Pumpkin dump cake is an easy fall dessert inspired by the classic dump cake recipes from the 1980s! It’s moist and filled with cozy pumpkin and spice. All you do is add the ingredients into a baking dish, dump in a yellow cake mix, and bake!
Not many desserts could ever replace our annual homemade pumpkin pie at the holidays, but if I had to choose, it might just be a pumpkin dump cake! I first shared this pumpkin cake recipe way back in 2011, and it’s still one of my best pumpkin recipes. It’s so fast and easy to prepare. I’ve updated this post over the years with fresh tips and a how-to video.
This dump cake is less like a traditional pumpkin cake and closer to my pumpkin earthquake cake or a pumpkin cobbler. It has a gooey pumpkin layer beneath yellow cake mix that forms a buttery, sweet crumble topping while the cake bakes.
Be sure to check out the steps below, and watch my pumpkin dump cake video tutorial to see just how easy it is.
Why This Pumpkin Dump Cake Will Be Your Go-To Fall Dessert
- Pumpkin dump cake uses yellow cake mix as a shortcut.
- The whole point of a dump cake is no mixing. Just dump and bake!
- There are minimal ingredients, including cozy spices, pumpkin purée, evaporated milk, and brown sugar.
- It’s everything I love about fall baking, with hardly any effort.
What is a Dump Cake, Anyway?
A “dump cake” refers to a type of cake that was super popular in the 80s. Traditional dump cake recipes are prepared by dumping canned fruit or pie filling, dry cake mix, and butter into a pan without mixing (like my apple dump cake). There’s a lot of room for variation, though, like the viral TikTok cinnamon roll dump cake.
This pumpkin dump cake is the same idea, only I’ve swapped the filling for pumpkin instead!
Gather Your Cake Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this quick, old-fashioned pumpkin dessert. Scroll to the recipe card for the full recipe details and measurements.
- Pumpkin Purée – 100% pumpkin, not to be confused with pumpkin pie filling. They’re both sold in cans, but they aren’t the same product. My favorite is Libby’s brand, and it’s readily available year-round.
- Evaporated Milk – Also double-check that you’re buying unsweetened evaporated milk, and not sweetened condensed milk.
- Brown Sugar – Light or regular brown sugar will work.
- Eggs – These are easier to mix with the pumpkin batter if they’re at room temperature.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice – Apple pie spice is a good substitute with very similar spices, or you could simply use any combination of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.
- Yellow Cake Mix – You can also use vanilla cake or another flavor if you’d like; see below.
- Melted Butter – I bake with salted butter (personal preference) but feel free to use unsalted. In this case, consider adding a pinch of salt.
- Toppings – Optional, but I like to load up this dump cake with crushed graham crackers (or chopped pecans) and toffee bits, a bit like magic bars.
Different Cake Mixes
I make this pumpkin dump cake recipe with a box of yellow cake mix. I’ve heard from many readers who’ve had success swapping this for French vanilla, white cake, butter cake, or a spice cake mix. In the case of the latter, I suggest skipping the added pie spice in the recipe since the cake mix already comes spiced.
How to Make a Pumpkin Dump Cake
My mom loved making dump cakes, and so did my grandmother. You could say it’s a family tradition, and maybe this pumpkin dump cake will become one for your family, too! Here’s how to make a pumpkin dump cake that turns out perfect for Thanksgiving dessert, or any fall occasion:
- Mix the filling layer. Start by whisking canned pumpkin with evaporated milk, sugar, eggs, and pumpkin pie spice. Pour that into a greased 9×13-inch baking pan.
- Add the topping. Next, sprinkle the contents of the box of cake mix over the pumpkin filling. Scatter the crumbled graham crackers or nuts on top, along with toffee bits.
- Pour over the melted butter. Make sure it’s evenly distributed over the cake mix layer.
- Bake. Bake this pumpkin dump cake at 350ºF for 45-50 minutes, until it’s set in the center. Serve warm or let the cake cool to room temperature, and top it with ice cream, whipped cream, or a drizzle of pumpkin spice caramel sauce.
Tips and Variations
- No mixing allowed. Once you’ve assembled your dump cake ingredients in the pan, don’t stir or mix. I know this goes against just about every other cake recipe out there, but resist! Stirring messes up the layers and prevents a dump cake from baking properly.
- Evenly distribute the butter. Ensure every inch of dry cake mix is covered with melted butter. Gaps create dry pockets.
- Don’t underbake. This pumpkin dump cake is done when the center is completely baked through, and the edges are lightly browned. Take the cake out too soon, and the filling will be runny.
- Don’t use pumpkin pie filling. Even though traditional dump cakes often use pie filling, this recipe does not. I’ll say it again: Pure pumpkin purée only!
- Add chopped Granny Smith apples to make an apple pumpkin dump cake. You might also love this apple pumpkin baked oatmeal.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerate. If you’re not serving this pumpkin dump cake to a crowd, you might find yourself with a little leftover. Cover it airtight and pop it in the fridge. It lasts for 3-4 days.
- To reheat, I’ll usually scoop out a slice and microwave it for 20 seconds until it’s warmed through. Note that when this cake is reheated, it loses a little of the crunch on top from the crumble topping. It’s still equally delicious! You can also reheat this in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes to help maintain more of the crispness.
- Freeze it. I have never made this pumpkin cake and frozen it, but it’s absolutely possible. Cover the cooled dump cake airtight and freeze for up to 30 days for best freshness. Thaw the cake completely in the fridge and reheat in the oven as stated above.
More Pumpkin Desserts to Make
Pumpkin Dump Cake
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Cake
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Dessert
Description
Filled with cozy pumpkin and spice, this pumpkin dump cake recipe is the easiest fall dessert. It’s a fun twist on classic dump cake recipes made with pumpkin purée and yellow cake mix. Dump the ingredients into a pan, and bake!
Ingredients
- 1 (15-ounce) can pure Pumpkin
- 1 (10-ounce) can Evaporated Milk
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted
- 1 cup coarsely crushed graham crackers or pecans
- 1/2 cup toffee bits (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9×13 baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, eggs, and pumpkin pie spice. Stir to combine and pour into your prepared pan.
- Sprinkle the entire box of cake mix on top, followed by your nuts or graham crackers and toffee chips.
- Pour your melted butter evenly on top.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes until the center is set and the edges are lightly browned.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Serve with ice cream, whipped cream, or microwave caramel sauce.
- Store leftover cake airtight in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 461
- Sugar: 35.3 g
- Sodium: 395 mg
- Fat: 21.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 62.1 g
- Protein: 6.5 g
- Cholesterol: 88 mg
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Just to let you know, dump cakes were popular way before the 80’s, my mom made them in the late 50’s and my grandmother had a recipe for one long before that. This one sounds delish and am going to make it soon!
Very delicious cake… Thanks for sharing .
Also check best indian recipe at http://recipebowl.in/
Help, I made this to bring to my sisters for Thanksgiving and it was nasty! I had th throw it out! what did I do wrong? The cake mix was still powdery when I cut into it????
That’s very strange… I have never had an issue with that.. The cake mix with the butter and graham crackers makes a crumb like topping.
.This is the perfect pumpkin dump cake recipe!
Hi–I always laugh when I see a recipe for this online. Although the recipe has been around forever, the name is somewhat of a mystery before it was called “dump cake.” I want to say it was called “Pumpkin Surprise.”
I suppose it was a surprise because it was one of those classic 1960’s/1070’s “Better living through Chemicals” kind of foods we all knew and loved because they were on the table every night.
My grandmother used to make this all the time– she gave out the recipe on little cards she would write out by hand, by the gross. My mother owned a Tupperware Distributorship and used to have the women who worked for her make the cakes to take to parties, then give the recipe away when someone bought the rectangular cake taker. (No internet to look it up on back in the day….) They sold a lot of rectangular cake takers with that recipe.
Our family always called it “Dump Cake” because though a good home cook, my grandmother never weighed more than 96 pounds her whole life. She made this cake in a large glass pan, rather than a metal one, because she was convinced the metal burned the cream cheese at the bottom. The glass pan was considerably heavier and harder for her to flip out of the pan, and more than once she dumped the entire cake on the floor of the kitchen trying to get it onto the rectangular plate– Hence, “Dump Cake.” We used to tease her and ask how many she made each time, just to get one to the table.
I used to make a variation of this but didn’t love my recipe. Mine didn’t have grahams or toffee and used only ONE stick of butter. Your additions make all the difference…my old one would have some spots of dry cake mix because the butter just didn’t go far enough but not yours. It was delicious and I can’t wait to make it for my family this fall. Thanks!!
With your top 20 recipe post out I realized I never thanked you!
I’m not a pumpkin pie lover (at all) but this looked like the perfect friends giving dessert. It was a HUGE hit!!! We ate it right out of the oven with ice cream. So yummy.
Love your blog!!!
Does it say pumpkin puree on the can? I only see pumpkin pie filling libbys brand..I didn’t buy yet till I know for sure.. I was in Giant Eagle..
don’t use pumpkin pie filling…that’s already seasoned! It will say 100% pure pumpkin
Howdy! I found a similar recipe several years ago and decided to try Spice cake mix instead of yellow cake mix…and Uhhh….wow. Wow. Crazy good. Worth the try. 🙂
Why pay for cans of pumpkin ???
I cook up the Halloween pumpkin each year. Boil it, peel it, then mash it and put into premeasured freezer bags. I use if for Christmas, Easter, and thanksgiving or whenever I need a can of pumpkin for pies or cakes. It Tastes better than the canned stuff too.