Pumpkin Dump Cake

Grab some canned pumpkin and a box of yellow cake mix and you’ll magically have a Pumpkin Dump Cake with streusel topping ready for the oven in about 10 minutes! The perfect cross between a pumpkin pie, a cake and a crisp, this easy dessert recipe is a fall favorite. Serve it with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for the ultimate treat!

Pumpkin Dump Cake with Streusel Topping

It doesn’t get much easier or more delicious than a Pumpkin Dump Cake! There’s no need for a mixer and no fancy pie crust to contend with. Instead, you get the flavor and texture of a pumpkin pie combined with a rich, buttery pecan streusel topping. It’s the best of all worlds!

What’s a Dump Cake?

If you’re not familiar with “dump cakes,” then get on board! These easy dessert recipes only require about 5-10 minutes of hands-on prep time, while the oven does the rest of the work. There are minimal dishes necessary, with maximum flavor in the end!

Pumpkin Pie Cake with Yellow Cake Mix

It’s got a funny name, so let’s first explain what I mean by “dump cake.” While it starts with a box of yellow cake mix, this dessert is really more like a pumpkin pie with cake mix on top or a pumpkin crisp, because the cake mix and nuts form a buttery crumb topping over the pumpkin pie filling.

The name of the dessert probably gives it away, but basically you are just dumping the ingredients into a cake pan and baking them together in the oven. That’s it! 

How to make Pumpkin Dump Cake

Just mix up the pumpkin pie filling and add cake mix, nuts and butter on top. Voilà! The cake is ready for the oven in less than 10 minutes…

Ingredients for Canned Pumpkin Dump Cake

• Pumpkin purée
• Brown sugar
• Eggs
• Whole milk, half-and-half or heavy cream
• Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves and salt
• Box of yellow cake mix
• Pecans
• Butter

Which pumpkin to use?

Make sure that you’re using canned pumpkin purée in this recipe — not canned pumpkin pie filling. The puree is just 100% pure pumpkin, while the pie filling has added sweeteners and spices that you don’t need for this dish. If you like, you can substitute with about 3½ cups of homemade pumpkin puree.

Step 1: Whisk together Pumpkin Pie Filling

In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, brown sugar, eggs, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, salt and cloves until completely combined. Pour the mixture into a greased 9 x 13-inch pan.

Step 2: Add Cake Mix and Nuts

Sprinkle the dry cake mix and the chopped pecans over top.

Step 3: Top with Butter

Slice the butter into very thin squares and arrange the butter all over the top of the cake mix.

Step 4: Bake

Bake the cake in a 350 degree F oven for 50-60 minutes, or until the pumpkin filling is set and the topping is golden brown.

Step 5: Serve

Slice the cake into squares and serve warm or at room temperature. Top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream and enjoy!

Storage Tips

Serve the cake warm, or allow to cool before slicing and serving. Leftover dump cake should be covered and stored in the refrigerator. The cake will keep for up to 3 days. Alternatively, you can freeze the cake for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

You can reheat individual slices of cake in the microwave for 15-30 seconds, or just until warmed through.

How to make Pumpkin Dump Cake in the Slow Cooker

If you prefer to use a Crock Pot to “bake” your cake, follow the same instructions but cook the cake on HIGH for 3 1/2 – 4 hours. Since the lid of a Crock Pot causes condensation to drop back down onto the cake, I recommend placing a few layers of paper towels just under the lid in order to absorb that additional liquid.

Tips for the Best Pumpkin Dump Cake Recipe

• Substitutions for Yellow Cake Mix: if you don’t have a box of yellow cake mix, try using white cake mix or spice cake mix.
• Use whole milk, half-and-half or heavy cream. I do not recommend substituting with a fat-free or low-fat milk, because the fat in the dairy helps to make the rich pumpkin custard.
• Pecans are Optional: You can omit the nuts altogether, decrease to just ¼ cup (I often do this to appease my kids!), or use different nuts such as walnuts or almonds.
• Cool to Slice: You can serve the dump cake warm, straight from the oven; however, I find that it’s easiest to slice the cake into neat squares if you allow the cake to cool for at least 1 hour.
• Add a Creamy Topping: Don’t forget the whipped cream or vanilla ice cream on top! It’s the perfect finishing touch. Try a drizzle of caramel sauce, too.

More pumpkin recipes that you might enjoy:

• The Best Pumpkin Bread
• Easy Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting {another canned pumpkin and yellow cake mix recipe!}
• Shortcut Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake {a combination of spice cake mix and canned pumpkin}
• 2-Ingredient Pumpkin Gingerbread

Pumpkin Dump Cake

5 from 1 vote

Prep: 10 minutes minutes

Cook: 55 minutes minutes

0 minutes minutes

Total: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings 16 slices

Calories 305 kcal

Grab some canned pumpkin and a box of yellow cake mix and you'll magically have a Pumpkin Dump Cake with streusel topping ready for the oven in about 10 minutes!

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Ingredients

  

• 2 (15 ounce) cans pumpkin purée (about 3 ½ cups total)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups whole milk, half-and-half or heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon allspice
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon cloves
• 1 (15.25 ounce) box yellow cake mix
• ½ cup chopped pecans
• ¾ cup butter, sliced into very thin squares
• Optional, for serving: whipped cream or vanilla ice cream; caramel sauce; dash of cinnamon

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, brown sugar, eggs, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, salt and cloves until completely combined. Pour into the prepared pan.
• Sprinkle dry cake mix and pecans over top. Add thinly-sliced butter to cover the top.
• Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the pumpkin filling is set and the topping is golden brown.

Notes

• Substitutions for Yellow Cake Mix: if you don’t have a box of yellow cake mix, try using white cake mix or spice cake mix.
• Use whole milk, half-and-half or heavy cream. I do not recommend substituting with a fat-free or low-fat milk, because the fat in the dairy helps to make the rich pumpkin custard.
• Pecans are Optional: You can omit the nuts altogether, decrease to just ¼ cup (I often do this to appease my kids!), or use different nuts such as walnuts or almonds.
• Cool to Slice: You can serve the dump cake warm, straight from the oven; however, I find that it’s easiest to slice the cake into neat squares if you allow the cake to cool for at least 1 hour.

Keyword: pumpkin dump cake

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Author: Blair Lonergan

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