This pumpkin crunch cake is a fall staple. Pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice add pumpkin flavor, top with pecans and a dollop of whipped cream for a must-make dessert!
Need more pumpkin desserts for the season? Add pumpkin pie, easy pumpkin dump cake and pumpkin lasagna dessert to the list!
Table of Contents
Pumpkin Pie Crunch Cake
I’ve adapted this pumpkin crunch cake over the years and it is one of my family’s favorites pumpkin recipes for the fall season. The pecan crunch on top reminds me of a cross between the crumb topping on a pumpkin coffee cake and pecan pie bars.
Top this pumpkin pie crunch with homemade whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzle with salted caramel sauce (trust me!) and you’ll be in heaven. This easy boxed cake mix recipe is seriously my favorite fall dessert!
Easy Pumpkin Dump Cake Ingredients
- Crumb topping: Yellow cake mix, salted butter, light brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Pumpkin mixture: Made with pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, sugar, evaporated milk and eggs. Do not used canned pumpkin pie filling.
- Topping: Chopped pecans.
How to Make Pumpkin Crunch Cake
I refer to this cake as a “pumpkin dump cake recipe.” A dump cake means you literally dump all of the ingredients in a pan and bake! It’s the best holiday dessert.
- First layer: Combine yellow cake mix, softened butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. It has a lumpy texture, similar to a crumble topping. Sprinkle half of the mixture onto the bottom of the prepared pan (reserving the other half for later).
- Second layer: Combine pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, sugar, evaporated milk and eggs then pour pumpkin batter over the crumb topping and spread it out evenly with a spatula.
- Third layer: The final layer is the remaining crumb topping. Sprinkle the mixture over the pie filling until most of the filling is covered. Feel free to add crunchy pecans on top of the cake mix.
- Bake. Bake at 350°F for 55 minutes to an hour, or until a toothpick inserted comes clean.
Pumpkin Crunch Cake Tips and Variations
- Nuts. We always do half with pecans and half without, since my kids prefer no nuts. Chopped walnuts would also make a great addition.
- Cake mix. Feel free to use spice cake mix for a bolder fall flavor like I do in my spice cake mix cookies.
- Layering. Instead of splitting the crumb topping in half, you can add the filling into the pan and then sprinkle all of the crumb mixture on top.
- Topping. This would also taste delicious with a streusel topping with oats. It would have less of a cakey texture and would taste similar to a pumpkin crisp.
- From scratch. While I love this dump cake for simplicity, this easy pumpkin cake is a favorite too!
- Love dump cake recipes? You can use just about any canned fruit in one from an apple dump cake to peach cobbler dump cake!
Storage
- Store leftovers of pumpkin crunch dump cake covered in the fridge up to 3 days.
- Freeze the cake whole by cooling it completely then covering with plastic wrap first and then with foil second to prevent freezer burn. Freeze for up to 3 months, thaw in the fridge and serve chilled or reheat slightly.
More desserts with fall flavors we love include apple cobbler, pumpkin spice cupcakes, easy pumpkin crisp and this mini pumpkin pie recipe.
More Pumpkin Recipes to Try
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Pumpkin Crunch Cake
Video
Ingredients
For the crumb topping:
- 15 ounces yellow cake mix , 1 box
- 3/4 cup salted butter , softened
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the filling:
- 15 ounces pure pumpkin , 1 can
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 5 ounces evaporated milk , 1 can (about 2/3 cup)
- 1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cake toppings:
- ½ cup chopped pecans , if desired
- ice cream or caramel sauce , if desired
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9×13″ baking pan and set aside.
- Crumb topping. In a medium size bowl, stir together the box of cake mix, 3/4 cup butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Spread half the crumb mixture into the bottom of your pan.
- Pumpkin filling. For the second layer, combine 15 ounce can pumpkin, 1 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 5 ounces evaporated milk, 1 Tablespoon pumpkin spice and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a separate bowl. Mix until combined and then pour over your first layer.
- Add pecans. Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture over the top. Add pecans if desired.
- Bake. Bake in the oven for 55 minutes to an hour, or until a toothpick inserted comes clean.
- Cool and serve. Allow to cool. Top with whipped cream, ice cream and/or caramel sauce if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
ENJOY! Happy fall friends!
Categorized as: American, Cake + Cupcakes, Desserts, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Made this today for potluck tonight and it is amazing! I did change it a little, in that I didn’t add any sugar at all to the first half of boxed cake mixture that got put on bottom of pan. Poured on pumpkin mixture, and then added just 1/4 cup of brown sugar to the remaining half of cake mixture that got crumbled on top of pumpkin mix. Plenty sweet anyhow and it was a big hit. Served with whipped topping. So good!
So glad it was a hit!
This was excellent. I made a double recipe for Thanksgiving and everyone loved it. They didn’t even touch the pumpkin pie. I took it out of the baking pan and layered it in a trifle bowl and it looked so nice. Thank you for the recipe. It was a definite hit with my family.
LOVED this recipe!! My only change was I used more pumpkin, instead of 15 oz I bought the large size. I think 32 oz….. I didn’t use the whole can but I used to thirds of 32 ounce pumpkin. What can it hurt to add more pumpkin as our family just loves pumpkin! And instead of white sugar added, I used brown sugar in pumpkin filling mix!
Thank you for the recipe! It’s amazing and we just LOVED it! ♥️
YUM YUM!
Simple and quick and very good. I often crush granola bars on top before cooking to add to that sweet crunchy taste. Thank you for sharing.
Love the idea of crushed granola bars! That sounds so delicious :)
Came out delicious
Making it for additional dessert for Thks giving
Not too sweet
Good heated up
So glad you love the recipe! Thank you for your comment and review :)
Looks good I am wondering if I can use a spiced cake instead of the yellow cake
I haven’t tried but I think that should work just fine!