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Pumpkin Dump Cake (+Video)

Pumpkin Pie Dump Cake gets it’s name by dumping the ingredients into the baking dish. It is like a pumpkin pie and a spice cake all in one!

A SIMPLE PUMPKIN DESSERT

So the words “dump cake” probably don’t sound very appealing, right? It’s probably not the best word to use but its the one most commonly used words for these types of desserts where you “dump” all the ingredients into a dish and bake. Even though the name may not sounds super appealing, I promise these are some the easiest and yummiest desserts to make!

Pumpkin Pie Dump Cake, slice with whipped cream.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Why do they call it dump cake?

Because you “dump” everything into a baking dish and bake. The easiest form of a dump cake is fruit pie filling poured into a 9×13-inch baking dish then that is sprinkled evenly with a cake mix. Then melted butter is poured over the top. You can also mix the cake mix and butter together first then sprinkle over the top of the pie filling.

How do dump cakes work?

They are similar to cobblers in that you have a fruit filling on the bottom of a baking dish and a cake-like topping. In the case of dump cakes, it is a boxed cake mix with melted butter.

Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of canned pumpkin?

Yes you can. However, many people find it too sweet (since it has added sugars) when combined with the sweet cake mix. It is definitely an option though if you want to try it.

Should a dump cake be refrigerated?

They do not need to be refrigerated. However, if you want them to last longer than a couple of days, you could cover and refrigerate which will help it last for up to 5 days.

Can dump cakes be frozen?

Yes. As long as it is wrapped well to protect against freezer burn (wrap in plastic wrap then aluminum foil) and it can be kept frozen for 3 months.

Pumpkin Pie Dump Cake recipe from The Country Cook shown on a white plate with a bite removed from the dump cake slice.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)

  • canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
  • evaporated milk
  • eggs
  • sugar
  • ground cinnamon
  • spice cake mix
  • butter
canned pumpkin puree, evaporated, milk, eggs, sugar, ground cinnamon, spice cake mix, butter.

HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN DUMP CAKE:

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. I like to use the kind that has flour in it. It works great. In a medium bowl, combine pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar and cinnamon until well-combined. It will be very liquid-y.

pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar and cinnamon whisked together in a bowl.

Pour this mixture into a baking dish.

pumpkin pie mix poured into a 13X9 baking dish.

Sprinkle dry cake mix on top of pumpkin mixture.

dry spice cake mix sprinkled over top pumpkin pie mix in a baking dish.

Take melted butter and drizzle all over the top. Bake for about 55-60 minutes. It might still be just a bit jiggly in the middle when done. It will continue to set up as it cools.

MELTED BUTTER DRIZZLED OVER DRY SPICE CAKE MIX.

 Let it cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.Be sure to refrigerate any leftovers. I like to heat each piece up in the microwave for a few seconds before serving since I enjoy eating it warm. 

PUMPKIN DUMP CAKE in baking pan, slice served on a spatula.

Dollop each serving with a bit of whipped cream and a candy pumpkin (if you’re feeling festive)!

slice, Pumpkin Dump Cake on a white plate topped with whipped cream.

CRAVING MORE?

Originally published: October 2012
Updated & republished: August 2019

Pumpkin Dump Cake recipe

Pumpkin Dump Cake (+Video)

Pumpkin Pie Dump Cake gets it's name by dumping the ingredients into the baking dish. It is like a pumpkin pie and a spice cake all in one!
4.89 from 114 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 12

Ingredients

  • 15 ounce can pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie mix)
  • 12 ounce can evaporated milk
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 box spice cake mix
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
  • In a medium bowl, combine pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar and cinnamon until well-combined. It will be very liquid-y.
  • Pour this pumpkin mixture into the baking dish.
  • Sprinkle dry cake mix on top of pumpkin mixture.
  • Drizzle melted butter over the top.
  • Bake for about 55-60 minutes.
  • It might still be just a bit jiggly in the middle when done. It will continue to set up as it cools.
  • Let it cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

Video

YouTube video

Notes

  • Dollop each serving with a bit of whipped cream.
  • Refrigerate any leftovers.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Calories: 483kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 26g | Sodium: 488mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 42g

Nutritional Disclaimer

“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

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Recipe Rating




236 Comments

  1. I wonder if I can substitute Splenda for the sugar and still have the desired effect/sweetness. Do you think this would be ok?

  2. I made it on Thursday. It was delicious. My husband is a pumpkin fiend so he was so happy. Thanks again Brandi. Another winner.

  3. Sounds wonderful. Will try this instead of pie this year. I've found that cutting the cold butter into the cake mix, versus melted, makes for a crunchy topping

  4. Made it last night and it's good!
    I don't like spice cake so I used yellow cake instead; and instead of just cinnamon in the batter, I used used 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice blend.

    I made four different containers and tried something different in each one, and I cooked it longer so it was more crispy at the edges (which I like).
    1. normal recipe. Not bad (I'd rather have Libby's pumpkin pie)
    2. Just the batter (no cake mix or butter). Tasted like pumpkin pie sans crust.
    3. With pecans added on top at the beginning of baking. DElicious! My favorite version!
    4. With Mini marshmallows added on top in the last 3 minutes of baking. Good! Chewy near the edges. Second favorite.

  5. Can I use regular whole milk instead of evaporated milk I hate the taste evaporated milk and anything I've used it in I can taste it. other than that it sounds delicious

  6. Verdict on this Pumpkin Pie Dump cake:

    Its Okay

    Doesnt hold up like a cake, hard to cut slices and is more like a cobbler in texture. Scooping works better. Was difficult to get a full piece with cake mix and pumpkin in one scoop.

    Its not very sweet, but has a rich spice and pumpkin flavor.

    There are clumps of no sweetness at all, and then spot of sugar. In my opinion the flavors do not marry very well and swirling the cake mix into the pumpkin liquid base may be better than dumping it on top.

    Cool whip, or Reddywip on top definitely helps. Vanilla Ice Cream might add to it even more.

    I didn't LOVE it, but I didn't dislike it either. Im contemplating another serving with coffee this time!

  7. Brandy–you can vastly improve the appearance of this delicious cake by adding a whole bunch of whipping cream when you serve it!

  8. I use Eagle brand milk in place of evaporated milk and sugar in my pumpkin pies. Can I do that for this cake?

    1. This dump cake wasnt very sweet at all for us… We tested it today 🙂 So I'd imagine that would be fine… you might want to add a bit more sweet to it.

    2. Anonymous from Aug. 30, 2016 — Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk should never be substituted for any other kind of milk. It is an entirely a different taste as well as consistency.

  9. After the last picture, under the signature of Brandie, there is "Printable Recipe Here." It doesn't look like a button as it's not framed in a different color. It will give you the recipe on one sheet of paper size, with just one picture at the top.

  10. I make this with Pillsbury's sugar free yellow cake mix and artificial sugar and regular pumpkin from a can with 4 tsp of pumpkin pie spice. I'm going to try adding cinnamon. I also add chopped pecans on top of the butter before baking. It makes a 9×13 and I took it a Christmas party recently and everyone liked it, especially because it was sugar free. It's Yummy!

  11. Tastes just like pumpkin pie! I sprinkled 1/2 cups of chopped pecans on top before baking – they toasted and added a nice taste and texture to the cake.

  12. My DIL made this last weekend and it is delicious. Warm from the oven with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream …. going to make for Thanksgiving instead of a pumpkin pie. Thanks…..

  13. I just made this for my extended family weekly dinner. Everyone loved it! I've already received requests to make it for Thanksgiving. Thank you for sharing!

  14. Oh my WORD! I made this earlier today and its absolutely yummylicious! We sampled a piece after it had been out of the oven about 30 minutes! I did not have a spice cake mix, so I substituted a yellow cake mix. Oh my I highly recommend this recipe for those who love to eat pumpkin!!

    Thank you for sharing with us! 🙂

    1. You can use a yellow cake mix and make a spice cake from it 🙂

      1 yellow cake mix box
      1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
      1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
      1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
      1/4 teaspoon allspice (or substitute 1/4 tsp ground cloves)

      Put all in a med bowl and stir with fork until well blended.

      VIOLA! Spice Cake Mix