Name: Pumpkin Dump Cake
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 16
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 15 ounce cans pumpkin puree; 1 12 ounce can evaporated milk; 3 large eggs; 1 cup granulated sugar; 1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 1 box yellow cake mix; 1 cup salted butter

The EASIEST pumpkin cake! This Pumpkin Dump Cake comes together in minutes and makes the perfect dessert for all your fall gatherings!

Let’s face it. You can never have too many pumpkin desserts! Because pumpkin is a fall staple… and there are SO many ways to do it other than plain old pumpkin pie.

Don’t get me wrong… I have nothing against the classics. And I’ll definitely indulge in a piece of pie when pie is available. But why stop there when there are so possibilities? Like Pumpkin Crisp or Pumpkin Cheesecake or… if you prefer to drink your desserts… Pumpkin Pie Martinis!?

Or, of course, this Pumpkin Dump Cake. It has quickly become one of our holiday favorites, not only because it’s absolutely DELICIOUS (it tastes like a mix between pumpkin pie and pumpkin cake) but because it’s so insanely easy to make.

Just 5 minutes of prep time and an hour in the oven, and you have yourself a delicious pumpkin dessert that’s sure to please your holiday guests!

Why “Dump” Cake?

This recipe is called dump cake because of how it’s made! It really is as simple as dumping the ingredients into a pan and baking… there’s very little mixing actually involved!

what you’ll need for this recipe

Pumpkin puree – Pumpkin puree is what gives this cake its delicious pumpkin flavor. Be sure to use puree, not pie filling, as pie filling has other ingredients added to it. I used two 15 ounce cans in this recipe.

Eggs – Like most cake recipes, this recipe calls for eggs. I used 3 large eggs, which get mixed right in with the pumpkin puree and other ingredients.

Evaporated milk – Evaporated milk is a common ingredient in pumpkin pie and also works well in this recipe. Evaporated milk is fresh milk that has been heated so that around 60% of the water content evaporates. Using it in place of regular milk helps give this cake an extra thick, creamy, delicious texture.

Sugar – Since this cake is essentially a combination of pumpkin pie and yellow cake, the sugar in the cake mix alone isn’t quite enough. I added 1 cup of granulated sugar, which can be adjusted to 3/4 or 1/2 cup if you prefer your desserts less sweet.

Spices – A simple combination of pumpkin pie spice and vanilla gives this dessert just the flavor you’re looking for. I used 1 Tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Cake mix – This recipe calls for one boxed cake mix. I used yellow cake for the rich, buttery vanilla flavor. You could also use white cake, spice cake, or even pumpkin cake mix if you prefer. (Any brand is fine!)

Butter – Melted butter gets drizzled over the top of the cake mix, giving it a crispy “crust” that balances out the smooth and creamy texture of the base. I used 1 cup of salted butter in this recipe.

how to make pumpkin dump cake

Combine all ingredients except the cake mix and butter. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla. Mix until ingredients are thoroughly combined.

Pour into a greased 9×13 inch pan. Pour the mixture into a 9×13 inch pan that has been greased or buttered.

Sprinkle with dry cake mix and drizzle with melted butter. Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the mixture in the pan. Melt the butter and drizzle evenly over the dry cake mix.

Bake. Bake at 350° for 1 hour. Let stand to cool for at least 30 minutes, then serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream as desired.

Recipe Variations

Use any flavor of cake mix, such as spice, white, or pumpkin
Substitute brown sugar for granulated sugar or use a combination of the two
Substitute cinnamon for the pumpkin pie spice
Adjust the sweetness by adding less sugar (according to taste)
Serve with ice cream, whipped cream, or homemade cool whip

more pumpkin desserts you’ll love

Like I said… you can never have too many pumpkin desserts, and the options truly are endless! If you’re looking to expand your recipe box, here are some more of our favorites!