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Pumpkin crunch cake is the one fall dessert I stopped tinkering with years ago. A loose pumpkin custard goes into the pan first, then dry yellow cake mix, then chopped pecans, then a full cup of melted butter poured over the top. Then the butter brings it all together by turning the mix into the most delicious crisp. It soaks into the dry mix and bakes it into a golden, craggy crust while the pumpkin underneath sets into something between pumpkin pie and baked custard.
I make this the week of Thanksgiving because it is the only pumpkin dessert on my table that tastes better after a night in the fridge, which gets it off my list before the day even starts. Some people call it pumpkin dump cake. My readers in Hawaii know it as pumpkin crunch, flipped out of the pan and covered in whipped cream, and I have put that version below too. If you want these same flavors in a neat sliceable square, my pumpkin pie bars with shortbread crust are the other half of my dessert table. And if you want the custard without the cake mix, my skillet pumpkin crisp with an oat crumble topping serves 10 from one pan.
Quick Look: Pumpkin Crunch Cake Recipe
- 🥧 What it is – A 9×13 pan of pumpkin custard baked under a buttery cake mix and pecan crunch.
- ⭐ Why it works – The melted butter rehydrates the dry cake mix into streusel.
- 💛 Why you’ll love it – No mixer, no crust, no rolling pin. One bowl and one pan.
- ⚠️ What to watch for – At 50 minutes the center should wobble as one piece, not slosh like liquid.
- 🍳 Pan notes – One 9×13 feeds 18. Do not double it into a deeper pan, bake two separate pans instead.
- ❄️ Make ahead – Up to 5 days in the fridge, and honestly better on day two. Freezes 3 months.
Why This Cake Works
The bottom layer is a real custard, not a cake batter. Four eggs and a can of evaporated milk set it into a soft, sliceable layer instead of a wet pumpkin puddle. That is why this holds a square shape when a lot of dump cakes just slump, including my peach cobbler with cake mix, which is delicious but spoons rather than slices.
The dry cake mix is not there to be cake. It is there to drink up a full cup of melted butter and bake into a streusel.
There is no creaming, no mixer, and nothing delicate to layer. One bowl, one whisk, one 9×13 pan.
It feeds 18 out of a single pan and it is better on day two. For a holiday dessert those two things together are hard to beat!
Key Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need to make this pumpkin recipe. Make sure to scroll d
- Pumpkin puree. Plain, unsweetened, 100 percent pumpkin. Canned or homemade both work.
- Granulated sugar. Sweetens the custard layer.
- Pumpkin pie spice. Store bought is fine, or use my homemade pumpkin pie spice if you would rather control the ratio yourself.
- Salt. Half a teaspoon. It keeps the custard from tasting flat.
- Eggs. Four of them, at room temperature. These are what set the custard.
- Evaporated milk. Not sweetened condensed milk. They are not interchangeable.
- Yellow cake mix. Only the dry powder from the box. You are not making the cake on the back of the package.
- Pecans. One cup, chopped. Walnuts work and cost less.
- Butter. A full cup, melted. It looks like too much. It is not.
Substitutions And Additions
- Caramel sauce. My homemade caramel sauce over a warm square with vanilla ice cream is how I actually eat this.
- Macadamia nuts instead of pecans. This is what most Hawaii versions use and it is genuinely lovely against the custard.
- Walnuts instead of pecans. Cheaper, slightly more bitter, works perfectly.
- Brown sugar for half the granulated sugar. Deepens the custard and adds a faint caramel note.
- Spice cake mix instead of yellow. More spice, slightly darker crust.
- No evaporated milk in the house. Simmer regular whole milk until it reduces by about 60 percent, cool it, and use it one for one. A reader in Italy asked me this and it worked for her.
- Sugar free. Use a monk fruit sweetener in place of the granulated sugar and a sugar free cake mix on top. That is as far as I can honestly take this one, I have not tested a full low carb version. If you want something actually built for it, my 5 ingredient keto pumpkin mousse is the better call.
- Caramel sauce. My homemade caramel sauce over a warm square with vanilla ice cream is how I actually eat this.
How to make pumpkin crunch cake
- Whisk the pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, pumpkin pie spice, salt, room temperature eggs, and evaporated milk in a large bowl until completely smooth. The batter will look thin and pourable, and that is correct.
- Spray a 9×13 pan with nonstick spray and pour the pumpkin mixture straight in. Tilt the pan so it sits level.
- Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the whole surface, then gently pat it flat with your hand. Do not press hard or it sinks into the custard. Scatter the chopped pecans over the top.
- Pour the melted butter slowly across the entire surface in thin lines, then go back and hit any dry patches you can still see.
- Bake at 350F for 50 to 55 minutes. Cool completely before slicing or the custard will not have set.
- Cut into squares and serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Caramel on top is optional and also excellent, the same way I finish my crack cake bundt cake made with yellow cake mix.
How To Serve It Hawaii Style
If you grew up in Hawaii you know this dessert as pumpkin crunch, and it is served differently. The Foodland version, the one most local families make, is this exact pumpkin crunch cake with one change at the end.
Line the pan with parchment or wax paper before the pumpkin goes in. After baking, cool it completely, run a knife around the edges, then invert the whole thing onto a board or platter and peel the paper off. The crunch layer becomes the crust on the bottom and the custard ends up on top. From there you spread whipped cream or Cool Whip over the surface, chill it, and cut it into squares.
I have made it this way and it works with the recipe exactly as written. Two things matter. Line the pan, because it will not release cleanly otherwise. And cool it fully, ideally a few hours in the fridge, because a warm custard will not survive the flip.
Frequently asked questions – FAQ
No, and this is the one substitution I would really steer you away from. Pumpkin pie filling already has sugar and spices mixed into it. This recipe brings its own sugar and spice, so the filling version comes out far too sweet and the custard will not set the way it should. Look for a can that says 100 percent pumpkin and nothing else. The same rule applies to my easy pumpkin pie from scratch.
The melted butter did not reach that spot. Dry cake mix only turns into a crunchy topping where butter has soaked in, so any large patches the butter missed stays chalky. Pour the butter slowly in thin lines across the whole surface rather than in one stream, then go back and cover any powder you can still see before it goes in the oven.
Nudge the pan at 50 minutes. The outer two inches should be firm and the middle should wobble as one piece, the way set gelatin moves, rather than sloshing like liquid. The topping should be deep golden, not pale. A knife slid in two inches from the edge comes out clean while the center is still a little damp. Pull it there. It keeps setting as it cools.
I would not. Doubling it into a single deeper pan changes the bake time so much that I cannot give you a reliable number for it. Make two separate 9×13 pans instead. It is more dishes, but you get the same result you would get from one batch.
Yes to both, and it is one of the better make ahead desserts I know. It keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days and honestly improves overnight. To freeze, cool it completely, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and warm individual squares before serving.
More Pumpkin Recipe Favorites
Cinnamon Rolls
The Best Fluffy and Soft Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
Make Ahead
Perfectly Fluffy Pumpkin Pancake recipe
Easy Fall Recipes
Easy Pumpkin Crisp With Oat Crumble Topping
If you make this pumpkin crunch cake, come back and leave a star rating below. It genuinely helps other people find the recipe and I read every comment. You can find the rest of my Thanksgiving dessert recipes in one place, or get new ones sent to you every week by joining my newsletter.
Pumpkin Crunch Cake
Ingredients
- 15 oz pumpkin puree
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 eggs
- 12 oz evaporated milk
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 1 cup pecans chopped, read notes
- 1 cup butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F then spray a 9×13 pan with a nonstick cooking spray then set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin puree, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, salt, eggs, and evaporated milk until combined. Pour into the prepared pan.
- Evenly sprinkle the cake mix and gently press down to flatten. Don't press too hard, we just want the layer of yellow cake mix to be even. Sprinkle with the chopped pecans, and drizzle the melted butter on top making sure to get some butter everywhere.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 50-55 minutes. or until the tip is turning golden brown. Cool down completely before slicing, and derving with ice cream or whipped cream on top. Add caramel if you want to elevate it.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
If you double it using 30 ounce, can you still use 9×13 pan and its thicker?
I don’t recommend doubling the recipe and baking it to be double the height as that would change the baking time too much and I can’t give you an accurate time for it. The best way to double the recipe is to just make two separate batches in the 9×13. I know it takes longer or requires more dishes but it would ensure better results.
Hi! I’d like to make this recipe but where I live we don’t have evaporated milk, only condensed, any suggestion on how I can replace it?
Thanks 😀
Greetings from Italy!
HI!! You can’t swap condensed milk directly since it’s sweetened and much thicker. Instead, make your own evaporated milk by simmering regular milk until it reduces by about 60%.