Pumpkin Dump Cake Recipe – Easy Fall Dessert (No Mixing!)

If you have ever wanted a pumpkin dessert that takes almost no effort and feeds an entire crowd, this is it.

Pumpkin dump cake is one of those old-school recipes that has been made at potlucks and family gatherings since the 1980s — and it is still around because it just works. You mix the pumpkin filling in a bowl, pour it into a pan, dump the dry cake mix right on top, pour melted butter over everything, and put it in the oven. That is genuinely the whole thing.

The result is somewhere between a pumpkin pie and a cobbler. The bottom layer is silky, creamy, warmly spiced pumpkin. The top layer is a golden, buttery, slightly crunchy crumble that forms on its own while the cake bakes. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a cloud of whipped cream on top and it is one of the coziest fall desserts you will ever eat.

This is the recipe everyone asks for. The one that looks like you did way more work than you actually did. And it feeds 12 people from a single 9×13 pan.

Love all things pumpkin? Do not miss my full collection of the best pumpkin dessert recipes — cheesecakes, bars, cookies, breads, and more all in one place.

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Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Genuinely no mixing required once the pumpkin layer is in the pan — just dump, pour, and bake
• One bowl, one pan, seven ingredients, under an hour
• Feeds 12 to 15 people from a single 9×13 pan
• Tastes like pumpkin pie and cobbler had a baby — silky bottom, crunchy buttery top
• Completely make-ahead friendly — keeps in the fridge for 3 to 4 days
• Everyone asks for the recipe every single time

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Ingredients

• 1 can (15 oz) pure pumpkin puree
• 1 can (10 oz) evaporated milk
• 1 cup (200g) packed light brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 box (15.25 oz) yellow cake mix
• 1 cup (2 sticks / 226g) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup coarsely crushed graham crackers (or chopped pecans)
• 1/2 cup toffee bits (optional but very much recommended)

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Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Pumpkin puree — Pure canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. Both come in similar-looking cans so check the label. Pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened and spiced and will completely throw off the balance of this recipe. Libby is the most reliable brand.

Evaporated milk — Make sure you are buying unsweetened evaporated milk, not sweetened condensed milk. They look similar and are often on the same shelf but they are very different products. Use a 10 oz can — if yours is 12 oz, use the whole thing.

Brown sugar — Light brown sugar is the default. Dark brown works too and adds a slightly deeper molasses flavour.

Cake mix — Yellow cake mix is the classic choice. French vanilla, butter cake, and white cake all work well too. Spice cake mix is also a great option — just skip the added pumpkin pie spice in the recipe since the spice cake mix is already seasoned.

Butter — Melted butter goes over the dry cake mix and is what creates that golden crumble topping as it bakes. Make sure you pour it as evenly as you can — any dry patches of cake mix left without butter will bake up powdery instead of crumbly.

Graham crackers — Coarsely crushed, not fine crumbs. You want some texture. Chopped pecans or walnuts are a great swap if you prefer nuts, or do half and half.

Toffee bits — Completely optional but they add little pockets of sweet, caramelised crunch throughout the topping that make this dump cake taste like something from a really good bakery. Worth it if you can find them.

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Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep the Pan and Oven

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Generously spray a 9×13 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

Step 2: Make the Pumpkin Layer

In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, brown sugar, eggs, and pumpkin pie spice until smooth and well combined. The mixture will look like a very loose pumpkin pie filling — that is exactly right.

Pour the pumpkin mixture into your prepared pan and spread it evenly to the edges.

Step 3: Add the Cake Mix

Open the box of yellow cake mix and sprinkle the entire contents evenly over the pumpkin layer. Spread it gently with the back of a spoon if needed so it covers the pumpkin as evenly as possible.

Do not stir, do not mix. The layers stay separate and that is the whole point.

Step 4: Add the Toppings

Scatter the crushed graham crackers (or pecans) and the toffee bits evenly over the dry cake mix layer.

Step 5: Pour Over the Butter

Drizzle the melted butter slowly and as evenly as possible over the entire surface. Try to cover every patch of dry cake mix — any spots that miss the butter will not bake up into the crumble properly. Take your time with this step.

Step 6: Bake

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 to 50 minutes, until the center is set and the edges are lightly golden brown. The top should look like a golden, crumbly, slightly uneven crumble — rustic is exactly right for a dump cake.

Step 7: Serve

Serve warm or at room temperature. Scoop directly from the pan — this is a rustic, casual dessert and it is meant to be shared straight from the baking dish. Top each serving with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream or a generous pile of whipped cream.

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Tips for the Best Results

• Do not mix after the cake mix goes in — the whole point of a dump cake is the separate layers. Stirring ruins both the texture and the topping
• Pour the butter slowly and cover every inch of the dry cake mix — dry patches stay powdery
• Use coarsely crushed graham crackers, not fine crumbs — you want texture in the topping
• Do not underbake — the center should be completely set, not wobbly. Check at 45 minutes and give it more time if needed
• Use pure pumpkin puree, never pumpkin pie filling — check the label every time
• Serve warm for the best texture — the crumble topping is at its crunchiest right out of the oven
• Reheat leftovers in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes rather than the microwave to keep the topping crisp

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Variations

• Spice cake mix — swap yellow cake mix for a spice cake mix and skip the pumpkin pie spice in the filling. Deep, warming flavour all the way through
• Pecan topping — use chopped pecans instead of graham crackers for a nuttier crunch
• Half and half — use half crushed graham crackers and half chopped pecans for the best of both
• Apple pumpkin — fold 1 cup of finely diced Granny Smith apple into the pumpkin layer before baking for a fall fruit twist
• Caramel drizzle — drizzle salted caramel sauce over the warm dump cake before serving for an extra indulgent finish
• Gluten free — use a gluten free yellow cake mix at the same quantity

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What to Serve With It

• A big scoop of vanilla ice cream — always
• A generous pile of fresh whipped cream
• A drizzle of salted caramel sauce or pumpkin spice caramel
• A sprinkle of extra crushed graham crackers on top for more crunch
• Served warm straight from the pan, right at the table

Pumpkin dump cake is proof that the best desserts do not have to be complicated.

One bowl to mix the filling, one pan to bake it in, seven ingredients total, and you end up with something that genuinely wows people every single time. That silky pumpkin layer, that golden buttery crumble, a scoop of ice cream melting on top — it is exactly what a cozy fall dessert is supposed to be.

Make it once and it will be on your regular fall rotation forever. I really mean that.

For more pumpkin dessert recipes you will love:

• Pumpkin Cheesecake
• Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
• Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Filling
• Pumpkin Pie
• No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
• Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting