Nov 22 08
by cara
at 10:53 AM
  • Pin It

Pumpkin Crunch Cake

This is one of my favorite pumpkin recipes!  I subscribe to several recipe sharing groups, and this recipe popped up in my email inbox a few years ago.  I have no ideas about the origin of the recipe, but I’ve seen it around the internet in similar forms.  Anyone out there know where this recipe comes from?

“Cake” is a bit of a misnomer, because it is really quite custard-y.  I suppose it could be called cake since a boxed cake mix is used, but it is not a cake in the traditional sense.  Each time I make this recipe, I add more and more pecans because I like the extra crunchiness and flavor they add.  I’ve reflected my changes below.

Pumpkin Crunch Cake

Ingredients:

  • 1 box yellow cake mix
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
  • 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans (the original recipe called for 1/2 cup)
  • 1 cup butter, melted

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease bottom of 9 x 13″ pan.  Mix pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, and salt.  Pour mixture into greased pan.  Sprinkle dry cake mix over pumpkin mixture and top with pecans.  Drizzle melted butter over pecans.  Bake 50-55 minutes.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
335 Comments
  1. Lorna Thoms permalink

    I’m sorry, but I don’t know how to copy the recipes. Will you inform me?

  2. PlanoMom, this is one of my favorite recipes and looking forward to trying it with spice cake mix for an event this evening!

  3. Gertie permalink

    how long do i need to cool the cake before flipping it thanks–its baking right now

  4. Kimberly permalink

    sounds yummy and maybe a cream cheese drizzle on top 🙂

  5. Faye / South Carolina permalink

    I found a whole box of cake mix to be too much. My cake never set in the center, cake mix was still dry, even though I used the correct amount of butter. Outside edges tasted great, but will probably have to trash the center. If I make again I plan to decrease the cake mix to 1/2 box.

  6. Shame on you permalink

    Really…..how exactly was that post not nice? Maybe you are over thinking it …geez lighten up. Not everyone knows what gluten free is.

  7. rich0517 permalink

    This was so easy/good/quick to make. I’m trying to figure out how to turn it into a Pumpkin Crunch brownie recipe. Any bakers out there have any suggestions?

  8. ReenJay permalink

    Omg… Need to try this!! Looks yumm! 🙂

  9. Ginny permalink

    I messed this recipe up since I forgot my grocery list at home. I read the comments and used a spice cake which I thought was a great decision. My mistake was that I used condensed sweetened milk and pumpkin pie puree but it still turned out delicious. It was very sweet probably due to sugar in the milk and pumpkin pie filling. I did cut down sugar a tad due to my mistake but next time I will try with evaporated milk and pumpkin puree.

  10. GTQ permalink

    Have made this twice since discovering the recipe on Pinterest. I used a butter pecan cake mix and a little pumpkin pie spice along with the cinnamon and it was fantastic! This recipe is definitely a keeper!

  11. Karen perry permalink

    Sounds yummy! I’m gonna try it!

  12. Mindy permalink

    I’ve made this a couple of times and can’t say enough how fabulous it is!!! I’ve used french vanilla cake mix instead. I have one cooking in the oven right now! But this time I decided to put it in an 8×11 dish. I thought I would try it and have it a bit thicker.

  13. Carly permalink

    I mixed the butter & mix together first but found it didn’t spread well on top of the pumpkin mixture. Next time, I think I will just use 1/2 the box of cake mix and pour over butter as suggested. I topped with 2 cups walnuts, 1/4 of a bag of Hershey’s Skor Chipits (toffee bits), and a handful of oats. It was pretty good!

  14. I found this via Pinterest and yum! I made it for a get together tonight and we all loved it. I had to use walnuts bc I was out of pecans, sadly, so it probably wasn’t as great. Thanks!

  15. Amy M permalink

    I made something similar (frozen fruit instead of the pumpkin mixture) last night and did 1/2 butter, 1/2 applesauce. The places where there was applesauce werent as pretty, and didnt get as crunchy as the places with butter. I put it under the broiler for a few seconds to help crisp it up at the end. It still tasted good though

  16. Thenanawanda permalink

    I made this tonight, a very big hit. I used a butter recipe cake mix. Very delish, A+

  17. teri permalink

    what is pumpkin puree?

  18. You really need to take a chill pill, your are the prime example of WARE YOUR FEELING ON YOU SHIRT SLEEVE people in this world. Quit being mellow dramatic

  19. Diane Nally permalink

    Where do you find butter pecan cake mix? I’ve looked and looked and can not find.

  20. Natalie permalink

    I made this last night using butter pecan cake mix. It was great, I think you need to use the entire box of cake mix and could probably reduce the butter to 1/2 c. I topped mine with toffee pieces and pecans, fabulous!

  21. Christina Herndon permalink

    I made it tonight for an event tomorrow, do I need to refrigerate it?

  22. Julie permalink

    Made this for a work potluck and it was a big hit! Used the spice cake also, inverted it and frosted with cream cheese-cool whip frosting. It was very good. Thanks to everyone for the tips!

  23. This is similar but a bit different than Paula Deen’s “Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake” – which I thought was the best pumpkin recipe in the world until I read this one of yours, and I am not a huge pumpkin fan. I still think the Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake is different enough to keep both. Hmmm …. sounds like a taste comparison test is in order. I do like the pecans in your recipe. Thanks for the good info.

    http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/pumpkin-gooey-butter-cakes-recipe/index.html

  24. I find it at Meijer’s grocery store in Michigan.

  25. From Southern Living!

  26. quilter41 permalink

    The original recipe is called Praline Pumpkin Dessert from the Betty Crocker Christmas cookbook and it has been around for years

  27. Made this for the family. It was a huge hit. Will definitely make again.

  28. Amy permalink

    My mom made dump cake all the time. She would freeze the butter for a bit and then grate it over the top. I think this helps.

  29. I serve this warm ,with Icecream , Love this Cake !! <3

  30. mspeidel permalink

    Now to Veganize it! lol

  31. Kristine permalink

    Made it yesterday. It’s gone! What a hit. I used 1/2 the butter and it still turned out great!

  32. rose8131Suites permalink

    Delicious — melts in your mouth. To cut calories — use 3/4 cup sugar & 1/2 cup butter & less pecans. G. Van Horn

  33. Tracey permalink

    Should it be stored in the refrigerator if not being served until the next day?

  34. Bettyblaster permalink

    In the oven now, looked at all comments. Used butter pecan cake mix, pinch ground cloves and froze and grated butter. Thanks for all the great ideas!

  35. Kim permalink

    I just made this recipe for a party tonight and mine is the same consistency. I’m so bummed. Trying to decide if I can serve it or not 🙁

  36. disqus_o7ruqH44EC permalink

    Should it be stored in the refrigerator?

  37. Nenray permalink

    Just made this yesterday. I did what a few reviews said and used 1/2 the cake mix but it turned out kinda goopy, not easy to cut into bars, more like spooning it. Even with that, it still tastes excellent! I did use glazed pecans which were great with it too! Will make it again for sure! Thank you!

  38. jkeys permalink

    i am wondering the same thing….just made it and am not sure what to do

  39. Cara permalink

    In the past, I’ve stored it on the counter and in the fridge. Probably okay either way, but it definitely lasts longer in the fridge!

  40. nora permalink

    Nora: I used a spice cake mix and crushed a couple of score bars instead of pecans….it was delicious

  41. diane atkins permalink

    I made this with a spice cake mix…it came out great also.

  42. diane atkins permalink

    I read your post after I posted…the spice cake mix was so good.

  43. deliscious and ohhhhhh so easy.

  44. jodi permalink

    I made this yesterday for a small dinner group. I did use the spice cake mix as mentioned in one of the comments I had read. I also mixed in some cinnamon chips with the pumpkin mix to add a little crunch. And, as also recommended in one of the comments, I mixed the chopped pecans with Heath Bar chips for the topping. I also did end up baking the cake closer to 60 minutes, because the middle took a bit longer to set-up. I had both cinnamon ice cream, and cinnamon Cool Whip for toppings. It was SO delicious! All of my guests raved about the dessert. Definitely will make again!

  45. ddt1978 permalink

    Do you think it would turn out ok with only 2 eggs instead of 3?

  46. Amy permalink

    Waiting for hurricane Sandy to hit tomorrow so I whipped this recipe up to snack on. Who knows if we’ll have power tomorrow or even this week! It looks and smells very yummy!!!

  47. Lisa permalink

    I just made this cake. It smells great! The only problem is the bottom seems like its not set. Is that because it needs to cool to set?

  48. molly permalink

    Yes store in fridge

Trackbacks & Pingbacks

  1. Gettin’ ready to par-tay! « I'm a Mog

Leave a Reply

Note: XHTML is allowed. Your email address will never be published.

Subscribe to this comment feed via RSS

Blog Widget by LinkWithin