Pumpkin Dump Cake is an easy fall dessert that has layers of pumpkin, warm spices and a buttery cake topping loaded with crunchy pecans.
The recipe is quick and easy to make with cake mix, and the perfect way to enjoy a delicious pumpkin dessert without the hassle of complicated steps.
For a pumpkin spice sweet treat served throughout the fall or an easy Thanksgiving dessert, this recipe is a must-try!
Why You’ll Love this Pumpkin Dump Cake
An amazing alternative to pumpkin pie. Not only is pumpkin dump cake easier to make than homemade pumpkin pie, but it tastes amazing with its buttery crumbled topping. This delicious Thanksgiving dessert always get gobbled up.
Perfect fall dessert for groups. This recipe yields a generous 9×13 dessert, ideal for potlucks and family get-togethers.
Easy last-minute dessert. This is one of those recipes I keep on standby that’s easy to bake up with ingredients I already have.
In the fall, I add extras to my pantry like canned pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and cake mixes so I can make recipes like this and my pumpkin cream cheese muffins without going to the store.
What is a Pumpkin Dump Cake?
If you’re on team pumpkin spice and you’ve never tasted this pumpkin dessert, you’re in for a treat.
A pumpkin dump cake is like an upside down pumpkin pie, with a buttery crumbled topping in place of pie crust!
My least favorite part about baking is flour all over my kitchen. No matter how careful I am, I still manage to get it everywhere.
With a dump cake, there’s no flour to measure. Boxed cake mix is all you need!
While most dump cakes have 3 ingredients dumped into a baking pan on top of each other, this one has a few more to make the spiced pumpkin filling.
This small extra step is worth the result!
Ingredients Needed
- pumpkin puree
- evaporated milk
- eggs
- sugar
- pumpkin pie spice & cinnamon
- yellow cake mix
- salted butter
- chopped pecans
- brown sugar
How to Make Pumpkin Dump Cake
- Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 baking pan and set aside.
- Combine pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, granulated sugar, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon in a large bowl. Stir to combine with a whisk or electric mixer. Pour into the prepared pan.
- Sift the dry cake mix evenly over the pumpkin layer (to get rid of any lumps). Carefully level the cake mix using a spatula or other wide, flat utensil. Then sprinkle some additional pumpkin spice or cinnamon on top of the cake mix.
- Slowly drizzle the melted butter on top of the cake mix and cover it completely. Use a ladle so you can control how much butter goes where. Cover the top with chopped pecans, then sprinkle on the brown sugar.
- Bake 55-60 minutes. Cover with foil the last 15 minutes. The pumpkin dump cake is done when the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted only as deep as the cake layer comes out clean.
Detailed recipe and instructions are in recipe card at bottom of post.
Recipe Notes
Level the cake mix before covering it with melted butter. One of the biggest issues/pitfalls/complaints I’ve seen with dump cakes is that there are dry spots of cake mix.
To avoid any dry bits of cake mix, sift the cake mix over the pumpkin filling and level it before adding the butter. Otherwise, melted butter will pool in the valleys, and leave peaks of dry cake mix.
Use a wide utensil with a flat edge, like the edge of a spatula or an icing spatula, and carefully level it.
Then, pour the butter on slowly. I find that scooping it on top with a ladle gives me more control than pouring streams of it.
Serving Suggestions & Variations
Pumpkin dump cake is best served warm. Just let it set up at least 30 minutes after it comes out of the oven.
Then serve it with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, a dusting of pumpkin spice or drizzle of caramel sauce.
For a little something extra, garnish it with a couple candied pecans. Here’s my easy maple glazed pecans recipe and stovetop cinnamon sugar pecans.
Recipe Variations
I like this recipe with yellow cake mix, but you can also make it with a boxed spice cake mix or chocolate.
For a little more decadence, add some toffee chips or heath bar chips to the pecan layer. If you do this, only use half the amount of pecans.
How to Store Leftover Pumpkin Pie Dump Cake
Just like homemade pumpkin pie, this egg-rich pumpkin dessert should be stored in the refrigerator. It’s good for 3-4 days.
Wrap it loosely with plastic wrap or foil and then when you’re ready to enjoy a slice, pop it in the microwave for 15-30 seconds.
More Pumpkin Recipes
Pumpkin Dump Cake
This pumpkin dump cake is an easy fall dessert that has a sweet pumpkin filling layer topped with buttery cake crumbles and crunchy pecans. It's made with yellow cake mix, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and a few other simple ingredients. This recipe is easy to dump together in a baking pan in about 10 minutes! Serve this beyond-delicious fall dessert for Thanksgiving or anytime.
Ingredients
- 2 (15 oz) cans pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
- 4 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 1 cup salted butter, melted
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 baking pan and set aside.
- Combine pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, granulated sugar, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon in a large bowl. Stir to combine with a whisk or electric mixer. Pour into the prepared pan.
- Sift the dry cake mix evenly over the pumpkin layer. Carefully level the cake mix using a spatula or other wide, flat utensil. Then sprinkle some additional pumpkin spice or cinnamon on top of the cake mix.
- Slowly drizzle the melted butter on top of the cake mix and cover it completely. Use a ladle so you can control how much butter goes where. Cover the top with chopped pecans, then sprinkle on the brown sugar.
- Bake 55-60 minutes. Cover loosely with foil the last 15 minutes. The pumpkin dump cake is done when a toothpick inserted only as deep as the cake layer comes out dry and the top is browned. Let cool at least 30 minutes before cutting.
Notes
- Level the dry cake mix layer before drizzling on the melted butter.
- Pumpkin dump cake is done when the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted only as deep as the cake mix layer comes out clean. Cover the last 15 minutes to prevent over-browning.
- Let the pumpkin dump cake set up about 30 minutes after removing from oven before cutting.
- This dessert is best served warm with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, a dusting of pumpkin spice or drizzle of caramel sauce.
- Refrigerate leftovers for 3-4 days. Warm up a slice in microwave for 15-30 seconds.