Whip up this cozy pumpkin pie cake with cake mix for the easiest Thanksgiving dessert ever! With a creamy pumpkin spice filling, buttery yellow cake topping, and warm holiday flavors, it’s the perfect make-ahead dessert recipe for Thanksgiving, family gatherings, or chilly fall nights. Top it with whipped cream or caramel sauce for extra sweetness. A no-fuss, semi-homemade pumpkin dessert everyone will ask for again and again!
If you love pumpkin pie, you are going to love pumpkin pie cake. It’s almost like, “If pumpkin pie and pumpkin cake had a baby…” It’s so easy and delicious, I might just make this for Thanksgiving this year instead of the traditional pumpkin pie I usually make.
Did I mention how easy this dessert is to make? It’s a lot like pumpkin dump cake, only better texture and flavor, in my opinion. It’s the easiest thing you can make when you’re in the throes of busy Thanksgiving baking and preparations.
What Is Pumpkin Pie Cake with Cake Mix
This easy pumpkin pie cake with cake mix is a cross between pumpkin pie and cake. Hence, if pumpkin pie and cake had a baby…
You don’t need a crust because you have the buttery yellow cake mix on top, giving it a buttery crumbly topping. The box mix is the shortcut to this recipe, making it quick and easy to make.
When you’re all said and done, you have the creamy pumpkin filling base (like pumpkin pie) with a golden crumbly topping; together they make a fantastic dessert your family is going to love.
While this pumpkin dessert with yellow cake mix is a lot like pumpkin dump cake, I actually take the extra step of mixing the cake mix with the butter and pecans because I like the finished texture of the cake better this way. It’s moist and delicious.
Ingredients You’ll Need (Including the Cake Mix!)
Let’s talk ingredients and substitutions/variations…
- Cane Sugar – Granulated sugar is fine too.
- Light Brown Sugar
- Sea Salt – Don’t leave out the salt; it makes the flavor pop.
- All-Purpose Flour – You can also use gluten-free all-purpose flour, works just fine.
- Ground Cinnamon
- Pumpkin Pie Spice – I like using actual pumpkin pie spice for this because the combination of spices is just the right amounts/combo for the best flavor.
- Large Eggs
- Canned Pumpkin – Let’s talk about the pumpkin for a minute. When I was shopping, I noticed cans of pumpkin and pumpkin pie mix side by side on the grocery store shelf. Do not get canned pumpkin confused with pumpkin pie mix; they’re not the same. Pumpkin pie mix has all the spices already added to it (but probably not in the amounts you’ll need or want for the best flavor). Using pure pumpkin with separate warm spices will give you more control over the finished flavor in your dessert.
- Evaporated Milk – Also note that if you’re trying to make this dairy-free, you can totally use evaporated oat milk.
- Yellow Cake Mix – You can use a regular cake mix or a gluten-free yellow cake mix; one of my favorite brands of gluten-free is Good Graces. If you want to change up the flavor even more, you could try making this with a spice cake mix.
- Salted Butter – I wouldn’t advise using margarine for this recipe; always use real butter. If you absolutely need dairy-free, you can try a vegan butter (though be advised, I haven’t tried it with this recipe, so just know it may slightly change the texture of the finished dessert.)
- Chopped Pecans – You can also use walnuts if you want, but when it comes to nuts in pumpkin desserts, I prefer pecans.
How to Make Pumpkin Pie Cake with Cake Mix
Before you get started, be sure to pre-heat the oven to 350° F, and grease a 9×13 baking dish or cake pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, brown sugar, sea salt, flour, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.
- Add the slightly beaten eggs to the mixture, along with the pumpkin and evaporated milk. Mix everything together well.
- Pour the pumpkin pie filling into the greased 9×13 cake pan.
- In another large bowl, combine the cake mix, melted butter, and chopped pecans.
- Sprinkle the pecan mixture evenly over the pumpkin mixture in the pan (it will be slightly clumpy).
- Bake at 350° F for about 45-50 minutes, or ’til a toothpick comes out clean. Oven times may vary. Allow the cake to cool before serving with whipped cream or caramel sauce, if desired.
This really is the perfect easy dessert for Thanksgiving dinner with friends and family. It’s also a great fall potluck dessert you can make in a jiffy.
Expert Tips and Recipe FAQs
Yes, once your cake has fully cooled, be sure to cover it and store it in the refrigerator, where it should keep for 3-4 days.
Yes, you can make it ahead. In my opinion, it’s best the day after you bake it, so I’d suggest making it only 1 day ahead of time. Like I mentioned above, though, it will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge.
Yes, you can. In fact, you want to make a homemade cake mix, I’ve gotcha covered with this homemade cake mix recipe.
Yes, you totally can make fresh pumpkin puree to use in this recipe! Little more work, but have at it. Fresh pumpkin makes the best Thanksgiving desserts!
Yes, like pumpkin pie, you can freeze pumpkin pie cake after it’s fully cooled. Just be sure to either wrap it well with plastic wrap and aluminum foil, or store it in a completely airtight container, so it doesn’t get freezer burn. It should keep in the freezer for 2-3 months.
More Cozy Thanksgiving Desserts
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Pumpkin Pie Cake with Cake Mix
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup cane sugar
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 3 large eggs slightly beaten
- 30 ounces canned pumpkin
- 3/4 cup evaporated milk
- 15.25 ounces yellow cake mix (15 oz. works fine too)
- 2/3 cup salted butter melted
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350° F, and grease a 9×13 cake pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, brown sugar, sea salt, flour, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.
- Add the slightly beaten eggs to the mixture, along with the pumpkin and evaporated milk. Mix everything together well.
- Pour the pumpkin pie filling into the greased 9×13 cake pan.
- In another large bowl, combine the cake mix, melted butter, and chopped pecans.
- Sprinkle the pecan mixture evenly over the pumpkin mixture in the pan (it will be slightly clumpy).
- Bake at 350° F for about 45-50 minutes, or 'til a toothpick comes out clean. Oven times may vary.
- Allow the cake to cool before serving with whipped cream, if desired.
Do you think this would work with a gluten free cake mix?