This pecan pie dump cake is the dessert that saved Thanksgiving dinner when I forgot to make pie. Buttery pecans swimming in a gooey filling topped with golden cake it's basically pecan pie without the stress of making crust or worrying about soggy bottoms. I make this for every holiday now because it's the easiest dessert that still gets compliments like I spent hours on it.
Why You'll Love This Pecan Pie Dump Cake Recipe
Listen this pecan pie dump cake recipe completely changed how I approach holiday desserts. It tastes fancy but requires zero baking skills.
What Actually Works: This pecan pie dump cake layers pecan pie filling in a baking dish, sprinkles dry cake mix on top, dumps chopped pecans over everything, and drizzles melted butter over the whole thing. That's it. No mixing, no crust-making, no stress. Bakes for about an hour and comes out with this incredible gooey bottom and crispy, buttery top. My mother-in-law who's super picky about desserts actually asked for this recipe. It's rich enough to feel special but so easy that even my disaster-prone sister can make it successfully. People assume you worked way harder than you did.
Why Other Methods Fail: Most dump cake with pecans recipes either use too little butter so the top stays dry and powdery, or they skip making actual pecan pie filling and just throw canned pie filling in there which tastes artificial. Some don't tell you to break up the butter-soaked cake mix which leads to dry patches. Others bake it too hot and the top burns before the middle gets gooey. This easy pecan dump cake uses the right ratio of butter to cake mix and the proper temperature so you get that perfect contrast between crunchy top and gooey filling.
The thing that changed everything: Realizing you need to actually drizzle the melted butter evenly over every bit of the cake mix for pecan pie dump cake. My first attempt I just poured it all in the middle and figured it would spread. It didn't. Half the cake stayed bone-dry powder while the middle was soggy. Started using a spoon to drizzle the butter in a grid pattern across the entire surface and suddenly the whole top baked into this gorgeous golden crust. That even distribution is what makes this pecan dump cake recipe actually work instead of being a dry, weird mess.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Pecan Pie Dump Cake Recipe
- What You'll Need for Pecan Pie Dump Cake
- How to Make Pecan Pie Dump Cake
- Top Tip
- Ingredient Substitutions & Variations
- Storage and Reuse Instructions
- What to Serve With Pecan Pie Dump Cake
- How I Finally Figured It Out
- FAQ
- More Recipes You'll Love
- Pecan Pie Dump Cake
- Related
- Pairing
What You'll Need for Pecan Pie Dump Cake
Super simple ingredients that create the most impressive butter pecan dump cake ever.
Main Ingredients
- Yellow cake mix
- Pecan halves
- Light corn syrup
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Butter
- Salt
Optional Add-Ins
- Dark corn syrup
- Bourbon
- Chocolate chips
- Whipped cream
- Vanilla ice cream
Exact measurements in the Recipe Card.
How to Make Pecan Pie Dump Cake
This pecan pie cake comes together in layers. The technique is ridiculously simple but the order matters.
Make the Pecan Pie Filling
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and grab a 9x13 inch baking dish
- In a big bowl, whisk together light corn syrup, granulated sugar, and brown sugar
- Beat in the eggs one at a time until everything's smooth
- Stir in vanilla extract and a pinch of salt
- This is your pecan pie filling base for the pecan pie dump cake with yellow cake mix
- Don't skip whisking it well or the sugars won't dissolve properly
Layer the Filling and Pecans
- Pour your pecan pie filling into the bottom of the baking dish and spread it even
- Chop about half your pecans roughly and leave the other half whole
- Scatter both chopped and whole pecans evenly over the filling
- Press them down slightly so they're sitting in the filling, not floating on top
- The pecans will rise as it bakes and create that classic pecan pie look
- This layer is what makes your dump cake using pecan pie filling actually taste like pie
Add the Cake Mix
- Open your box of yellow cake mix and dump the entire thing over the pecans
- Don't mix it or stir it—just spread the dry mix evenly with your hands or a spatula
- Make sure you cover all the filling and pecans completely
- The dry cake mix will absorb butter and bake into a crust
- This is the "dump" part of pecan dump cake dessert—literally just dump it on
Top with Butter and Bake
- Melt a whole stick of butter in the microwave until it's completely liquid
- Drizzle the melted butter evenly over the entire surface in a grid pattern
- Use a spoon to make sure every bit of dry cake mix gets some butter
- Scatter a few extra pecan halves on top for looks
- Bake at 350°F for 50-60 minutes until the top is golden brown and set
- Let it cool for at least 15 minutes before serving or it'll be molten lava hot
You'll have this amazing gooey pecan dump cake with a crispy top and pecan pie filling bottom that tastes like you made an actual pie.
Top Tip
Don't pour all the melted butter in one spot on your pecan pie dump cake. I did this three times before learning my lesson. The middle would get soggy and greasy while the edges stayed bone-dry powder that refused to bake. Started drizzling it in thin streams across the whole pan like icing a cake, hitting every corner. Suddenly the entire top baked into perfect golden crust instead of half raw powder, half grease puddle. That even butter distribution is the difference between pecan dump cake recipe success and total disaster.
Also, let it cool for at least 15 minutes before you serve it. I know it smells incredible straight from the oven. Doesn't matter. Serve it immediately and you'll burn everyone's mouth plus the filling will be liquid. Wait 15 minutes and it sets up just enough to be gooey instead of soup.
Ingredient Substitutions & Variations
The base pecan pie dump cake recipe is perfect but you can mess with it.
Chocolate Pecan Pie Dump Cake Want chocolate pecan pie dump cake? Use chocolate cake mix instead of yellow and add a cup of chocolate chips to the filling. Tastes like chocolate pecan pie.
Without Corn Syrup Making pecan pie dump cake without corn syrup? Use equal parts maple syrup or honey instead. Flavor will be slightly different but still delicious.
With Condensed Milk For pecan pie dump cake with condensed milk, replace half the corn syrup with sweetened condensed milk. Makes it extra rich and creamy.
Pumpkin Pecan Version Mix a cup of pumpkin puree into your filling for pumpkin pecan pie dump cake. Perfect for Thanksgiving when you want both flavors.
Bourbon Pecan Add 2 tablespoons bourbon to the filling for that classic southern pecan pie dump cake flavor. Just don't tell grandma.
Storage and Reuse Instructions
Yeah, pecan dump cake dessert keeps pretty well actually.
Refrigerator: Cover leftover pecan pie dump cake recipe with foil and stick it in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 30 seconds. The filling gets even better the next day.
Freezing: This easy pecan dump cake freezes well for up to 2 months. Let it cool completely, wrap the whole pan in plastic wrap then foil. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a 300°F oven for 20 minutes.
Make-Ahead: You can prep the filling the night before and keep it in the fridge. When ready to bake, just pour it in the pan and continue with the recipe. Saves time on busy days.
Serving: Serve this Thanksgiving dump cake warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. The contrast between hot gooey cake and cold ice cream is perfect.
What to Serve With Pecan Pie Dump Cake
This butter pecan dump cake is rich so you want simple pairings.
Classic Options: Vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or just a cup of coffee. The dessert is sweet enough on its own.
Fancy It Up: Drizzle caramel sauce over each serving, add a sprinkle of sea salt, or top with candied pecans for extra crunch.
Holiday Spread: Serve this pecan pie cobbler alongside pumpkin pie and apple crisp for a full dessert table. People will grab this one first.
Drinks: Coffee, hot cocoa, or bourbon all pair great with this southern pecan dessert.
How I Finally Figured It Out
Five years ago I volunteered to bring dessert to Thanksgiving at my in-laws' house. Forgot completely until the morning of. Panicked because I don't know how to make pie crust and didn't have time to learn. Found a pecan pie dump cake recipe online and thought "this looks too easy to be good but I'm desperate."
First attempt was a disaster. Poured all the melted butter in the center like an idiot and half the cake mix never even got wet. Baked up with these dry crusty patches of powder next to soggy butter puddles. Looked terrible. Tasted worse—like eating straight sugar next to eating raw flour. My husband took one look and said "maybe we stop and buy something." That stung.
Made it again the next day to prove I could do it. This time I actually read through multiple recipes and noticed people kept saying to drizzle the butter evenly. Used a spoon to drizzle it in lines across the whole pan, making sure everything got covered. Baked it and suddenly it looked like an actual dessert—golden brown all over, crunchy top, gooey bottom. My husband tried it and just went "oh. OH. This is good." Brought it to Christmas dinner instead and people asked for the recipe. Now it's my signature holiday dessert and nobody believes me when I tell them how easy it is.
FAQ
What is the biggest mistake to avoid when making a dump cake?
The biggest mistake with pecan pie dump cake is not distributing the melted butter evenly over the dry cake mix. If you just pour it all in one spot, you'll get soggy patches next to bone-dry powder that never bakes properly. You need to drizzle it across the entire surface in a grid pattern so every bit of cake mix gets buttered. Second biggest mistake is mixing the layers together—don't do that. The whole point of dump cake with pecans is dumping ingredients in layers and letting them bake into distinct textures.
What is pecan pie dump cake?
Pecan pie dump cake is a super easy dessert that tastes like pecan pie without making actual pie crust. You layer homemade or canned pecan pie filling in a baking dish, dump dry cake mix on top, sprinkle pecans over that, and drizzle melted butter over everything. It bakes into this amazing dessert with gooey pecan pie filling on the bottom and crunchy, buttery cake on top. It's called a dump cake because you literally just dump the ingredients in without mixing—way easier than making pecan pie cake from scratch.
Is light or dark Karo syrup better for pecan pie?
Light corn syrup is better for pecan pie dump cake with yellow cake mix if you want the classic pecan pie flavor it's sweeter and lets the pecan taste come through. Dark corn syrup has molasses in it which makes the filling richer and gives it more depth, almost like adding bourbon. I use light because that's what my family expects from pecan pie, but dark works great if you want something less sweet and more complex. Either way works for this pecan dump cake recipe.
Does pecan pie spike blood sugar?
Yeah, pecan pie dump cake will spike blood sugar because it's loaded with corn syrup, sugar, and cake mix basically pure carbs and sugar. If you're watching blood sugar, this isn't the dessert for you, or at least keep the portion small and eat it with protein. The pecans add some fat and protein which slows absorption slightly, but this is still a high-glycemic dessert meant for special occasions, not everyday eating.
More Recipes You'll Love
Once you've nailed this pecan pie dump cake recipe, try my One Pot French Onion Pasta for a savory dinner that's just as easy and impressive. My Crack Chicken Tenders Recipe are crispy, bacon-stuffed, and completely addictive. And when you need another easy holiday treat, my Christmas Crack Recipe is sweet, salty, and impossible to stop eating.
Pecan Pie Dump Cake
Equipment
- 1 9x13 inch baking dish For layering and baking the dump cake
- 1 Large mixing bowl To make the pecan pie filling
- 1 Whisk For mixing the filling ingredients
- 1 Microwave-safe bowl To melt the butter
- 1 Spoon For drizzling butter evenly
Ingredients
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups pecan halves divided - 1 cup chopped, 1 cup whole
- 1 box yellow cake mix 15.25 oz
- 1 cup unsalted butter melted
- 2 tablespoons bourbon
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- Vanilla ice cream for serving
- Whipped cream for serving
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and grab a 9x13 inch baking dish. In a big bowl, whisk together light corn syrup, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until the sugars start dissolving. Beat in the eggs one at a time—make sure each one's mixed in before adding the next. Stir in vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Don't skip whisking it well or the sugars won't dissolve properly and you'll have gritty patches. This is your pecan pie filling base that makes your pecan pie dump cake actually taste like pie.
- Pour your pecan pie filling into the bottom of the baking dish and spread it out so it's even. Chop about half your pecans roughly—don't need to be perfect, just break them up. Scatter both the chopped pecans and whole pecan halves evenly over the filling. Press them down slightly with your hand so they're sitting in the filling instead of floating on top. The pecans will rise as it bakes and create that classic pecan pie look on your dump cake with pecans.
- Open your box of yellow cake mix and dump the entire thing over the pecans. Don't mix it, don't stir it, don't do anything—just spread the dry mix evenly with your hands or a spatula so you can't see the filling anymore. Make sure you cover all the pecans and filling completely. The dry cake mix is going to absorb the butter and bake into a crust. This is literally the dump part of pecan dump cake dessert—you just dump it on and leave it alone.
- Melt your entire stick of butter in the microwave until it's completely liquid no chunks. Here's the important part: drizzle the melted butter evenly over the entire surface in thin streams, going back and forth like you're icing a cake. Use a spoon to make sure every single bit of dry cake mix gets hit with butter the corners especially. Scatter a few extra pecan halves on top if you want it to look fancy. Bake at 350°F for 50-60 minutes until the top is golden brown and set. Let it cool for at least 15 minutes before serving or the filling will be molten lava and burn everyone's mouth.
Notes
Nutrition
Related
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Pecan Pie Dump Cake Recipe:
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