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp cinnamon
Frosting
1 (8 oz) block cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
5 cups powdered sugar
*optional ~ Cinnamon Sugar to garnish
3 Tbsp sugar + 1 tsp cinnamon
Make it!
Preheat oven to 350°
Spray 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray, set aside.
In large bowl combine all ingredients for the bars. Stir until there are no lumps.
Spread into prepared baking dish and bake 20-25 minutes until edges are golden.
Let cool completely before frosting.
Frosting
In mixing bowl beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar and continue beating for 1-2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
Spread on cooled bars.
If desired sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top for garnish
Cut into squares when ready to serve.