Pumpkin Crunch Cake
Spiced pumpkin custard bakes beneath a crisp, buttery pecan and yellow cake mix topping in this layered dump-style dessert. Assemble in 15 minutes without stirring the layers together.
Equipment
- 9-by-13-inch baking pan
- large bowl
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix 15 ounces
- 1 can pumpkin 16 ounces
- 1 can evaporated milk 12 ounces
- 3 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1½ cups sugar
- 4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup pecans roughly chopped
- 1 cup melted butter
- Nonstick cooking spray
- Whipped topping
Instructions
- Set the oven to 350°F before assembling the dessert. A fully heated oven helps the custard and topping bake together evenly.
- Coat the bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. An even coating helps release the soft pumpkin layer when you portion it.
- Whisk the pumpkin, evaporated milk, lightly beaten eggs, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a large bowl, then pour the mixture evenly into the pan. The filling should look uniformly orange, without visible streaks of egg or pockets of spice.
- Distribute the dry cake mix over the filling and gently level it with clean fingertips without stirring it into the pumpkin. A flat covering helps the butter reach the topping evenly instead of collecting in deep pockets.
- Scatter the roughly chopped pecans across the cake mix. Spread them from edge to edge so each portion has some crunch.
- Pour the melted butter in a slow drizzle across the entire surface, moving over any visibly dry areas. The topping should have broadly distributed moisture rather than one buttery puddle in the middle.
- Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, checking for a golden-brown crust before removing the pan. Look for slightly puffed edges and butter bubbling through the toasted pecans.
- Leave the cake to cool for at least 1 hour, then refrigerate once fully cooled and keep leftovers chilled. Cooling and chilling firm the custard so it holds together better when cut.
Notes
Ingredient tip: Use 100% pure pumpkin puree and evaporated milk rather than pumpkin pie filling or sweetened condensed milk. Standard 15-ounce pumpkin cans and 15.25-ounce cake mix boxes work well without altering other measurements.
Texture tip: Keep the layers separate without stirring, and gently pat the dry cake mix flat before slowly drizzling melted butter across the surface to avoid dry powdery patches.
Doneness: Check the pan around 40 minutes and loosely tent with foil if the pecans or crust brown too quickly. Bake until the edges bubble and the center barely jiggles when nudged.
Storage: Cool the baked cake for at least 1 hour, then cover and refrigerate once fully cooled. Keep leftovers chilled and add whipped topping to individual portions right before serving.
Nutrition information is an estimate based on common ingredients and serving sizes. Values may vary depending on brands, portions, and substitutions.