Make This Fall Pumpkin Dump Cake Recipe in the Crock-Pot or Oven!
Be sure to bookmark this simple pumpkin dump cake recipe to make over the holidays as an easy dessert idea that starts with a boxed cake mix!
If you’ve been hunting for the ultimate fall dessert, you’ve struck pumpkin gold!
This dessert is cozy, buttery, and full of warm fall flavors that’s all made right in your slow cooker or in the oven. I have tested both methods and they are equally delclious.
It’s like pumpkin pie and cake had a delicious autumn baby, and you don’t even have to turn on the oven.
The best part? This easy pumpkin dump cake uses just a few pantry staples and really lives up to its name. You literally dump, set, and forget it. Perfect for fall gatherings, Thanksgiving dessert, or when the pumpkin spice cravings hit hard.
Top with whip cream, nuts, or even ice cream. I love how the brown sugar caramelizes giving it a crumb cake texture while the pumpkin makes it really soft.
EASY PUMPKIN DUMP CAKE
yield: 10 SERVINGS
prep time: 15 MINUTES
cook time: 45 MINUTES
total time: 60 MINUTES
A no-fuss FALL dessert with spiced pumpkin filling and buttery cake topping.
Ingredients
- 15oz. can of pure pumpkin puree
- 3 eggs
- 10 oz. can evaporated milk
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 box of spice-flavored cake mix
- 1 stick of butter, melted
- whip cream and/or nuts for topping if desired
Directions
1
Oven Directions:
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix pumpkin puree, eggs, brown sugar, milk, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice in a large bowl. Pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish.
Add the cake mix on top of the mixture evenly. Drizzle melted butter on top of cake mix. Bake 45-50 minutes at 350 degrees until the edges are brown. Top with whipped cream, nuts, or even ice cream.
2
Slow Cooker Directions:
Mix pumpkin puree, eggs, brown sugar, milk, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice in a large bowl. Spray the inside of a slow cooker with nonstick spray.
Add the cake mix on top of the mixture evenly. Drizzle the melted butter on top of cake mix. Close the lid and bake on HIGH for about 3 hours. More for a firmer cake and a little less for gooey. Just keep an eye on it as not to burn. Top with whipped cream, nuts, or even ice cream.
Extra tips for making this oven or crock pot pumpkin dump cake:
- Need this dessert to be gluten-free? You could also easily make it gluten-free by opting for a gluten-free cake mix.
- Add a drizzle of caramel sauce before serving for a pumpkin-caramel dream.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days—warm before serving.
- Reader AC Gold says she bakes this as a loaf pan gifts! “I make them in aluminum loaf pans to give out individually for people to take home. The same ingredients make 3 loaf pans.”
Pumpkin dump cake is comfort in a bowl!
It’s everything you love about fall in one spoonful: spiced, cozy, sweet, and ridiculously easy. Whether you’re making it for Thanksgiving, a potluck, or just because you autumnatically need pumpkin dessert, this recipe is a keeper.
Whenever I make this for fall parties, my family and friends LOVE it and always ask for the recipe. I know you’re going to love it, too! Enjoy!
Prefer apple over pumpkin?! Check out this easy apple cobbler hack.
Yummyy! 😋 thanks.
Where do u get pumpkin spice from? Walmart doesn’t have it with the spices here 🙁
If you have the ingredients, you can make your own. This is the recipe I have bookmarked –
In a small bowl,
Add 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.
Add 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger.
Add 1/8 teaspoon of ground allspice or ground cloves.
Add 1/8 teaspoon of ground nutmeg.
Stir to blend.
Makes 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice.
Cass, are you shopping at a smaller Walmart that doesn’t have a full grocery section? Because if not, they should have it. That is an item that is carried year round at the store I work at. They should also have a “seasonal baking section” and it should be therea also.
I found Pumpkin Pie Spice in a Large Bottle for a $1 @ “Big Lots”! They had CInnamon as well!!
I’ve actually seen it at Dollar Tree.
The recipe only calls for SPICE Cake Mix. This cake mix is literally at every grocery store
I have used yellow cake mix before and it’s very good!
Awesome! Thanks for your feedback!
I have this same recipe! My mom has made it for years and it is delicious!! Better than pumpkin pie 😉
Would this work using a can or two of pumpkin pie filling instead of making the purée yourself? I’m all about ease when it comes to dump cake! 🙂
Recipes call for 15 oz can of puree… I think you can purchase either pumpkin pie mix (that has sugar added) or pumpkin puree in a can. You want just the canned puree pumpkin as opposed to pumpkin pie mix.
Yummmmmm!
This looks sooooo good! I’ve bookmarked it for future use. By future, I mean probably tonight. 😉
Two questions please:
What brand of spice cake do people like best? I used one in the past and it was too heavy on on one spice and I now cant remember which one was the offender. Betty? Duncan?? The Doughboy???
Also what is the ‘goo’ factor on this recipe? Is it gooey or just moist? LOL. :-)I ask because I was all set to make a pumpkin dump cake last year and sis told me all the dump cakes she had tasted were so gooey it seemed raw. Many thanks~
I used Duncan because it was on sale and we liked it. You coukd also do yellow. Most tecipes call for the larger can of pumpkin which has more of a goo factor. This one is using the smaller can. I like it better, and i like to nake sure the outsides are nice and brown in the oven. Thanks!
Awesome…thanks for the reply. I like that is calls for the smaller can of punkin. I will give it a go. 🙂 Thanks~
I have only used a yellow cake mix. I have even used a gluten free yellow cake mix and either way it is wonderful. I simply can not have this in my house because it is so good I eat it!
Chances are your sister is eating undercooked dump cakes. Lots of people make the mistake of pulling it from the oven as soon as it looks done. With the dump cakes, you kind of have to leave them in until they look like they’re starting to get overcooked because the top is drier than the bottom. They’re generally not “pretty” cakes because of this–but some whipped cream can usually fix that 😉
You can make this in the crockpot, do it on high for about 3 hours. Less time if you want it gooier and additional time if you want it more cake-like. On Thanksgiving my oven is precious real estate, so being able to skirt that is awesome!
Thanks for the suggestion. My class made this last week and loved it- so we are making it again this week. The crockpot worked perfectly
How do make this in a crockpot?
If you make your own whipped cream, I suggest TAZO Chai Latte concentrate. It will sweeten and flavor your cream.
Another suggestions for added crunch- crushed ginger snap cookies!
I made a scratch pumpkin pie from real pumpkin last night *feeling accomplished* and I actually made it right this time!! 🙂
YAy! I love that baking accomplished feeling!
Awesome!
They had this at Southern Season in Richmond but baked in a pumpkin! The employee used the bottom half of a carving pumpkin and cleaned out seeds and stringy stuff. Then she baked the ingredients in the pumpkin for the first hour at 350 and 2nd hour at 275. It was so yummy.
Lina, how do you think it would taste using a gingerbread cake mix?
I dont think ive ever had gingerbread cake! I think I’d like it!
looks delicious, how could I incorporate some oatmeal in the recipe?
Thank you Lina! You are the best! Adding a newer comment! I made loads of dump cakes all the time for my neighbor’s senior center before Covid. This is a great holiday version, everyone loved. FYI- they freeze well. I also make them in aluminum loaf pans to give out individually for people to take home.. The same ingredients make 3 loaf pans. I have used Lina’s pumpkin spice mix so I don’t have to buy a large jar. It is on the site here if you search for it. Another favorite is “black forest” with cherry pie filling and dark chocolate or devils food cake mix.