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Simple and delicious pumpkin dump cake preps in minutes. With so many spices and sweet flavors, it’s perfect 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, this pumpkin dump cake is the only cake we need!
A Perfect Fall Dessert!
It’s PUMPKIN time!! It’s that time of year when pumpkin and soup recipes start popping up everywhere and fall is on its way!
Today’s pumpkin recipe was shared by a family member. We stopped by on Thanksgiving to say hi and after they fed us this fall dessert, we fell in love and had to give it a try!
It’s called pumpkin dump cake, because you literally dump it, bake it, and enjoy it! It is so simple, and literally is the BEST fall cake.
making a Dump Cake
“Dump” cakes are as easy as they sound! Just mix and dump layers in a pan. Hence the name. Dump cakes are similar to cobblers, but a cobbler uses a biscuit or pie crust as the topping.
PREP. Preheat oven to 350°F.
BATTER. Mix pumpkin, milk, ginger, cloves, sugar, eggs, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Pour into a greased and floured 9×13 pan.
TOPPING. Sprinkle cake mix and chopped pecans on top. Cut butter very thin and cover all over the cake mix.
BAKE + ENJOY! Bake for 1 hour. Serve warm topped with Whipped Cream or Vanilla Ice Cream, and even a caramel drizzle if you’re feeling extra fancy.
Additional Topping Ideas
The pecans are totally optional on this easy pumpkin dump cake, but if you aren’t a fan of pecans try:
- crushed graham crackers
- toffee bits
- substitute for another type of chopped nut
recipe tips
Although we love this dessert as is, you can change up this pumpkin pie dump cake with a few of these suggestions.
Cake mix alternative. You are only using the dry cake mix, and not making it into a cake batter. If you don’t have yellow cake mix, use a pumpkin spice cake mix, or make a homemade mix.
Here’s how:
- Whisk together 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1½ cups granulated sugar, 3½ 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.
Variations.
- Replace the ginger, cloves, and cinnamon with an equal amount of Pumpkin Pie Spice.
- Forgo the Whipped Cream and add a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream.
- Drizzle with Caramel Sauce.
- Sprinkle on mini chocolate chips.
Pumpkin puree. Note that this pumpkin cake with yellow cake mix calls for a can of pumpkin puree and NOT canned pumpkin pie filling. The pie filling already has spices and other ingredients mixed into it. Whereas pumpkin puree is only pumpkin.
Storing Info
STORE. We like to serve this pumpkin dump cake recipe warm, but you can store leftovers, covered, in the fridge. It should last for at least 2 days.
Reheat a slice by microwaving in 30-second intervals until it is the desired temperature.
FREEZE. To freeze a whole baked cake, wrap the entire pan with plastic wrap and again with foil.
For the leftover cake, divide it into individual freezer containers. Thaw overnight in the fridge and serve chilled or reheat the slices in the microwave.
Recipe FAQ
The bottom layer of this cake will be a bit gooey, but it should still be set enough to hold its shape when cut. The top section will have a more cake-like texture.
Canned pumpkin is pumpkin puree combined with sugar and extra spices. Pumpkin puree is pure pumpkin. Be sure to use pumpkin puree in the pumpkin dump cake recipe.
For More Pumpkin Recipes, Check Out:
- Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Magic Pumpkin Cake
- Easy Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Pumpkin Bars
- No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecakes
- Libby’s Pumpkin Roll
Pumpkin Dump Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Mix pumpkin, milk, ginger, cloves, sugar, eggs, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Pour into a greased and floured 9×13 pan.
- Sprinkle cake mix and chopped pecans on top.
- Cut butter very thin and cover all over the cake mix.
- Bake for 1 hour and serve warm with whipped cream. ENJOY!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is an amazing dessert. If you want to be the hit of the party, definitely make this. Everyone will love it and ask for the recipe.I make it every Thanksgiving as well throughout the year.
Is there a healthier workaround to the butter topping? I know that cake mix needs moisture. Im willing to use half amount of butter and add something else.
I haven’t tried anything else. Normally, I would use shortening or something. Not sure the healthier way.
This is absolutely delicious! To keep from opening up another can of evaporated milk I added regular milk and it turned out just fine. My husband ate two pieces and that’s something he rarely does. Love the buttery pecan topping too!
Lol…glad you all liked it! Thank you for letting me know!
I looked up your peach & cherry dump cake recipes, too. Can the Pumpkin Dump Cake also be done in a crockpot? Same cooking times as the others?
I personally haven’t tried with this specific recipe.
Can you use pumpkin pie spice instead on individual?? And if so…how much?
I personally haven’t tried, but you could try. It’s all the same flavors anyways 😉 I would just add a teaspoon at a time, until it tastes the way you want.
It tastes great in my head when reading the recipe, but it makes too much for 2 people. Could I use 1/2 your cake mix recipe and halve all the ingredients, for the dump cake, baking in 8 inch square pan? Okay to use same amount of pumpkin pie spice as combined amount of the cinnamon, ginger & cloves? Thanks for the help & advice!
Yes, you can definitely halve the recipe. You can add however much of the spice you like 🙂 Enjoy!!
I am making this… Pumpkin Dump Cake Sunday! Can’t wait to taste it, sounds delicious. Thank you, Brenda
It is one of our favorites! Sure hope you like it! Thank you!
I just made this and did a taste test. It is AWESOME!
Yay!! Happy to hear that!! Thank you so much!
Hi I can’t wait to try this! Any idea if this can be done in a 9×13 foil pan? i’m thinking about dropping this off but didn’t want to burden with my glass pan. this probably is a silly question lol! thank you!
Not silly at all! I haven’t made it in a foil pan, but I don’t see why not 🙂
Too much sugar, too sweet, but TaStes good and eaSy to make. Next time I will reduce the amount of sugar to 2/3 cups of sugar.
You totally can 🙂 I appreciate you trying this, though! Thank you!