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This Pumpkin Pie Crunch Recipe is the tastiest (and easiest!) dessert for Fall. It’s like part pumpkin pie filling and part cobbler topping. Made simply with a yellow cake mix, pecans, pumpkin and spices, you will love this delicious dessert. After you make this recipe, be sure to check out my MUST TRY Pumpkin Desserts for Fall. A little something for everyone!
What is Pumpkin Pie Crunch Cake?
Like I mentioned above, Pumpkin Pie Crunch Cake (or sometimes called Pumpkin Dump Cake) is a super simple cake mix-based bar that is basically the filling of a pumpkin pie that is topped with dry vanilla or yellow cake mix, nuts, and melted butter. Basically like a cross between my (wildly popular) Pumpkin Pecan Cobbler and my Pumpkin Pie. After it’s baked, you can scoop it like a warm pudding or cobbler or slice it into pieces and top it with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. It has a total of nine simply pantry ingredients and gets baked for a good hour to make sure it’s completely cooked. So so delicious warm or at room temperature. I’m going to be making this all season long!
How to Make Pumpkin Pie Crunch
The best part about this recipe is how quickly it comes together! The hardest part is waiting the full hour of baking time. Here’s how to make it:
Make the Pumpkin Layer
In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, granulated sugar, salt, pumpkin pie spice, eggs and evaporated milk until smooth and eggs are incorporated well. Pour this mixture into the bottom of a greased 9×13 glass dish.
Can I Substitute Pumpkin Pie Filling for Pumpkin Puree?
No, both are non-synonymous with each other. Pumpkin Pie Filling is a canned pumpkin that has sugar and spices added in. It’s a one-stop-shop for making a pumpkin pie. Pumpkin Puree, Pure Pumpkin, or 100% Pure Pumpkin (such as Libby’s) is simply cooked and blended pumpkin that has been canned with no sweeteners or spices added in. They cannot be substituted one for the other in any pumpkin recipes.
Top With Crunch Topping
Onto the top of the pumpkin mixture, evenly sprinkle a full box of vanilla, yellow or white cake mix (15.25 oz Betty Crocker works great!) with chopped pecans and melted butter. Do your best to cover the top evenly with butter. A few dry crumbs peeking through should get absorbed into the overall cake.
Do I have to Use Pecans? Can I Substitute Other Nuts?
No, you don’t have to use only Pecans for this recipe. Any nut will work well, as long as you like it. Good substitutes for this would include walnuts, almonds or hazelnuts. The nuts are the ‘crunch’ of this Pumpkin Crunch Cake so you certainly don’t want to leave them out. Feel free to substitute with something you’d prefer in its place.
Bake the Pumpkin Pie Crunch Cake
Carefully transfer the cake to the center of a preheated 350 degree F oven and bake 60-80 minutes or until completely set. Cool at least 10 minutes before cutting and serving. The longer you let it cool, the prettier your pieces will come out. The first row is pretty rough, but after that, you should get nice clean slices.
What to Serve with Pumpkin Pie Crunch Cake
Just like any cobbler, crisp or crumble, this cake is best served warm or at room temperature with homemade whipped cream, vanilla ice cream or store bought cool whip. I also like to drizzle caramel sauce over top the whole thing for a nice presentation, but that of course is optional.
Other Pumpkin Desserts You Will Love
While this particular recipe for Pumpkin Crunch Cake pushed its way to the top of my pumpkin treats list, here are a few more recipes I’m sure you will love! I’d highly recommend this recipe for Thanksgiving along with some of these other reader favorites:
- Pumpkin Pecan Cobbler (over 300 5-star reviews!)
- Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Classic Pumpkin Pie (no crack recipe that turns out perfectly every time!)
- Pumpkin Sheet Cake (another cake mix recipe that is so so easy)
- Pumpkin Bars with Brown Butter Icing
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Cake (this is a showstopper)
Be sure to check out my whole archive of Pumpkin Desserts as well as Thanksgiving Recipes. I have lots of easy, crowd-pleasing favorites to choose from.
More Pumpkin Cakes to Try!
- Pumpkin Roll Cake
- Pumpkin Sheet Cake
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Cake
- Mini Pumpkin Bundt Cakes
- Nutella Pumpkin Cake
- Pumpkin Layer Cake with Walnuts
I hope you all come to love this Pumpkin Pie Crunch Cake as much as I have! I am a little bit new to the world of dump cakes but oh mama, I’m hooked! Have a great day, friends!
Pumpkin Pie Crunch Recipe
Ingredients
- 15 oz pure pumpkin 1 can
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 eggs
- 12 oz evaporated milk 1 can
- 15.25 oz yellow cake mix 1 box Betty Crocker Super Moist Yellow Cake Mix
- 1 cup pecans toasted and chopped
- 1 cup butter melted
Equipment
- 9×13 glass baking dish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13 pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk pumpkin, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, salt, eggs and evaporated milk together until completely smooth. Pour into the bottom of prepared pan.
- Sprinkle with cake mix evenly and gently press to flatten the top. Sprinkle with chopped pecans and drizzle with melted butter.
- Bake 60-80 minutes or until cake is completely set. Start checking at 60 minutes to ensure you don't over bake. Cool 10 minutes before cutting and serving with ice cream or whipped cream.
Made this yesterday for dessert to take to Ladie’s Night Cards. Yes, it is easy (do not over toast the pecans as they cook again in the oven), Yes, it is worth the time. Yes, it is very, very good. Served it with whipped cream, next time will serve with vanilla bean ice cream. Thank you for this recipe, it is definitely a keeper. Sorry, for 16 pieces the servings would be very samll, more like 12 servings.
Can the pumpkin crunch cake be frozen after baking?
I don’t see why not. It’s a bit of a softer type cake, so transferring it to an air tight container might get a little messy. But you can freeze these no problem.
Recipe was very good but didn’t realize I was supposed to submerge the cake mix into the pumpkin. I had a couple pockets of dry cake mix. I will make again!
The way I read the instructions is to sprinkle dry cake mix on top of pumpkin mixture then smooth with a fork then add the nuts and melted butter. That sounds like what you did.