Remember the time I told you I didn’t like pumpkin pie? Well I still don’t. But I love this. Don’t ask me why. It’s basically pumpkin pie, but it’s surrounded in crumbly-carby goodness. Because let’s face it: crumbly-carby goodness makes everything better. I’ve made this for informal family gatherings as well as for Thanksgiving dessert. It’s quick and easy (and no one has to know!)
Many of you are probably familiar with “Pumpkin Dump Cake” (which by the way is a horribly unappealing name for such a scrumptious treat!) If you’re not then I can give you the recipe in about 4 sentences. Here you go:
1. Get a can of pumpkin (large or small depending on how thick you want it) and follow the instructions on the back of the can to make pie filling. Pour filling into a 9×13 pan.
2. Sprinkle one dry cake mix on top (yellow or vanilla).
3. Drizzle1 1/2 sticks of melted butter over the top.
4. Bake at 350 for about 45-55 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
You can use that trick for any sort of filling. Instead of pumpkin pie on the bottom, you can layer fruit, canned pie filling, etc. Just about anything. Good little trick to know.
Now let me share my version of this quick and easy dessert- just kicked up a notch. First I used part of the cake mix on the bottom of the dessert to create a little bit of a crust. For the filling, I used a recipe I think is much better than the standard back-of-the-can pie filling. Mine uses sweet and condensed milk to make it silky, creamy, and flavorful. And finally on top I added a touch of spice and some toasty pecans. When that all cooks up together it’s one mighty fine dessert. And still incredibly easy! Even pumpkin pie haters like it! This shows up a lot at our table this time of year. It’s a favorite for our weekly “Family Night”. Maybe it will be for you too!
Easy Pumpkin Crumble
Recipe by Our Best Bites
1 boxed yellow or white cake mix
1-2 sticks butter (see notes in instructions), if you have unsalted use it
1 16 oz can pumpkin*
2 eggs
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t pumpkin pie spice
1/4 t ginger
1/8 t cloves
1/8 t nutmeg
1/2 t salt
1/3 C chopped pecans
1/2 t additional cinnamon for topping
*This makes a dessert about an inch thick or less. That’s because I like a high topping-to-pumpkin ratio. If you’d like it thicker, use a large can of pumpkin and double the rest of the filling ingredients (Eggs, sweetened condensed milk, and spices). Leave the rest of the recipe the same.
Preheat oven to 350.
Place 2 C of the cake mix in a bowl. Cut in 3 T chilled butter. Just use your fingers to crumble the butter until it’s in small crumbly pieces. Place mixture in a 9×13 baking dish and press flat with your fingers.
Mix pumpkin, eggs, sweetened condensed milk, and spices until smooth. Pour on top of the cake mixture in the pan.
Now take the rest of the dry cake mix and mix in 1/2 t cinnamon. Sprinkle it all over the top of the pumpkin mixture. Use a measuring cup so you have a rough measurement of how much you’re putting on. Here’s why:
Here’s a little something I learned after making the dump cake a gazillion times. Cake mixes all have different amounts in them! Different brands, different flavors, etc. Each one is slightly different in volume. I found one mix to have almost double the normal amount. Measuring the amount of cake mix you’re sprinkling on top will help you get the perfect topping ratio in the last step.
Next sprinkle on the chopped pecans. You’ll have 3 distinct layers now:
Here’s the trick: For every 1 C of cake mix you sprinkled on top, you’ll need 3 T of melted butter. Drizzle it right on top.
That butter is going to combine with the cake mix and make magic in the oven. Pop it in your 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes or so. A knife should come out without globs of pumpkin on it and the topping should be nice and golden.
You can eat it warm, at room temp, or chilled! My favorite is actually at room temp. Put a dollop of sweetened whipped cream on top. It’s also great with vanilla ice cream.
Easy Pumpkin Crumble
Recipe by Our Best Bites
1 boxed yellow or white cake mix
1-2 sticks butter (see notes in instructions)
1 16 oz can pumpkin*
2 eggs
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t pumpkin pie spice
1/4 t ginger
1/8 t cloves
1/8 t nutmeg
1/2 t salt
1/3 C chopped pecans
1/2 t additional cinnamon for topping
*This makes a dessert about an inch thick or less. That’s because I like a high topping-to-pumpkin ratio. If you’d like it thicker, use a large can of pumpkin and double the rest of the filling ingredients (Eggs, sweetened condensed milk, and spices). Leave the rest of the recipe the same.
Preheat oven to 350.
Place 2 C of the cake mix in a bowl. Cut in 3 T chilled butter. Just use your fingers to crumble the butter until it’s in small crumbly pieces. Place mixture in a 9×13 baking dish and press flat with your fingers.
Mix pumpkin, eggs, sweetened condensed milk, and spices until smooth. Pour on top of the cake mixture in the pan.
Now take the rest of the dry cake mix and mix in 1/2 t cinnamon. Sprinkle it all over the top of the pumpkin mixture. Use a measuring cup so you have a rough measurement of how much you’re putting on. Here’s why:
Here’s a little something I learned after making the dump cake a gazillion times. Cake mixes all have different amounts in them! Different brands, different flavors, etc. Each one is slightly different in volume. I found one mix to have almost double the normal amount. Measuring the amount of cake mix you’re sprinkling on top will help you get the perfect topping ratio in the last step.
Next sprinkle on the chopped pecans. You’ll have 3 distinct layers now:
Here’s the trick: For every 1 C of cake mix you sprinkled on top, you’ll need 3 T of melted butter. Drizzle it right on top.
That butter is going to combine with the cake mix and make magic in the oven. Pop it in your 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes or so. A knife should come out without globs of pumpkin on it and the topping should be nice and golden.
You can eat it warm, at room temp, or chilled! My favorite is actually at room temp. Put a dollop of sweetened whipped cream on top. It’s also great with vanilla ice cream.
In the mood for pumpkin? Here’s some pumpkin surprises for you. Click on a link to see!
Pumpkin Yummy #1
Pumpkin Yummy #2
Pumpkin Yummy #3
Pumpkin Yummy #4
Pumpkin Yummy #5
Questions & Reviews
This is really good. Made it for a group of friends….it was a big hit!!
oops, that last comment was actually me. I guess I was logged in still as my hubby. I was surprised that he was answering reader questions! haha
Lauren, I'm not sure what was off with yours! The middle should be the consistency of pumpkin pie, so not super custard-y.
So I made this today– with the smaller ingredient amounts– and I had to cook it for 30 minutes longer than the recipe called for. And is it supposed to be custard-y in the middle? (I could taste egg.) Otherwise, it was delicious!
I made this last night for thanksgiving today, I doubled the pumpkin recipe including the eggs and milk and cooked it about 15 min. longer, its AWESOME!! I also skipped the nuts and just used cinnamon and apple pie spice and its still unbelievabley yummy…my hubby and I couldn't stay out of it last night!! so theres a little dent in it for today!! hehe..love your blog..this is the 3rd recipe I've tried from you guys..all great!!!
Well I love your blog and have for awhile. I am making this recipe for Thanksgiving. I just now realized after reading your bio that you live in Boise! I live in Meridian. Fun! Another local celebrity.
This was heavenly!!!
You can find all of these spices at any normal grocery store. They are in the baking isle by all of the other spices.
another question, where do you find pumpkin pie spice and cloves? which grocery store and it what section at the store?
blah i figured as much – thanks!! 🙂
I wish I had better news for you Sarah, but that's a little *too* far in advance to make it. Overnight would probably be okay, but 4 days is pushing it.
i have ONE more question…. i'm making this for thxgiving, but i'm traveling wed. nite… i would REALLY like to make it sunday afternoon…. it would probably be pushing my luck to expect it to hold up till thursday right?
If you think otherwise please let me know – thanks again!'
Sara
thanks for your responses so far! 🙂
great, thanks!!!
Galindo Family- not a silly question at all, sorry if it wasn't clear! You are just using the dry cake mix, straight from the box, you never mix anything into but the butter called for in the recipe.
ok, this may seem like a really silly question, but at the very beginning where it says 'Place 2 C of the cake mix in a bowl' is that dry cake mix or cake mix that is made up and combined with the eggs, oil, etc? i am planning on making this for thanksgiving next week and dont want to mess it up! thanks!!
I made this dish this morning for a pot luck this afternoon. I did actually use the 29oz can of Pumpkin rather than the 15oz can and doubled the spices. But after adding one extra egg and 1/2 extra can of sweet condense milk I hesitated. It seemed if I added any more it would be way to runny. I'm glad I didn't. I baked it for the 40 min and checked it every 5 min for a total time of 1 hour. The pecans (I didn't pre-toast) started to turn a little dark so I took it out of the oven. It was more of a pumpkin pie consistency but still had a great flavor. I would make again but stick to the smaller portions.
Ya Sara you can totally use pie filling in this. Just ignore my filling recipe and instead follow the instructions on the back of the can of pie filling. The canned filling has added sugar and spices, but it still needs things like eggs and evaporated milk. So just use that instead and it will work great!
Hey Sara – have you ever used pumpkin pie FILLING in this??? I have a couple cans I need to use…. Please let me know what you think!
thanks!
sara
Made this the other night and it was a huge hit!! I will for sure make this again.
My kids loved this and I'm so happy to have another pumpkin recipe to add to the mix. I'm not a huge pumpkin pie fan either! My son is already asking for it again!
I also made this with a homemade version of a cake mix (live in Europe, can't get cake mix). It had the same exact flavor as using the box. Love it! Thank you!
slugolicious- I definitely wouldn't toast the pecans beforehand because that's the whole point of baking them in the oven! They toast the entire baking time.
Anytime I use pecans (we have two trees in our yard), I toast them first. It brings out a great flavor in them. In fact, I always have to toast twice as many pecans as the recipe calls for because we eat half of them while cooking 🙂 However, since this recipe bakes for 40 minutes, I wonder of that would burn the pecans, having been toasted then baked. Has anyone tried that?
OMGOSH! This is absolutely DELICIOUS! I made it this afternoon and it was just a piece of warm heaven!
My husband is not a fan of pumpkin, but he really liked this!
Thank you!
After this is gone I am getting ready to make your individual pies! 🙂
Sheena, it will probably take a bit longer. Just keep an eye on it. You can usually tell by looking at it when it's set, and just stick a knife in to test it.
Just a quick question. My husband LOVES pumpkin, so if I make this with the large can of pumpkin (and double the other stuff) does it take the same time to bake, or will it need to bake longer? Thanks!
I recently (since yesterday) realized that I do like pumpkin desserts. I am slightly obsessed now, I cannot wait to make these.
Just so you know, I made this the day after you posted it, and it was gone very quickly! It was SO delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
Oops! Sorry, I didn't mean to type Michelle, but I did mean to say that this pumpkin crumble is delicious!
Omg, Michelle! This is even better than pumpkin pie. It's amazing! Thank you!!!
Pumpkin pie crumb bars sound so good!