Name: Pumpkin Dump Cake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 20
Ingredients: 29 ounce can pumpkin puree (do not use pumpkin pie filling); 12 ounce can evaporated milk; 1 cup brown sugar; 3 eggs; 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 box yellow cake mix; 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans (divided use); 1 cup butter (cut into thin slices); cooking spray

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This pumpkin dump cake is a creamy pumpkin pie filling topped with a decadent pecan butter cake. Serve with ice cream on top for the perfect end to any fall dinner or holiday meal.

I can’t get enough pumpkin this time of the year, some of my favorites include pumpkin gooey butter cake and pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. This pumpkin dump cake is so very easy to make, and with just minutes of prep you end up with an amazing two layered dessert that’s perfect for feeding a crowd.

When I think fall, I think pumpkin. There are so many amazing treats to be had! This pumpkin dump cake happens to be super easy to make, but looks really impressive because it bakes up into a layered dessert with tons of flavor and texture.

How do you make pumpkin dump cake?

This cake starts with a pumpkin pie style filling which is made from pumpkin puree, sugar, eggs and evaporated milk. The pumpkin mixture goes into the bottom of the pan and a layer of powdered cake mix goes on top. The finishing steps are sliced butter and chopped pecans – no mixing required! Bake it all up and you’ve got a delicious fall treat.

What is a dump cake?

A dump cake is a dessert where ingredients are layered in a pan and baked – literally everything is just dumped into the pan. This pumpkin dump cake does use one bowl to mix together the filling, but it’s totally worth the extra dirty dish to take that step.

Tips for pumpkin dump cake

Be sure to use canned pumpkin puree, NOT pie filling.
This recipe calls for yellow cake mix, but spice cake mix is also a great option.
Not a fan of pecans? Try walnuts or almonds, or leave the nuts out entirely.
This cake can be served warm, cold or at room temperature. To get neat slices, you’ll want to chill it before cutting. Otherwise just use a big serving spoon and scoop it onto plates.
Make sure that the butter is sliced thin so that you can cover the entire surface area of the pan with butter.

If you’re a major pecan fan, you can add a sprinkle over the top for garnish before you serve your pumpkin dump cake. While this cake is perfectly delicious on its own, it’s even better when served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.

I am not the biggest fan of pumpkin pie, so I often serve pumpkin dump cake instead for Thanksgiving. I think this cake is much easier to make than pie, which is also a bonus.

As soon as the calendar hits September, I stock up on pumpkin puree so that we can enjoy this pumpkin dump cake for the colder months to come. It’s always a huge hit!

More fall desserts

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5 from 13 votes