Pumpkin Dump Cake (Printable)
Spiced pumpkin custard topped with buttery cake mix and crisp pecans—warm, easy, and perfect for fall gatherings.
# What You Need:
→ Pumpkin Layer
01 - 1 can (15 oz) pure pumpkin puree
02 - 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
03 - 3 large eggs
04 - 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
05 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Cake and Topping
07 - 1 box (15.25 oz) yellow cake mix
08 - 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
09 - 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
# How To Make:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan thoroughly with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, granulated sugar, and salt until mixture is smooth and homogenous.
03 - Pour the pumpkin mixture into the greased baking pan and spread evenly to cover the bottom.
04 - Distribute dry yellow cake mix evenly over the pumpkin layer, ensuring full coverage. Do not mix.
05 - Drizzle melted butter slowly and evenly over the cake mix, aiming to cover most of the dry surface. Sprinkle chopped pecans on top if using.
06 - Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the surface turns golden brown and the center feels set when gently shaken. The dessert will firm up further as it cools.
07 - Allow the dessert to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or chilled, optionally garnished with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- You can pull it together in minutes, even with someone chatting your ear off in the kitchen.
- The creamy, almost custard-like pumpkin filling and buttery pecan topping taste like autumn comfort itself.
02 -
- If you try to stir the cake mix into the pumpkin layer, you'll lose that amazing layered effect—just sprinkle and trust the process.
- I once forgot to toast my pecans, and the difference in flavor and crunch was shocking—it's worth the extra pan.
03 -
- Breaking up the cake mix with your fingers right in the bag helps avoid random dry patches after baking.
- Lightly pressing down the cake mix once sprinkled over the pumpkin gives the topping the perfect balance of crunch and tenderness.