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Pumpkin dump cake is the fall dessert I make when I need something for a potluck or a get-together and don’t have time to bake from scratch. It’s no-fail — just mix, dump, and bake! Canned pumpkin, a box of yellow cake mix, pecans, and butter turn into a spiced pumpkin layer with a buttery, crumbly cake topping.
If you love easy cake-mix desserts, my Blueberry Dump Cake and Pumpkin Cobbler are next on the list.
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Pin RecipeWhy You Will Love This Pumpkin Dump Cake
You all know I have a love for boxed cake mixes. The first time I stumbled on these cake-mix hacks I was skeptical — but I was in a hurry and didn’t have time to bake from scratch, so I crossed my fingers and gave it a go. You guys, it is a game-changer. This pumpkin version has been on our fall table ever since.
- Ten minutes of prep, then the oven does the work.
- Tastes like pumpkin pie without rolling a crust — creamy pumpkin layer, crumbly buttered cake topping, and toasted pecans in every bite.
- Feeds a crowd: one 9×13 pan makes 12 servings.
- Rated 4.5 stars by more than 130 readers.
“I made this cake for a dinner party and it received RAVE reviews. Absolutely delicious.” — reader comment
Table of Contents
Ingredient Notes
See the recipe card below for ingredient amounts and complete instructions.
- Canned pumpkin: use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pie filling is already sweetened and spiced, and the extra liquid keeps the cake from setting.
- Evaporated milk: one 12-ounce can. Some readers have swapped in whole milk, heavy cream, or half-and-half — keep the amount the same.
- Sugar: white granulated. A reader asked about brown sugar; I haven’t tested it in this recipe, so stick with white if you want my exact result.
- Pumpkin pie spice: store-bought, or make my homemade pumpkin pie spice from cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. A couple of readers like it spicier and bump it up.
- Eggs: four, at room temperature for easy mixing.
- Vanilla extract.
- Yellow cake mix: any brand of dry mix. Don’t prepare it — it goes on dry.
- Chopped pecans: walnuts work well, too.
- Butter: I always recommend unsalted butter for baking. Slice it into thin pats, or melt it and drizzle it over the top.
Variations
- Spice cake mix instead of yellow: the most popular reader swap. Three readers have made it this way, and one who tried both said “everyone loved the spice cake topping better.”
- Toffee or Heath bits on top: two readers sprinkled crushed Heath bar over the pecans and raved about it.
- Nut-free: leave the pecans off. One reader did nuts on one half only for a mixed crowd.
- Half batch: a reader halved everything and baked it in a smaller dish “beautifully.” I haven’t tested the timing for a half batch myself.
- Toppings: vanilla ice cream, homemade whipped cream, a drizzle of homemade caramel sauce, chocolate chips, or a dash of cinnamon.
For more cake-mix shortcuts, see my 10 tricks to make a box cake mix taste homemade and my guide to how to make a dump cake, which rounds up all of my dump cakes — including Apple Dump Cake, Peach Dump Cake, Cherry Dump Cake, Strawberry Dump Cake, and Chocolate Dump Cake.
How To Make Pumpkin Dump Cake
- Mix the pumpkin layer. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, eggs, evaporated milk, and vanilla until smooth. Pour the mixture into the dish and spread it evenly.
- Add the cake mix and pecans. Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the pumpkin mixture — don’t stir it in. Scatter the chopped pecans over the top.
- Add the butter. Cut the butter into thin slices and arrange them evenly over the top, covering as much of the dry cake mix as you can, or drizzle melted butter over the whole surface.
- Bake. Bake at 350°F for 1 hour, until the top is golden brown, the edges are bubbling, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The center may still be slightly jiggly — it sets as it cools.
- Rest and serve. Let the cake rest for at least 30 minutes so the pumpkin layer sets, then scoop and serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Kasey’s Tips
- Use pure pumpkin puree, not pie filling.
- One 12-ounce can of evaporated milk — no more. Extra liquid is the number-one reason a dump cake won’t set.
- Cover as much of the dry cake mix with butter as you can. Any mix the butter doesn’t reach stays powdery, so use melted butter if you want the most even topping.
- Take it out too soon and the filling will be runny. Bake the full hour, trust the toothpick rather than the clock, and if the topping browns before the center is set, tent loosely with foil and keep baking.
- Give it the rest. The pumpkin layer is custard-like and keeps setting for 30 minutes after it comes out of the oven — cut it hot and it falls apart on the plate.
Why Is My Pumpkin Dump Cake Still Liquid?
A few readers have written that their cake was still soft or wet in the middle after the full hour. It almost always comes down to one of these:
- Extra milk. Evaporated milk comes in 12-ounce cans, and the recipe uses exactly one. One reader topped it up to 16 ounces with regular milk and needed an extra 15 minutes in the oven.
- Pumpkin pie filling instead of puree. Pie filling adds liquid and sugar the recipe doesn’t account for.
- Cutting it too soon. The pumpkin layer keeps setting as it cools. Give it the full rest before you scoop.
- An oven running cool. If the top isn’t golden at 60 minutes, keep baking in 10-minute checks until a toothpick comes out clean.
The finished texture should be soft and a little gooey where the cake meets the pumpkin — that’s a dump cake — but never raw or runny.
How to Store, Freeze and Reheat
- Store leftover pumpkin dump cake in the refrigerator. The pumpkin layer is made with eggs and evaporated milk, so once it has cooled, cover the pan with foil or move slices to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4-5 days. It can sit out while you serve it, but don’t leave it at room temperature for more than a couple of hours.
- Freeze the cooled dump cake for up to 3 months. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil, and thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Reheat single servings in the microwave in 30-second intervals, or the whole pan in the oven at 350°F for about 15 minutes, until heated through. It’s good cold, too.
What to Serve With Pumpkin Dump Cake
Warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of homemade whipped cream. It’s one of my favorite easy Thanksgiving desserts that aren’t pie, and if you’d rather skip the oven entirely, my No Bake Pumpkin Pie is the other one I lean on.
FAQs
Because it’s as simple as dumping in the ingredients and baking!
A little, yes. The layer where the cake mix meets the pumpkin stays soft and gooey, but the center should never be raw or runny. Bake the full hour until a toothpick comes out clean, then let it rest so the pumpkin sets.
The top will be golden brown and bubbling at the edges, and a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean. The middle may still be slightly jiggly; it firms up as the cake cools.
Yes! Be sure to measure out the same amount of fresh pumpkin as canned for this recipe.
No. Pie filling is already sweetened and spiced, and the extra liquid keeps the cake from setting. Use pure pumpkin puree.
Yes. The pumpkin layer is made with eggs and evaporated milk, so once the cake has cooled, cover it and refrigerate for up to 4-5 days. It’s fine on the counter while you serve it, but don’t leave it out for more than a couple of hours.
Reader Favorite Pumpkin Dessert Recipes
Breakfast
Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Streusel
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Pumpkin Caramel Poke Cake
Breakfast
Two-Ingredient Pumpkin Spice Muffins
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Pumpkin Dump Cake
Equipment
- 1 9×13 inch baking dish
- 1 Large mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 2 (15 ounce) cans pure pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 4 eggs
- 12 oz evaporated milk one can
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 package yellow cake mix dry
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup butter unsalted, sliced into thin pats or melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Grease a 9×13 baking dish.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, eggs, evaporated milk, and vanilla until smooth. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the greased pan and spread it evenly.2 (15 ounce) cans pure pumpkin puree, 12 oz evaporated milk, 1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, 1 cup sugar, 4 eggs, 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the pumpkin mixture. Do not stir.1 package yellow cake mix
- Top with the chopped pecans.1 cup chopped pecans
- Slice the butter into thin pats and arrange them evenly over the top, covering as much of the dry cake mix as you can (or drizzle melted butter over the whole surface).1 cup butter
- Bake at 350°F for 1 hour, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The center may still be slightly jiggly; it sets as it cools.
- Let the cake rest for at least 30 minutes so the pumpkin layer sets.
- Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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I hope you enjoy this delicious Pumpkin Dump Cake recipe! If you give it a try, please share your experience in the comments below. Don’t forget to tag me on social media @allthingsmamma and use the hashtag #allthingsmamma.
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loved it
Perfection. Thanks!