This delicious pumpkin dump cake recipe is complete with all the fall flavors, pumpkin, pecan, and cinnamon spice. With how easy it is, you’ll be making this cake all fall long!
We love dump cakes—because of the simplicity, but also the TASTE! Our favorite flavors include peach and cherry, but in the fall time, this pumpkin version is the only cake we need!
BEST Pumpkin Dump Cake
It’s PUMPKIN time!! We’re officially sharing our FIRST pumpkin recipe of the season, and I couldn’t be more excited. It means pumpkin and soup recipes will be popping up everywhere and fall is on it’s way! I love this time of year because I love the holidays and they literally make me giddy with excitement.
Today’s recipe is one my aunt’s hubby shared with me last year. We had stopped by on Thanksgiving to say hi and she had made it for her family and insisted I try it. I’m a recent pumpkin convert but was excited to give this a try, and immediately fell in love.
It’s a Pumpkin Dump Cake, and I knew I needed the recipe in my life. I took a picture of it so I wouldn’t forget, and made sure I shared it with all of you this year because it literally is the BEST pumpkin dump cake.
making a Dump Cake
“Dump” cakes are as easy as they sound! You literally mix everything together, dump it in a pan, dump some yellow cake mix on top, and then dump some butter on top. Hence the name. 😉 Sounds easy enough right?
BATTER. Mix together the pumpkin, milk, ginger, cloves, sugar, eggs and cinnamon in a large bowl. Pour the mixture into a greased and floured 9×13 pan.
TOPPING. Sprinkle the yellow cake mix and chopped pecans (if you want pecans) on top. Cut the butter very thin and place the slices all over cake mix.
BAKE + SERVE. Bake for 1 hour at 350° Serve warm topped with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, and even a caramel drizzle if you’re feeling extra fancy.
tips and FAQ
What if I don’t have yellow cake mix? You could use a pumpkin spice cake mix instead, or make a homemade mix. Here’s how:
Just whisk together 2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour, 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, 3 ½ teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt plus 4 tbsp butter (½ stick). Use a pastry cutter to blend in the butter, and you’ve got a homemade yellow cake mix.
Additional Topping Ideas: The pecans are totally optional, but if you aren’t a fan of pecans, you could always try crushed graham crackers, toffee bits, or substitute for another type of crushed nut.
We like to serve this warm, but if you have leftovers, be sure to keep those covered and STORED in the fridge. It should last for at least 2 days. REHEAT by microwaving at 30 second intervals until it is the desired temperature.
Who would have thought you could make a delicious pumpkin cake with yellow cake mix? Especially just by sprinkling it on top! I’ll be the first to assure you the way it bakes into the pumpkin mixture and pecans is absolutely divine!
For more pumpkin cake recipes, check out:
- Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese frosting
- Magic Pumpkin Cake
- Easy Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Pumpkin Coffee Cake
- No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecakes
- Pumpkin Salted Caramel Cake
Pumpkin Dump Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Mix pumpkin, milk, ginger, cloves, sugar, eggs and cinnamon in a large bowl. Pour into a greased and floured 9x13 pan.
- Sprinkle cake mix and chopped pecans on top.
- Cut butter very thin and cover all over cake mix.
- Bake for 1 hour and serve warm with whipped cream. ENJOY!
Is this made with plain canned pumpkin puree, or canned pumpkin pie filling?
Canned pumpkin 🙂 Hope you like it!
I made this last year and my pumpkin pie loving husband said this was better! With COVID restrictions, it is just the two of us this year. I see a lot of similar recipes with just one can of pumpkin being the only difference. Will this work as a smaller portion? Also, I am diabetic and the carbs in this are very high. Do you know of a proper sugar substitute that will still taste good? Thanks!
You could definitely halve the recipe & I would google what good substitutes would be for the ingredients you are looking at. There are low-fat/sugar free options for some of those ingredients. Hope you find what you need 🙂
Excited to make the dump cake!
Hope you like it!
I followed the recipe and 17 oz Carnation evaporated milk made it runny . I put yellow cake mix on top of liquid mixture and I tried to sprinkle evenly. I should’ve leveled cake mix powder with spatula because I had a couple 2-3 mounds on cake powder that did not bake into cake and remained powder. I had to bake longer and my pecans are well done.
I do even out the cake sprinkled on, so there aren’t piles, but haven’t ever had a runny cake. I’m sorry, if it didn’t turn out.
Hi! John I had the same problem with the cake mix. I sprinkled it as evenly as possible and I had dry patches of cake mix. I pulled it out a bit earlier and blended the cake flour in and finished baking it. It turned out great!
Can white cake mix be used?
Yes, for sure 🙂 Enjoy!
Canned pumpkin puree..
Yes
So moist and delicious. This will be a favorite.
Yay!! I love to hear that! Thank you so much!
This is one of go to fall desserts. I had lost my previous recipe and found this one and it turned out perfectly.
So easy to make and delicious. Perfect for Fall or anytime really!! 🙂
This was AMAZING and I honestly preferred this to the pumpkin pie!
I made this pumpkin dump cake for Thanksgiving and it was so easy and delicious!! It’s def in my holiday rotation, now!
This is now my Husband’s favorite pumpkin dish…better than pumpkin pie!
One of my favorites for fall. So good!
I wish I could give this 6 stars. You feel like you are eating the most comforting dessert. Try this one!
Quick question. Could I assemble the day before, refrigerate and then cook on the day needed? If so are there any adjustments I would need to make for cooking time, etc.? Would like to make this Christmas, thank you!
That should be fine, but Id add a few extra minutes to it, if it’s still cold 😉
This is one of the best cakes I have ever made, going to make it for Christmas.
Yum!!!!…better than a pumpkin pie by a long shot!! 5 stars
That makes me happy to hear! Thanks for sharing!
A can of pumpkin is 15 oz. it says 40 oz pumpkin? 2 cans?? All other recipes use 1 can. Typo?
Recipe says 30 oz pumpkin. A can is 15 oz? So assuming 2 cans? All other recipes use 1 can ?
Yes, the recipe calls for 30 oz pumpkin… so either two small cans or you can sometimes find large cans (at least I’ve found it in the LIBBY’s brand) that are 29 oz where one can would work.
Tasted great. I did however only use 1/2 cup of sugar and it was plenty sweet since the cakemix has sugar already. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing what you did! Glad to hear you enjoyed the cake!