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Pumpkin Crunch Cake is brimming with fall flavors. Top each slice with a dollop of whipped cream and chopped pecans to create the perfect pumpkin dessert.
Every year, once the weather starts to turn cold, we play a game of “furnace chicken” at our house.
I hate finally having to cave and turn the furnace on. Having the heat on just really signifies winter to me, so we try to avoid it as long as possible.
Instead, we layer up and use the fireplace as the weather dips into the 60s. Honestly, I sort of love the excuse to cozy up with the girls, our favorite blanket and a cup of crockpot hot chocolate and a special treat.
Lately, I’m all about enjoying a slice of my Nana’s pumpkin crunch cake as I snuggle with my loves. I enjoy this cake any time of year, but most especially now!
My Nana’s Famous Pumpkin Crunch Cake
Growing up, this pumpkin crunch cake was a staple at my Nana’s house right alongside her pumpkin roll. Not only is it super simple to make, it’s also incredibly delicious.
With just a handful of ingredients and minimal effort, you can create a rich, flavorful pumpkin dessert that’s perfect for Thanksgiving or just a random Tuesday night.
Sometimes Nana would leave out the pecans, but not me. There’s just something about them, especially when combined with pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice, that I can’t skip.
You might think I’m crazy, but I actually love this cake year-round. Thanks to canned pumpkin, it’s something you really can whip up whenever the mood strikes, be it April or October.
There’s no shame in reveling in pumpkin and pecans when the temperature is above 55°F. I certainly make pumpkin bread and pumpkin pecan bars outside of the fall – just add this cake to that list!
What is Pumpkin Crunch Cake?
The way this pumpkin crunch cake comes together puts it in the “dump cake” category. I know, the phrase “dump cake” is kind of weird, but trust me on this one, ok?
A dump cake just means that you “dump” the ingredients in the pan and everything magically comes together in the oven. Other dump cakes include cherry pineapple dump cake, blackberry dump cake, and apple dump cake.
Pumpkin crunch cake bakes up to give you a layer of moist pumpkin cake on the bottom with a buttery, crumbly layer on the top. This buttery top layer is what gives the recipe its “crunch cake” name.
Seriously, the way it bakes up is like magic, just like pumpkin gooey butter cake.
How to Make This Recipe
Nana always made her Pumpkin Crunch Cakes with a mix, and I have to tell you, cake mixes have come a long way since I was a little kid baking in Nana’s kitchen. I love the fact that I find mixes now without all the artificial stuff.
Using a yellow cake mix also makes this Pumpkin Crunch Cake recipe incredibly easy to whip up.
Seriously, it will probably take longer for your oven to preheat than it will for you to get the cake ready to bake.
Since so many of the ingredients are pantry staples, it’s easy to pull together at the last minute, completely stress-free.
Ingredients you’ll need
For this recipe, you will need:
- 1 can pumpkin puree
- 1 can evaporated milk
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 yellow cake mix
- 1 cup chopped pecans (optional, but highly recommended)
- 1 cup melted unsalted butter
Make sure you buy pure pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling. Canned pumpkin pie filling has other ingredients added to it and we just want pure pumpkin here.
You could also use homemade pumpkin puree. Just keep in mind that homemade pumpkin puree isn’t as orange as the canned stuff, since canned pumpkin is typically made from a mix of squash that falls into the pumpkin family.
You also want to make sure you buy evaporated milk and NOT sweetened condensed milk. The two are typically next to each other in the baking aisle, so make sure you read the labels carefully.
For this recipe, you will need a 15.25-ounce yellow cake mix. Betty Crocker recently changed most of their cake mixes to be 13.25 ounces, so I recommend buying a Duncan Hines mix for this recipe.
Making my pumpkin crunch cake
This recipe does require one more bowl than most dump cake recipes, but I promise that it’s still super simple.
Start by whisking together the pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, eggs, both sugars, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a large bowl.
Once that mixture is well combined, spread it into a buttered 13×9-inch cake pan and smooth it into an even layer.
Now sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the pumpkin mixture. I like to use my hands to gently press the cake mix into the batter.
Sprinkle the pecans over the cake mix and evenly drizzle the melted butter over the entire cake. Don’t stir it in, just drizzle it on top!
Bake the cake for 40 minutes, then check the cake. If the top is becoming too brown, cover the cake lightly with a piece of foil for the rest of the baking time.
Continue baking an additional 10-20 minutes or until the center of the cake is set.
Cool the pumpkin crunch cake completely on a wire rack, then chill in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving.
We like to serve our pumpkin crunch cake with a dollop of homemade whipped cream and a few more chopped pecans.
FAQs
Do you need to store this pumpkin crunch cake in the refrigerator?
Yes, I do typically store this cake in the refrigerator due to the number of eggs in the recipe. It’s delicious straight from the fridge or you can let it come to room temperature before serving.
You can even pop a slice in the microwave for 30 seconds if you want to warm it through before enjoying.
Can you freeze any leftovers?
Yes, pumpkin crunch cake should freeze just fine. I suggest placing slices in an airtight container, separated with layers of parchment paper. Let thaw in the refrigerator overnight or microwave for 30-60 seconds to thaw and warm it through.
Could you use a different cake mix flavor instead of yellow cake mix?
Any cake mix flavor will work here as long as it is a 15.25-ounce mix and you like the flavor combination with the pumpkin. For example, a spice cake mix or a butter pecan cake mix would be delicious, too.
Can you use a gluten-free cake mix?
I have had several readers try making this pumpkin crunch cake with a gluten-free cake mix and they have said it was delicious and worked great.
Pumpkin Crunch Cake
Ingredients
- 1 can pumpkin puree 15 ounces
- 1 can evaporated milk 12 ounces
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 box yellow cake mix 15.25 ounces
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup unsalted butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9×13 inch baking pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, eggs, sugars, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice and salt and well combined and smooth.
- Pour mixture into prepared pan and spread into an even layer.
- Sprinkle dry cake mix evenly over the pumpkin mixture and use your hands to gently press it into the batter.
- Sprinkle the top of the cake with chopped pecans and evenly drizzle the melted butter over the entire cake.
- Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes. At this point, check your cake. If the top is becoming too brown, cover the cake with a piece of foil for the remaining baking time. Continue baking an additional 10-20 minutes or until set.
- Remove pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Chill for a few hours before serving.
- If desired, top with whipped cream and chopped pecans before serving.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
My son is allergic to nuts. Any suggestion to substitute the nuts?
Hi, Lucy! Try pumpkin seeds. Let me know how it goes!
@Jamie,
Heath bits! Delicious!!
Love this idea!
It was fabulous … we can’t use nuts so we used Heath bits and spice cake mix and it was amazing! Thanks so much! Too bad I found your recipe five years too late!
So happy to hear you enjoyed the cake, Nancy! Thanks so much for stopping back and leaving your feedback – it is much appreciated! Happy Baking!
-Jamie
Spice cake mix is tastier and could also use granola in place of nuts? Pumpkin pie filling has everything you need except the eggs. I always use it for my pumpkin praline cream cheese torte…a whole other story!!
I would love a bite of that cheese torte, Linda! I think granola is also a great alternative.
I really don’t like evaporated milk…wonder if Eagle Brand Condensed Milk would work?
Hi, Barb! Condensed milk has extra sugar, so I wouldn’t advise using that. Try using whole milk or half-and-half. I hope this helps!
I made this for work (taste testers prior to Cdn Thanksgiving) and everyone loved it. A very nice change from plain pumpkin pie. I do prefer it warm so would plan the baking time for that or even heat it up prior to serving. I love the pecans but might add more next time. The sweetness level was perfect and I used a spice cake mix. Thanks – it was great.
So glad to hear you enjoyed it, Terra! Thanks so much for popping back over to leave your feedback. And Happy Thanksgiving!
-Jamie
My cake filing looks like pie. Did I not cook it long enough ? I cooked it for 50 minutes.
Kate-
Hello! Everything is completely fine – the bottom will be almost pie-like in texture. Once it sets and cools, it will be perfect. Enjoy!
if substituting the cake mix with gluten free mix, would you still use only one box, or would you need to use two, since they only make an 8×8 cake?
Sherry-
Hello! I haven’t used many gluten-free boxed cake mixes, so I am unsure. The box I used was 15.25 ounces, so that might help you figure out how many boxes you’ll need. :)
-Jamie
I love this recipe but was wondering if I could substitute the crunch with something nut free. Might try the chocolate chip suggestions, but any ideas would be appreciated!!!
I think you could definitely just omit the nuts and have a great dessert. I’ve never tried this, and I’m just brainstorming, but maybe you could use pumpkin seeds instead of the nuts? Let me know how it goes!
Is there anyway i could use canned pumpkin pie filling in this recipe? What changes would i have to make?
Hi, Digiom! Pumpkin pie filling is sweetened and has spices in it, whereas pumpkin puree is pure pumpkin. You would have to cut back the sugar, spice, and vanilla to make it work. I’ve never tried the pumpkin pie filling in this recipe, but omit the sweetness and spices and taste to see if it’s to your liking. Add little bits back in until it’s the flavor you want. Let me know how it goes!
I don’t know when Fischer Nuts ‘developed’ this recipe but it would have had to be more than 40 years ago since I have been making this for more than 40 years ago from a recipe in a magazine called “Peter’s Pumpkin Delight”
It is very yummy for sure. I make it at Thanksgiving instead of pumpkin pie.
Hi, Kristie! I love this recipe, too!
I made this cake yesterday and it was delicious. This is definitely a recipe I will keep handy for fall gatherings. I used a yellow cake mix and salted butter. Next time I will try a spice cake mix as someone else suggested. I love recipes like this that are not complicated but still delicious!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Brenda!