Pumpkin Crunch Cake
This Pumpkin Crunch Cake is a cozy fall dessert with a silky, pumpkin pie–style base and a buttery, crunchy pecan and cake mix topping. Easier than pie, special enough for Thanksgiving, and perfect for serving as cake or pumpkin crunch bars.
Ingredients
- 1 can (15 ounces) pure pumpkin purée not pumpkin pie filling; look for 100% pure pumpkin
- 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk whole or low-fat; whole is creamier
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar use 3/4 cup for a less sweet cake
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice or 1½ tsp cinnamon + 1/4 tsp nutmeg + 1/4 tsp ginger + pinch of cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 box (about 15.25 ounces) yellow cake mix spice cake mix also works
- 1 cup pecans chopped; walnuts or mixed nuts also work
- 1 cup unsalted butter melted; 2 sticks / 226 g; use salted butter and reduce salt in pumpkin layer to a pinch
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon optional, for topping
- nonstick spray or softened butter for greasing the pan
- parchment paper optional, for easy removal and clean slices
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray or a thin layer of butter. For very clean slices, line the pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the long sides.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin purée, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and salt until smooth and no streaks of egg remain. The mixture will be thin, like pumpkin pie custard.
- Pour the pumpkin mixture into the prepared baking dish and gently tap the pan on the counter to release any air bubbles so the layer bakes evenly.
- Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the pumpkin layer. Do not stir. The dry mix will absorb moisture as it bakes and form a soft cake-meets-streusel topping.
- In a small bowl, toss the chopped pecans with the ground cinnamon (if using). Sprinkle the nut mixture evenly over the cake mix layer, covering as much of the surface as possible for even crunch.
- Slowly drizzle the melted butter over the entire surface, aiming for any dry spots of cake mix. A few small dry patches are fine, but most of the top should be moistened so it bakes into a golden, crunchy crumble.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 45–55 minutes, until the edges are deeply golden and the center looks set but still has a slight jiggle, similar to pumpkin pie. If the top browns too quickly, loosely tent with foil and continue baking.
- Let the pumpkin crunch cake cool on a wire rack for at least 45–60 minutes. For firmer layers and clean slices, chill in the refrigerator for 2–3 hours or overnight.
- Slice into squares and serve at room temperature or chilled. Top with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or a drizzle of caramel sauce, if desired.
Notes
A slight jiggle in the center when you remove the cake from the oven is normal; it will firm up as it cools and chills. Make sure most of the cake mix on top is moistened with butter so the texture is crunchy rather than floury. For extra crunch, you can add 1/2 cup rolled oats to the cake mix layer. This dessert stores like pumpkin pie: refrigerate leftovers for 4–5 days or freeze well-wrapped bars for up to 2–3 months.
Love this recipe?Follow us at @Recipecs for more