Pecan Pie Dump Cake

4 from 4 votes

This easy pecan pie dump cake has all the gooey, buttery flavor of classic pecan pie combined with the style of a dump cake.

Prep Time10

Cook Time45

Total Time55

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: slices

Calories: 705kcal

Author: Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

1 ½ cups dark brown sugar packed
⅔ cup dark corn syrup
4 large eggs lightly beaten
½ cup salted butter, melted (1 stick, 8 tablespoons)
2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups chopped pecans

Topping

15 ounce box yellow cake mix
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¾ cup salted butter, softened one and a half sticks, so 12 tablespoons
1 cup pecan halves
1 cup caramel topping

Instructions

Prepare. Preheat your oven to 350°F and spray a 9x13 casserole dish with nonstick cooking or baking spray.
Mix the pecan pie layer. In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, corn syrup, eggs, melted butter, vanilla, and salt until well mixed.
Stir in the pecans. Add the chopped pecans and stir really well until they’re evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Transfer to the baking dish. Pour into the baking dish and use a rubber spatula to spread evenly.
Flavor the cake mix. In another large bowl, stir together the cake mix with the cinnamon and nutmeg.
Make the topping. Add the softened butter and use a fork to work the butter into the cake mix until you have a wet sand texture. **Make sure all of the cake mix is incorporated with butter. (It should be a dark tan color, not a white/light color, or this could make the cake topping dry.)
Sprinkle the mixture over the baking dish until evenly layered and covering the sugar mixture.
PRO TIP: Gently press down the butter/cake mix mixture in to the wet. Do not mix, or stir. Pressing it down, gives the cake mix more moisture.
Add pecan halves for extra crunch. Sprinkle halved pecans over the cake mixture and bake for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown.
TIP: Check after about 30 minutes, and if the cake is getting to brown around the edges, before the baking is done, cover with foil until cake is finished baking.
Cool and drizzle with caramel. Once baked, allow the cake to cool slightly before drizzling with caramel and serving. Great served with vanilla or butter pecan ice cream!

Video

Notes

Let the cake rest at least 15 minutes before cutting — it sets up beautifully as it cools.

You can also freeze this cake if you prefer.

Nutrition