This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

This simple spiced pumpkin dump cake preps in minutes for a perfectly delicious shareable dessert all fall long!

Pumpkin Dump Cake topped with whipped cream on a white plate.
Save This Recipe!
Just enter your email and get it sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes from us every week!

The Perfect Fall Dessert!

We love dump cakes! Not only because of the simplicity, but also the TASTE (they’re usually always delicious!)

Our favorite flavors include Peach Dump Cake and Cherry Dump Cake, but in the fall, this pumpkin dump cake is the cake we have on repeat.

It’s called pumpkin dump cake, because you literally dump it, bake it, and enjoy it. Those are the kinds of treats we love, especially during a busy fall season. It’s why we think think this dessert is the Perfect fall dessert.

WHY WE LOVE IT:

  • No-fuss preparation. Dump cake requires minimal effort and time, making it an ideal easy cake recipe for busy schedules.
  • Personalize it. You can experiment with different types of cake mixes and toppings to create unique flavor combinations.
  • Fall and Holiday must-have. The combination of sweet pumpkin and buttery cake topping makes it a perfect fall dessert recipe and Thanksgiving dessert.
A glass bowl of pumpkin puree.

Ingredients

  • 1 (30-ounce) can pumpkin puree – 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.
  • 1 (16-ounce) can evaporated milk – not sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 teaspoon ginger – Replace the ginger, cloves, and cinnamon with an equal amount of Pumpkin Pie Spice.
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 whole eggs
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 (15.25-ounce) package yellow cake mix – You are only using the dry cake mix. If you don’t have yellow cake mix, use a pumpkin spice cake mix
  • 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, toffee bits, mini chocolate chips, or crushed graham crackers
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter

How to Make a Pumpkin Dump Cake

  1. PREP. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. BATTER. Mix 1 can pumpkin puree, 1 can evaporated milk, 1 teaspoon ginger, ½ teaspoon cloves, 1 cup sugar, 4 eggs, and 2 teaspoons cinnamon in a large bowl. Pour the pumpkin mixture into a greased and floured 9×13 pan.
  3. TOPPING. Sprinkle the dry cake mix on top then add 1 cup chopped pecans on top. Cut ¾ cup butter very thin and place them evenly over the crumble topping.
  4. BAKE + ENJOY! Bake for 1 hour. Serve warm topped with Whipped Cream or Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream, and even a Caramel Sauce drizzle if you’re feeling extra fancy.

More Like This

Pumpkin CAkes

Pumpkin Desserts

More Collections

4.98 from 1047 votes

Pumpkin Dump Cake

By: Lil’ Luna
This simple spiced pumpkin dump cake preps in minutes for a perfectly delicious shareable dessert all fall long!
Servings: 15
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 1 (30-ounce) can pumpkin puree
  • 1 (16-ounce) can evaporated milk
  • 1 teaspoon ginger
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 (15.25-ounce) package yellow cake mix
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • ¾ cup butter

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

Leftovers. We like to serve this warm, but if you have leftovers, cover and store in the refrigerator for 2–3 days. Reheat in the microwave at 30-second intervals until warm.
No yellow cake mix on hand? You can use a pumpkin spice cake mix instead or make your own homemade mix. To make your own, whisk together 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1½ cups sugar, 3½ teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 4 tablespoons unsalted butter. Use a pastry cutter to blend in the butter, and you’ve got a homemade yellow cake mix!

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice, Calories: 201kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 68mg, Sodium: 91mg, Potassium: 52mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 14g, Vitamin A: 362IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 18mg, Iron: 0.4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Is Pumpkin Dump Cake Supposed to Be Gooey?

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.

Can I Use Homemade Cake Mix?

Yes! Whisk 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1½ cups granulated sugar, 3½ teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, plus 4 tablespoons butter (½ stick). Use a pastry cutter to blend in the butter, and you’ve got a homemade yellow cake mix.

How to Store Pumpkin Dump Cake?

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.

How to Freeze Dump Cake?

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. Thawovernight in the fridge and serve chilled or reheat the slices in the microwave. 

About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and I’m the mom of SIX stinkin’ cute kids and the wife to my smokin’ hot hubby, Lo. My mom’s maiden name is Luna, and I’m one of the many crafty “Lil’ Lunas” in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

So Easy & So Yummy

Get my cookbook!

My new cookbook is the ultimate resource for feeding your friends and family with 200+ simple recipes including videos, tips & more!

4.98 from 1047 votes (912 ratings without comment)

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




459 Comments

  1. Cm says:

    Would love to try this recipe however does anyone have a recipe for homade pumpkin purée using fresh pumpkin ?

    1. Lil'Luna Team says:

      I don’t have a recipe for homemade pumpkin puree, but I think that The Pioneer Woman has one. If you search on google for it, I imagine you’d have lots of options show up. You’ll have to let us know if you make this recipe with homemade puree and how it turns out!

  2. Olivia says:

    5 stars
    Amazing! Seriously. Yum. 😃

  3. Mary Coonen says:

    I love this pumpkin dump cake—I have made this in the past but lost my recipe. I have a question about your recipe, it states a 16 ounce can of evaporated milk, but I only find the regular 12 ounce, our smaller can. Was thus a typo, or do I need to keep looking. Thank you!

    1. Gina says:

      Evaporated milk seems only to come in 12 ounce cans not 16. Could that be a typo?

    2. Lil'Luna Team says:

      Hi Mary! It’s not a typo – the recipe does call for 16 oz. So I just use one full can and measure enough of a second to get 16 oz. You could definitely try with just 12 oz though!

    3. Lil'Luna Team says:

      Nope, not a typo – the recipe does call for 16 oz. I just use one 12 oz can and then measure enough of a second can to get 16 oz. You could definitely try with just 12 oz though!

  4. Kristina says:

    3 stars
    It was okay… still seemed pretty underbaked at an hour but I suspect that’s partially my particular oven’s fault. I would include whipped cream in the ingredients and specify salted or unsalted butter considering it’s a baked good. Thanks for the recipe!

    1. Lil'Luna Team says:

      Thank you for the feedback and for giving the recipe a try!

  5. Sean T says:

    5 stars
    May want to add whipped cream to the ingredient list

    1. Lil'Luna Team says:

      Thanks for the suggestion!

  6. Rosie D says:

    Can some of these recipes be made with Monkfruit Sugar instead? For diabetics, all the sugar is not good. Please make more sugar-free recipes.

    1. Lil'Luna Team says:

      You could definitely try! Thanks for the feedback.

  7. Deanna Lesher says:

    5 stars
    Delicious! Very sweet. Would probably be okay to cut back a little on the sugar. Will make this again!

  8. Diane says:

    5 stars
    I made this dairy free with coconut evaporated milk and coconut cream whipped cream. Delicious. I used 1/2 C sugar which was plenty. Will consider brown sugar next go around. Highly recommend this recipe! A definite keeper.

    1. Lil'Luna Team says:

      Thanks for giving the recipe a try and sharing what you did! So glad you enjoyed the cake!

  9. Megan says:

    5 stars
    Do you recommend using unsalted or salted butter?

    1. Lil'Luna Team says:

      I typically use unsalted when I bake and then add salt in as needed. But this recipe could work with either.

  10. Anita Taylor says:

    Please, I have tried every way possible to find out the amount of pumpkin I need for the Pumpkin Dump It Cake with just the spice cake mix and 2 eggs and can never get an answer nor the complete recipe. Can you help me please! I am almost 86 years and have a hard time using the computer as well as I would like. So, please just answer this request!!Thanks and Hugs, Anita Taylor

    [email protected]

    1. Diane says:

      I’d probably add an extra 1/2 cup pumpkin for the two eggs you don’t have or use flax meal eggs (3 T warm water and 1 T flax meal/per egg for the missing eggs (so do 2 of these), stir and let swell and gel).

      ▢ 30 oz can pumpkin puree canned
      ▢ 1 (16-ounce) can evaporated milk
      ▢ 1 teaspoon ginger
      ▢ 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
      ▢ 1/4 cup sugar
      ▢ 4 eggs or 2 eggs and 2 flax eggs
      ▢ 2 teaspoon cinnamon
      ▢ 1 (15.25-ounce) package yellow cake mix
      ▢ 1 cup chopped pecans
      ▢ 3/4 cup butter
      ▢ I added vanilla 1/2 tsp

      Butter and flour 9×13 pan. Pour liquid first. Pour yellow cake mix or spice cake mix over and then chopped pecans. Cover the entire surface with thin pads of butter. Bake at 350 for 1 hour. Let cool. Serve with whipped cream.