This pumpkin gooey butter cake is rich, decadent and incredibly delicious – you MUST make this! It’s the perfect end to any fall meal.
I know what you’re thinking…..pumpkin recipes? In August? YES! This pumpkin gooey butter cake is so good that it should be served year round, why wait for fall? Not to mention fall is just around the corner! Here in California the weather doesn’t start to change until November, but that doesn’t mean we can’t consume our fair share of pumpkin treats anyways.
This pumpkin gooey butter cake is incredibly easy to make, and it’s probably one of the best pumpkin desserts I’ve ever had. It’s a chewy vanilla crust with a creamy pumpkin cheesecake-like topping. This recipe feeds a crowd and can be made up to 2 days before you plan to serve it. I promise, you will get tons of rave reviews and requests for the recipe.
This recipe starts with a box of cake mix, which is combined with a few ingredients and pressed into the bottom of the pan to make the crust. The topping is a combination of pumpkin, cream cheese, eggs, butter and spices. The pumpkin mixture gets poured over the top of the crust and the whole thing is baked to perfection. Be careful not to overbake this cake, you want the center to be just set so that it stays gooey.
Just a fair warning, this is a rich dessert. But in the best possible way! It’s got all kinds of amazing flavors and textures and this treat will surely fulfill your pumpkin cravings. You can serve this pumpkin gooey butter cake as-is, or top it with a little whipped cream or powdered sugar for garnish. This cake will most definitely be on our Thanksgiving table this year, but I’m definitely not waiting until November to make it again!
Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake
This pumpkin gooey butter cake is rich, decadent and incredibly delicious - you MUST make this! It's the perfect end to any fall meal.
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 1 egg
- 8 tablespoons butter melted
- cooking spray
For the filling:
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
- 3 eggs
- 8 tablespoons butter melted
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 12 ounces powdered sugar (equates to approximately 3 cups)
Optional garnishes: whipped cream, pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9"x13" baking pan with cooking spray.
For the crust: Place the cake mix, egg and butter in a medium bowl. Using a mixer, beat the mixture until well combined.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and press the dough to cover the bottom of the pan.
For the filling: Place the cream cheese and pumpkin into a large bowl and beat with a mixer until smooth, approximately 3-4 minutes. Add the eggs, butter and pumpkin pie spice. Beat until smooth.
Add the powdered sugar to the pumpkin mixture and beat until thoroughly combined.
Pour the pumpkin mixture on top of the crust and spread into an even layer.
Bake for 45 minutes or until center is just set. Cool completely, or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days before you plan to serve it.
Cut into squares and serve, topped with whipped cream and pumpkin pie spice if desired.
Recipe Notes
Adapted from Paula Deen.
Can you use the canned pumpkin pie filling in this recipe instead of the puree?
If your pumpkin pie filling contains sugar I would significantly reduce the amount of powdered sugar in this recipe. Otherwise I think it would work although I haven’t tested it that way!
Um, it clearly says pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin purée doesn’t have any added sugar.
I am unaccustomed to powdered sugar being measured in ounces, so I went looking for a conversion for that. From what I have found, the 12 ounces equates to slightly less than 3 cups. Is that correct?
Yes, that is correct, it’s fine to round it to 3 cups, it won’t affect the recipe at all.
If it isn’t sweeten.
I love all pumpkin desserts and this looks amazing! I always keep pumpkin in my pantry!
What a tasty treat! I’ve been waiting ALL year long for pumpkin treats… so this just hits the spot! Love how easy this is to make! 🙂
This would be great for fall. I’m a real fan of pumpkin
I can’t wait for fall and all of the pumpkin treats! This looks especially good!
Looks absolutely yummy! Can this be frozen since I know it will not all be consumed?
Yes you can freeze this!
Great! Thanks for responding. I look forward to making it!
Pat
I made this cake tonight but I am a little worried about it. It seems a little jiggly in the middle. Is it baked enough?
It should be a little jiggly in the middle when you shake it, but not liquidy. It’ll firm up a bit as it cools, but the filling is supposed to be on the gooier side! When I make it and it firms up, it’s almost like a cheesecake consistency on top.
I am going to bake this per recipe but then second time I will use canned sweet potatoes. Yams are my favorite and I will eat a sweet potato pie over a pumpkin pie any day. Really looking forward to making this one!!