Pecan Pie Dump Cake
🥧 Pecan Pie Dump Cake – Warm, Buttery & Shockingly Simple
If you love desserts that taste like grandma’s kitchen but require little effort, then pecan pie dump cake is where comfort meets convenience. It has the buttery crunch of pecan pie, the soft sweetness of dump cake, and you don’t even need a mixer. Yep — just layer, dump, bake. It’s one of those desserts you can make half-asleep and still impress everyone at the table.
Perfect for holidays like Thanksgiving & Christmas, but honestly?
It’s good enough for any weekend craving.
And instead of stopping at just the recipe, this guide gives you everything — variations, substitutions, crockpot options, serving ideas, and storage.
A true evergreen dessert hub.
1. What Makes Pecan Pie Dump Cake Special?
Dump cake is like dessert magic.
Instead of measuring flour and cream like traditional pecan pie, you:
- Dump filling
- Sprinkle cake mix
- Top with butter
- Bake to golden heaven
This style blends pecan pie flavor with a cake-like crumble topping, delivering gooey caramel richness with crunchy pecans on top. It’s the dessert everyone scoops seconds of.
2. Ingredients for Pecan Pie Dump Cake
Here’s your grocery list for the classic pecan pie dump cake with yellow cake mix:
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Pecan Pie Filling | 2 cans |
| Yellow Cake Mix | 1 box |
| Butter | 1 stick (melted or sliced) |
| Pecans | 1 cup, chopped |
| Vanilla | 1 tbsp (optional) |
| Cinnamon | A pinch |
Add-ins to elevate it (choose one or mix two):
✨ sweetened condensed milk – richer, creamier
✨ chocolate chips – makes chocolate pecan dump cake
✨ apple pie filling – apple pecan pie dump cake twist
✨ pumpkin puree – fall-flavored pumpkin pecan dump cake
3. Step-By-Step Recipe (No Mixer Required)
This recipe is beginner-friendly — the hardest part is waiting for it to bake.
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
Step 2: Coat 9×13 pan with butter or nonstick spray
Step 3: Spread pecan pie filling evenly
Step 4: Sprinkle yellow cake mix across the top (do not stir)
Step 5: Add pecans + drizzle melted butter OR lay slices on top
Step 6: Bake 45–55 minutes until golden & bubbling
Serve warm with:
🍨 vanilla ice cream
🥛 warm milk
🍦 whipped topping
Your house will smell like a bakery — you’ve been warned.
4. Pioneer Woman & Southern Living Inspired Variations
Southern Style Tips:
✔ Use Butter Pecan cake mix for extra flavor
✔ Sprinkle brown sugar + cinnamon on top
✔ Add pecans to both filling & topping layers
Pioneer Woman Style:
Layer butter slices thickly (not melted) for a crisp, buttery top.
5. Slow Cooker / Crock Pot Dump Cake Option
Perfect when the oven is full during holidays.
How to make pecan pie dump cake in crock pot:
- Grease slow cooker
- Add pecan filling
- Sprinkle cake mix
- Add butter + pecans
- Cook LOW 3–4 hours
It turns out gooey, warm & scoopable — ideal for serving crowds.
6. Fun Flavor Variations
Once you try the classic, you’ll want more versions.
Chocolate Pecan Pie Dump Cake
→ add chocolate chips or drizzle fudge after baking
Apple Pecan Pie Dump Cake
→ mix apple filling with pecans before adding cake mix
Pumpkin Pecan Dump Cake
→ swirl pumpkin + condensed milk into filling
Caramel Drizzle Version
→ top with caramel once warm… unreal.
7. Storage & Reheating
Store leftovers (if they exist):
- Fridge: up to 4–5 days
- Freeze: up to 2 months
- Reheat: microwave 20–30 sec or warm in oven 10 min at 300°F
It may taste even better the next day, as flavors settle.
8. Smart Kitchen Tips (Useful + Unique SEO Angle)
To blend convenience with modern cooking:
• Use a smart oven to preheat remotely
• Add a timer via voice assistant while baking
• Plug your crockpot into a smart plug auto-off mode
• Use smart thermometer alerts to avoid overbrowning
Little upgrades… big difference in holiday sanity.
Conclusion
Pecan Pie Dump Cake is cozy, nostalgic, buttery, and insanely easy. Whether you stick to the traditional version or try condensed milk, chocolate, apple, or pumpkin variations, it’s nearly impossible to mess up. A crowd-pleasing dessert for Thanksgiving, parties, potlucks, or lazy Sundays.
Save this recipe. Try it warm. And enjoy every sweet bite. 🥧✨
