Pumpkin Dump Cake is the perfect combination of pumpkin pie and a yellow cake mix. What’s more, this pumpkin dump cake is so easy to make!
This is the ideal recipe if you’ve put all of your efforts into getting a holiday dinner on the table but totally forgot about dessert! It’s also a great crowd-pleasing dish to take to a fall potluck or to make for a Halloween party.
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Pumpkin pie dump cake with yellow cake mix
What makes this yellow cake mix and pumpkin recipe so good? It’s easy, it’s buttery, and as the nuts cook, they become toasty and bursting full of flavor. Hands down, pumpkin dump cake is one of the easiest fall cake recipes you can make!
Love pumpkin pie and cake? Well, this easy pumpkin dump cake recipe is the perfect marriage of these two flavors. This recipe is ideal for all pumpkin spice lovers. And, if you’re looking for easy pumpkin desserts, this one should be on top of your list.
What is a dump cake?
Dump cakes are cakes that are so easy to make because you literally just dump the ingredients into a pan and then bake the cake.
For sure, dump cake is not the most eloquent name for a dessert, but when it tastes this good and is this easy to make, who cares what it’s called?
Recipe ingredients
Here’s a list of what you need:
- Pumpkin puree
- Evaporated milk
- Brown sugar
- Eggs
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Vanilla extract
- Yellow cake mix
- Pecans
- Butter
Pumpkin dump cake variations
This recipe combines pumpkin puree and yellow cake mix. However, if you really enjoy the spice flavors of fall, consider using a spiced cake mix instead of the yellow cake mix. You could also use a different kind of nut or candied pecans.
Here’s a list of ingredient substitutions or additions you can make when baking the cake:
- Use spice cake mix instead of yellow cake mix for extra flavor.
- Use walnuts or almonds instead of pecans.
- Use toffee bits or crumbled graham crackers instead of nuts.
- Spinkle cinnamon sugar on top of the cake mix for an extra dash of spice and sweetness.
How to make pumpkin dump cake
This recipe requires one additional step over traditional dump cake recipes.
- You need to combine the pureed pumpkin, pumpkin spice, evaporated milk, brown sugar, vanilla, and eggs in a bowl before adding it to a greased baking dish. This is the extra step since most dump cakes don’t require mixing ingredients.
- After the pumpkin pie filling is put in the baking dish, the yellow cake mix is sprinkled on top and then the nuts go on.
- Finally, small pats of butter are added. The butter will melt and incorporate into the dry cake mix as it bakes.
- Bake the cake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.
How to serve dump cake
Keep the “dump it” theme going, and just dump a big dollop of your favorite vanilla ice cream on top of your dump cake.
You can also serve it up with whipped cream and/or some caramel sauce. Yum!
Another idea is to crumble some ginger snaps over the top.
Can this dump cake be made in advance?
Yes, making it the night before works out perfectly, especially if you choose to serve this cake cold. You can also heat up slices of cake in the microwave for people who prefer them warm.
How to store dump cake
Any leftover dump cake should be refrigerated. Once the cake has cooled, cover it tightly with plastic wrap and it will be good for up to 5 days.
Reheat by microwaving at 30-second intervals until the cake reaches your desired temperature.
Can you freeze pumpkin dump cake?
Yes, After baking, wrap the cake tightly with foil and place it in the freezer. It will be good for up to two months. To thaw, refrigerate overnight.
Pumpkin pie dump cake
If you are searching for pumpkin desserts with yellow cake mix, I think you will enjoy this easy pumpkin pie dump cake recipe.
It’s a wonderful cake to serve while still warm, but it can also be enjoyed cold. If you are not into pumpkin pie, this will be your new favorite thing!
Pumpkin pecan dump cake
I hope you enjoy this easy pumpkin dump cake. The pecans really add a nice nutty flavor and complement both the pie and cake layers.
This recipe always goes over well when I make this dessert. It’s a wonderful cake to serve while it is still warm.
More Yummy Dump Cake Recipes
Popular Pumpkin and Fall Recipes
- Apple Cinnamon Muffins
- Bisquick Apple Cobbler
- Pecan Pie Bars
- Pumpkin Custard
- Pumpkin Muffins with Cake Mix
- Pumpkin Pie Dip
- Pumpkin Spice Pancakes
- Starbucks Pumpkin Bread
- Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte
- Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans
Check out my easy dessert recipes and the best fall recipes here on CopyKat!
Pumpkin Dump Cake
Ingredients
- 1 29-ounce can pumpkin puree
- 1 14-ounce can evaporated milk
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 15.25-ounce box yellow cake mix
- 3/4 cup butter, cut into small pieces
- 2 ounces chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, milk, eggs, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract. Stir until blended and pour into a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the pumpkin. Place the small pieces of butter over the cake mix, as evenly as possible (as they melt they will spread out), and sprinkle pecans over the top of the cake.
- Bake for 50 minutes.
I’m excited to make this and take to our church luncheon.
Sounds like it will be a great dish to share. Thanks !
It may sound odd, but I melted the butter and mixed it in with the cake mix. I then carefully spread it all over. Way easier than cutting up the butter and spreading the little bits all over. The pumpkin custard was lovely. Thanks for the recipe!
can i use nonfat evaporated milk
I don’t see why not.
I am allergic to nuts can I leave out the Pecans and substitute them with something else? And will the dump cake still be good without the pecans?
I would leave the nuts off, and I think the cake would taste fine without the nuts.
This was delicious!
Thanks for sharing this great recipe, would love to make my own from this recipe.
This was delicious!
My family thought this came from the gods. Deliciousness.
Thanks for your sharing. This was a huge hit at my company pot luck.
very good. Thank you for sharing!
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This was a hit at my Halloween party!
I LIKE IT BETTER THAN PIE!!! I DON’T LIKE PIE CRUST!!
This pumpkin dump cake looks great, I would like to try this dish for the family to try, thank you for sharing.
That was delicious. My compliments to the chef!
Nice recipe. My family enjoyed it, in fact, it was gone in 1 evening.
Yummy! Thank you for the delicious recipe. Keep posting such fresh ideas.
You mention “pouring the butter over the crushed pecans”, but the only mention of butter is when you say to place the “pieces of butter evenly over the pecans”. Could you clarify?
There is no pouring the butter over the pecans. I updated the recipe. Thanks.
Sylvia try using candied Pecans on top