Easy Pumpkin Dump Cake

This easy Pumpkin Dump Cake is the best fall dessert! Made with just a few simple ingredients, and a shortcut yellow cake mix, this cake is creamy, flavorful, and has the best textures! You will love that it’s not overly sweet, and the crunchy pecans on top are out of this world!

We love all things pumpkin in Fall, and this pumpkin dump cake is one of my favorite things to bake! It has a very special texture, not overly sweet, and it’s super moist and light.

If you are a fan of Pumpkin Recipes, you should also check out my Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cake, Pumpkin Scones, Pumpkin Roll, Pumpkin Muffins, Pumpkin Cupcakes, and the best-ever Pumpkin Bundt Cake!

What is a Dump Cake?

You might find the name of this cake interesting, but dump cakes became popular in the US back in the ’70s or ’80s when church cookbooks were a thing. They are made by dumping a few cans of ingredients in a pan (usually canned fruit) then sprinkled with cake mix and drizzled with melted butter without mixing, then the whole thing was baked into a delicious cake. It’s kinda like magic because the cake is incredibly delicious and easy!

Try my peach dump cake, cherry dump cake, and pineapple dump cake recipes!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

1. One Bowl – All you need for this dump cake is one bowl, and one pan. Nothing else! No more dishes to wash!
2. Impressive Dessert – You get two beautiful layers in this cake, both are moist and flavorful and no one will ever know that you used cake mix to make this.

Ingredients Needed

Here’s what you need to make this pumpkin dump cake:

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

• Cake Mix: You have 2 choices here, you can either go for plain yellow cake mix (I used Betty Crocker) or go for Spice Mix. If you use yellow mix, follow my recipes as written. If you’re using spice mix, omit the ground ginger and cloves. I also tested this recipe with gluten-free cake mix, and it worked well!
• Pumpkin Puree: You can either use one 28-ounce can of pumpkin puree, or 2 15-ounce cans. I sometimes use less if I need a little bit of pumpkin puree for a different recipe, and it works fine. So you need around 25-30 ounces of pumpkin puree. You can either use canned or homemade pumpkin puree, just don’t use pumpkin pie filling as it won’t work in this recipe.
• Evaporated Milk: For convenience, I grab a can of evaporated milk because I always have a few in my pantry. But you can use whole milk, half and half, or heavy cream if you like.
• Sugar and Eggs: I used 4 large eggs and granulated white sugar, you can substitute with light brown sugar for a touch of molasses flavor.
• Spices: A combination of ground cinnamon, ginger and cloves will make your pumpkin cake taste amazing!
• Butter: You will need 6oz/170g or 12 tablespoons of melted butter. You can use salted or unsalted (I used unsalted).
• Pecans: This is my favorite part about this cake! Use unroasted pecan halves, and give them a rough chop. They will “toast” as the cake bakes, and give the cake a nice crunch and flavor!

How To Make Pumpkin Dump Cake

Before you start, preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C, and lightly grease and flour a 9×13″ inch pan (I just spray it with baking spray that contains flour, and the cake does not stick). Set aside.

1. Combine: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree with evaporated milk, sugar, eggs, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.
2. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.
3. Sprinkle the cake mix all over the pumpkin mixture in an even layer.
4. Butter and Pecans: Drizzle melted butter all over the cake mix (or slice cold butter in small pieces and place them on top of the cake mix), then top with roughly chopped pecans.
5. Bake: bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes. Check on the cake halfway through, and if it’s browning too quickly, cover it with foil. When the cake is done, the center might feel a little jiggly but it will set as it cools down. Allow to cool for 30 minutes, then serve with a dollop of fresh cream on top.

Recipe Tips

• Serve Warm or at Room Temp: This cake can be served warm (allow it to cool for around 30 minutes after baking) with a dollop of fresh cream or a scoop of ice cream. It also tastes great when it’s served at room temp!
• If the Cake is Browning Too Quickly, cover it with a piece of foil to prevent it from becoming too brown.

Storing Tips

This pumpkin dump cake tastes best when it’s fresh. But if you have leftovers, you can store them in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave for 15-20 seconds before serving.

It also freezes very well. Wrap it tightly, and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge, and reheat before serving.

Recipe Video

Enjoy making this pumpkin dump cake and serving it to your friends and family this season. Make sure to pin this recipe so everyone can enjoy it!