Starbuck's Cranberry Bliss Bars

•2 sticks margarine (or butter if you want to indulge) -- softened
•1 and 1/4 cups brown sugar-- packed
•3 large eggs
•1 teaspoon ground ginger
•1 teaspoon vanilla
•1/4 teaspoon salt
•1 and 1/2 cups flour
•1/4 cup minced dried cranberries
•1/4 cup Lindt or Perugina or other quality white chocolate -- coarsely chopped
•1/4 cup minced candied ginger


•For Frosting:
•4 ounce cream cheese -- softened
•1 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar
•2 Tablespoons butter -- softened
•1 teaspoon vanilla


•For Garnish:
•2 Tablespoons minced dried cranberries
•1/3 cup white chocolate chips (e.g. Ghiradelli or Guittard) -- melted
Preheat oven to 350 and lightly grease a 9x13 pan.

1. Beat butter and sugar together for the cake base, and add eggs/vanilla beating until fluffy. Sift together flour, ginger, and salt and then add to the butter/sugar mixture beating well. Fold in the cranberries, chocolate and ginger. Spread thick batter in pan and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until light golden.

2. When cake is cooled, mix all frosting ingredients together and spread a thin layer over the cake. Immediately sprinkle with the minced cranberries. Then use a cake decorating bag of melted white chocolate with a tiny decorating tip (like the size used for writing on cakes) and drizzle the chocolate over the cake.

3. Cut this into bars immediately because the white chocolate hardens pretty fast and makes cake cutting messy

In my opinion: These bars are GREAT! I have never had them at Starbuck's so I don't know how they compare, but I loved making them myself. My husband does not like chocolate so I am always looking for white chocolate recipes and this is one we'll make again and again.