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Pumpkin spice and everything nice, that’s what this Pumpkin Crunch Cake recipe is made of. Pumpkin filling is topped with cake mix and butter then sprinkled with nuts before being baked into a fall dream come true.
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Pumpkin Dump Cake
I warned you the other day when I shared my Pumpkin Whoopie Pies….fall is coming so I’m pregaming with all the pumpkin recipes I can handle.
I LOVE pumpkin spice everything….I’m that person. So, if you are like me, then you’re not mad about it. This Pumpkin Crunch Cake, also known as Pumpkin Dump Cake, is everything you want it to be. And it’s super easy to make, too.
What is Pumpkin Dump Cake?
If you’ve never had a Pumpkin Dump Cake before, this recipe is like magic. It’s, basically, a pumpkin dump cake recipe but just with a better name.
Just like this Blueberry Dump Cake, this recipe is made with cake mix and a few other ingredients.
It’s a layer of pumpkin filling which reminds me of pumpkin pie and is topped with cake mix that bakes into a crunchy, sweet topping reminiscent of a streusel. The chopped pecans just take it over the top.
How To Make Pumpkin Dump Cake
This Pumpkin Dump cake couldn’t be easier to make and you can make it in advance which makes it fantastic for holidays and parties.
- Beat the pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, pumpkin pie spice and salt together in a large bowl until smooth.
- Pour the pumpkin mixture into a 13×9 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
- Sprinkle the cake mix over the top of the pumpkin filling and top with pecans.
- Pour the melted butter over the cake mix.
- Bake the cake in a 350˚F oven for 1 hour or until done. (the top will be crunchy and golden brown.)
- Allow the cake to rest for 30 minutes or overnight before serving. If you’re not serving the same day, refrigerate your cake until you’re ready to serve.
How To Serve Pumpkin Dump Cake
We like to top our Pumpkin Crunch Cake with homemade whipped cream and more chopped pecans. Drizzle a bit of caramel sauce on top for a little extra POW!
We also like to top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream when it’s still warm….and, again, with the caramel sauce.
Tips For Perfect Dump Cake
This Pumpkin Cake is super easy to make but these simple tips will make it the best it can be.
- Pumpkin – I used my homemade pumpkin puree to make this recipe, drain it well before mixing with the other ingredients. You can use canned pumpkin puree with excellent results to save time.
- Cake Mix – I used my favorite Yellow Cake Mix for this recipe but you can also use a Spice Cake Mix to add more fall flair!
- Spices – I used a homemade Pumpkin Spice blend I make every year. I highly recommend it but your favorite fall spices will work in a pinch.
- Butter – Be sure to use unsalted butter for this recipe.
More Easy Pumpkin Desserts
If you like this pumpkin crunch cake, you will also LOVE these easy Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins. They’re a staple all year long and they’re super simple to make.
We also love this creamy Pumpkin Cheesecake, it graces our dessert table every holiday season as does this sweet Pumpkin Punch!
Also, don’t miss this classic Pumpkin Pie or these fabulous Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies..….they’re SO GOOD!
DON’T MISS A RECIPE! BE SURE TO FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM AND FACEBOOK FOR MORE FAMILY FAVORITES!
Pumpkin Dump Cake Recipe
Equipment
- baking dish
Ingredients
- 30 ounce pumpkin puree, two 15 ounce cans
- 12 ounce evaporated milk
- 4 large eggs
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 18.25 ounce package yellow cake mix
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚ F (175˚ C).
- Coat a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, beat the pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and salt together with a hand mixer or whisk.
- Pour the pumpkin mixture into the baking dish.
- Sprinkle the cake mix evenly over the top of the pumpkin mixture and lightly pat down.
- Sprinkle the pecans evenly over the cake mix and then drizzle with melted butter.
- Bake for 60 to 80 minutes or until done.
- Allow the cake to cool for 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
As always I do a dry run of any newly discovered recipes using my spouse/son as Guinea pigs, and as with ‘Fall rapidly approaching us I wanted a new spin on traditional pumpkin desserts and made it this past wknd and they both had seconds, lol! I enjoyed mine with a cup of fresh coffee and wowee did it satisfy our sweet tooth(s)!! Absolutely delicious and can’t recommend it enough! It will be made several times yet again this holiday season. Thank you so much for sharing it!!
Thank you for trying it and for your comment! I’m so happy it was a hit with the whole family.
This was ok overall. Wish I would’ve used white sugar, as I feel the pumpkin wasn’t sweet enough.
Brown sugar has a sweeter flavor than white sugar so that wouldn’t make the pumpkin any sweeter. I’m sorry you didn’t love it as much as we did.
I can’t imagine wanting anything like this to be any sweeter, but if you do, perhaps it would work for you to use sweetened condensed milk instead of evaporated milk (since brown sugar does provide a flavor that white sugar does not).
Yes, I agree. Sweetened condensed milk may make this cloyingly sweet.
This looks delicious but I do keto. By any chance do you have a recipe for keto? Or should I just play?
You should definitely just play. There are some things that are worth straying from the diet for, this is one of them. 🙂