With smooth pumpkin flavors, crunchy pecans and a dollop of whipped cream, this Pumpkin Crunch Cake is a must-make during the fall season.
If you need more variety in your pumpkin desserts this fall, add Pumpkin Crunch Cake to the list! It is similar to our pumpkin dump cake recipe and just as tasty as our Pumpkin Delight Dessert.
The Perfect Holiday Dessert
There are many types of crunch cake, but the one thing they all have in common is the crunchy topping. The base of this cake is a delicious pumpkin flavor, perfect for any Autumn party, and it’s topped with a crunchy pecan topping.
Pumpkin crunch cake might become my go-to autumn dessert this year! It has all of the flavors of pumpkin pie but is easier to throw together for a last minute dessert idea!
Bring this dessert to all of your holiday get-togethers and quickly become the favorite person in the room. It travels well which makes it great for bringing to all of your family and friend parties this holiday season.
how to make Pumpkin Crunch Cake
PREP. Grease a 9 x 13 pan and pour in the batter. Preheat oven to 350°F.
MIX. In a large mixing bowl combine the pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, pumpkin spice, and salt. Mix everything together really well and don’t worry because the batter will be runny. That’s normal.
LAYER. Sprinkle the yellow cake mix on top of the batter. Make sure to gently pat the cake mix down completely covering the batter. Spread the chopped pecans evenly over the cake mix layer, then drizzle everything with the melted butter.
BAKE. Bake for 60-80 minutes. After an hour, check the cake every 5 minutes to see if it’s cooked through and set. Take it out of the oven and allow the cake to stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Serve your pumpkin crunch cake with dollops of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon on top. Vanilla ice cream would also be a delicious option.
Serve a crowd
This recipes serves about 18 people. Depending on your crowd, you might want to make two or three 9×13 pans of pumpkin crunch cake to accommodate!
variations + substitutions
- Pumpkin puree. When making this pumpkin cake be sure that you use canned pumpkin puree and NOT canned pumpkin pie filling.
- Extra spice. For extra flavoring use a Spice Cake mix instead of Yellow Cake mix. You may want to reduce the pumpkin pie spice to 1 tsp. Make your own Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Box cake. The box of cake mix should be about 15-16oz. Make sure that you are only using the cake mix powder in the recipe. You will not be using the ingredients that are typically listed on the back of the box.
- Nuts. If you’re not a fan of pecans try using walnuts, almonds or hazelnuts for the crunchy topping. If you can’t have nuts try adding streusel topping instead.
- Caramel. Drizzle a caramel sauce over the top of the cake.
Storing info
Make ahead of time. Keep it in the fridge overnight or until you’re ready to bake it.
STORE any leftover pumpkin crunch cake in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
FREEZE this cake after it has cooled completely. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and again with foil. Label and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and serve chilled or reheat it in the oven.
This dessert is certainly addicting. It’s hard to just have one square!
For more pumpkin recipes, check out:
Pumpkin Crunch Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- In a large mixing bowl combine pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, pumpkin spice, and salt. Mix well (the batter will be runny).
- Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish and pour in the batter. Sprinkle the yellow cake mix on top of the batter. Gently pat the cake mix down completely covering the batter.
- Spread the chopped pecans evenly over the cake mix layer, then drizzle it with melted butter.
- Bake for 60-80 minutes or until done. Allow the cake to stand for 5-10 minutes before serving. Top each slice with whipped cream or ice cream.
Absolutely wonderful.
Shared it with friends and they want the recipe