Pumpkin Pecan Crunch Cake Recipe

Name: Pumpkin Pecan Crunch Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 65 min
Ingredients: 15 ounces canned pumpkin puree; ½ cup whole milk; 3 eggs; 1 cup sugar; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; 1 cup butter (melted); 1 yellow cake mix ((recommended brand: Betty Crocker)); 2 cups pecans (chopped); ½ cup heavy cream; 2 tablespoons sugar

This Pumpkin Pecan Crunch Cake is jam-packed with all the best fall season flavors. You'll mix up this delicious dessert in 10 minutes using cake mix for a shortcut!

5 from 3 votes

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Jump to Recipe

A slice of pumpkin pecan crunch cake on a white plate.

My fast and easy Pumpkin Pecan Crunch Cake is jam-packed with all the best fall season flavors. You’ll mix up this delicious dessert in 10 minutes using cake mix for a shortcut!

Y’all know how much I adore my vintage recipes. And you also know that I’m not opposed to taking a shortcut in the kitchen now and then, either. So what could be better than a vintage shortcut recipe!?

Some of the best vintage cake recipes are the “dump” cakes. You know – dump a can of this and a can of that and combine it with a cake mix?

Some of those recipes are so good. Well, this Pumpkin Pecan Crunch Cake is similar except that it’s not dumped, it’s layered.

You mix up a wet layer that goes on the bottom, then sprinkle it with dry cake mix, top it with pecans and butter, and pop it in the oven. An hour later – cake!

If it takes you more than 10 minutes to put this together, you’re doing it wrong ;-)

❤ Why We Love This Recipe

So simple! Just layer everything into one pan and bake.
Who doesn’t like pumpkin! From black walnut pumpkin bread to the classic pumpkin roll, they’re all delicious! Pumpkin, pecans, and spices are some of the best autumnal flavors.
Great for both kids and adults. All ages enjoy this easy dessert.

🥘 Ingredient Notes

All ingredients needed to make the recipe.

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Pumpkin Puree – You’ll need pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie mix for this recipe. Pumpkin pie mix has spices and other ingredients that won’t work. Be sure you purchase plain pumpkin puree.
Whole Milk – I recommend whole milk for the best flavor in the finished cake.
Cinnamon – Make sure your cinnamon is fresh and fragrant. I typically use Saigon cinnamon for baking.
Melted Butter – See the notes below for how to melt butter.
Yellow Cake Mix – Use any brand that you like. Betty Crocker is always dependable.
Pecans – You’ll need two cups of chopped pecans for the nutty, flavorful topping on the cake. Two cups is approximately 8 ounces in weight of pecans.
Heavy Cream – For garnishing individual servings. Make the whipped cream yourself or use purchased whipped cream or whipped topping if you prefer.

You’ll find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe at the bottom of this post.

🔪 How to Make Pumpkin Pecan Crunch Cake

Do the Prep Work

Preheat the oven to 350.
Grease and flour a 9×13 baking dish or pan. Set the pan aside.

👉 PRO TIP: How to Grease and Flour a Pan

So often a recipe says “grease and flour a pan” but hardly ever explains how to do that. I’m here to help.

When I need to grease and flour a pan for baking, I start with about a tablespoon of soft butter and, using my fingers, spread it all over the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Depending on the size of the pan you may need a little more or less butter.

Then lightly sprinkle a tablespoon or two of flour in the bottom of the pan. Now pick up the pan and tilt it back and forth and turn it around until the flour has stuck all over the butter and coated the inside of the pan.

Last, I always turn my pan upside down over the trash can and gently tap on the bottom to loosen any excess flour. Simple!

Mix the Wet Ingredients

All the wet ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Pumpkin mixture poured into the prepared pan.

Place the pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar, and cinnamon in a medium mixing bowl. Use a spatula or whisk to combine them well.
Pour the pumpkin mixture into the prepared baking dish.

Add the Cake Mix, Pecans, and Butter

Dry cake mix sprinkled over the pumpkin mixture.

Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the wet ingredients layer.
Sprinkle the pecans evenly over the dry cake mix layer.
Pour the melted butter evenly over the pecan layer.

👉 PRO TIP: How to Melt Butter

The easiest way to melt butter is in the microwave. Cut the butter into chunks about 1 tablespoon each and place them in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover the bowl with a plate or plastic wrap.

Microwave the butter at 50% power until melted (it’ll take between 30 and 60 seconds for a stick or 1/2 cup of butter). Watch carefully and stop the microwave as soon as the butter has melted. Use oven mitts to remove the bowl.

Alternatively, you can always melt the butter in a small saucepan over very low heat on the stovetop.

Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the cake is set in the center.
Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool completely in the pan.

👉 PRO TIP: How to Test Whether a Cake is Done

Quickly insert and remove a toothpick, wooden skewer, or the tip of a sharp paring knife into the center of the cake. If the tester comes out clean, the cake is done. If it comes out wet, gummy, or with wet crumbs clinging to it, the cake needs to cook some more.

🍽 Serve with Whipped Cream

When ready to serve, whip the cream on high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and beat for 1 more minute. Top individual servings with whipped cream. Or substitute purchased whipped cream or topping.

❓ FAQs

Can I make this in advance?

Absolutely! The cake is actually best made at least a day before you plan to serve it. I like to serve it at room temperature, but you can also rewarm individual servings in the microwave if you like.

Does it need to be refrigerated?

After the cake is completely cool, you should store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.

I don’t have pecans (or they’re really expensive where I live!). What can I substitute?

You can always just leave out the nuts, but walnuts can be substituted for the pecans. You can also use roughly crumbled cookies such as graham crackers or Biscoff as a substitute for the nuts.

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📖 Recipe