Filled with fall flavor, Pumpkin Pie Dump Cake is easy to make and can be prepared in minutes. With simple ingredients and real pumpkin, this cobbler-like recipe is great for crowds or for when you need a no-fuss dessert.
It’s that time of year when my oven is always turned on and some kind of dessert is always baking. Sometimes I can’t help but eat dessert for breakfast, especially when it comes to Apple Crisp or Pecan Pie Cobblers.
This also happens to be one of the busiest times of the year with my children’s birthdays, back to school, and back to sports. Life can be crazy and when I’m craving something sweet it’s even sweeter when it’s easy to make.
Dump cakes are some of the best cake recipes because, as the name suggests, you just dump all the ingredients into a mixing bowl or directly into the dish you’re preparing in. This easy pumpkin dump cake only requires two mixing bowls for the layers and then those layers are dumped into a baking dish.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to make, just dump the ingredients. This pumpkin dump cake recipe is one of the easiest cakes you can prepare. The ingredients are just dumped into your baking dish and then baked. It’s that easy.
- Something new to try instead of pumpkin pie. I can never get enough pumpkin recipes during the fall and if you’re looking for Pumpkin Pie alternatives try this pumpkin spice dump cake. It’s great for a crowd and is something new to try during the holidays, especially Thanksgiving.
- Simple ingredients. There’s absolutely nothing complicated in this recipe and you’ll only need a handful of simple ingredients to prepare it. In fact, most of these ingredients I keep on hand at all times.
Ingredients Needed
Ingredient Notes
- Pumpkin Pie Mix: Instead of using pumpkin puree you will need the pumpkin pie mix, sometimes called filling. It’s already sweetened and has spices mixed in.
- Cake Mix – Just like this Caramel Apple Dump Cake you’ll need a box of cake mix and which flavor you choose is up to you. I typically just use a yellow cake mix, but some other options are spice cake mix, butter pecan, or even vanilla cake mix.
- Chopped Pecans – Mixing in some chopped pecans and then sprinkling them on top adds some crunch and extra flavor. They are an optional, but delicious addition.
- Cinnamon: You can use cinnamon or Pumpkin Pie Spice to add an extra warm fall flavor.
How to Make Pumpkin Dump Cake
This recipe is similar to a pumpkin cobbler with cake mix. There are just a couple of extra steps in this dump cake since we’re not starting with a pie filling as you do in this Apple Dump Cake.
Recipe Prep: Preheat the oven to 350º F and lightly grease a 9×13 casserole dish or baking pan with oil or cooking spray.
- Prepare the pumpkin layer. Place the pumpkin pie mix, eggs, evaporated milk, sugar, salt, and pumpkin pie spice into the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix together until well combined, scraping down the sides when finished.
- Begin putting the cake layers together. Add the pumpkin mixture to the prepared baking dish making sure to spread it to the edges.
- Make the cake mix layer. In a large mixing bowl whisk the cake mix, flour, sugar, and pecans (if using) together, and then sprinkle it on top of the pumpkin layer.
- Pour the butter on top. Melt the butter and pour it on top of the cake mix layer. Don’t worry if it doesn’t cover the entire cake mix layer. Sprinkle additional chopped pecans on top if desired.
- Bake. Place the cake into the oven to bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until the center of the cake is firm and the top has turned a golden brown. Let it cool for 20 minutes before serving.
Storage Instructions
It’s best to store this cake in the baking dish you prepared it in, especially if it has a top that goes with it. Because this dump cake is gooier than a traditional fruit dump cake it falls apart much easier. Keep it stored in the fridge covered for up to 4 days. To reheat it place it in the oven at 350º F for about 20 minutes or you can place a single serving in the microwave.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Try some other cake mix flavor. You can easily change up the flavor by trying another box cake mix such as spice cake, butter pecan, carrot cake, or even chocolate cake mix for a rich mix.
- Serve it a la mode. Place a huge scoop of ice cream on top and serve it a la mode or even drizzle some caramel sauce on top. Whatever you do serve it warm!
- If you plan on serving this for a party then you can easily make it ahead. Prepare and bake it up to 2 days in advance of when you plan on serving it and then reheat it in the oven just before you plan on serving it.
FAQS
Yes, you can. Sometimes during the fall months, it can be hard to find either pumpkin puree or pumpkin pie mix so if your store only has one or the other either will work. The pumpkin puree is not as sweet and doesn’t have the spices that the mix will have. You can easily add some more sugar and then some pumpkin pie spice to change that.
This pumpkin dump cake recipe doesn’t freeze well because of all the delicious gooey layers. Once thawed those layers become runny and not as cake-like. I don’t recommend freezing this casserole.
You don’t have to stir dump cake but if you’d like more of a pumpkin cobbler then I recommend using a butter knife to swirl the cake later with the pumpkin layer. The result will still be similar but it will be more of a complete cake instead of in layers.
Related Recipes
Pumpkin Pie Dump Cake
Equipment
- 9×13 Baking Dish
Ingredients
Pumpkin Filling
- 1 30 ounce can Pumpkin Pie Mix not pumpkin puree.
- 3 large Eggs
- 1 cup Evaporated Milk or milk or cream
- 2/3 cup Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Cake Topping
- 1 15.25 ounce box Yellow Cake Mix
- 1/2 cup Flour
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- 1 cup Chopped Pecans optional
- 1 cup Butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F and lightly grease a 9×13 casserole dish or baking pan with oil or cooking spray.
- Place the pumpkin pie mix, eggs, evaporated milk, sugar, salt, and pumpkin pie spice into the bowl of an electric mixer or into a large bowl and use a handheld mixer. Mix together until well combined, scraping down the sides when finished.
- Add the pumpkin mixture to the prepared baking dish making sure to spread it to the edges.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk the cake mix, flour, sugar, and pecans (if using) together and then sprinkle it on top of the pumpkin layer.
- Melt the butter and pour it on top of the cake mix layer. Don't worry if it doesn't cover the entire cake mix layer. Sprinkle additional chopped pecans on top if desired.
- Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until the center of the cake is firm and the top has turned a golden brown. Let it cool for 20 minutes before serving.