Pecan Pie Dump Cake

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This is one of the easiest holiday desserts you can make. Simply whip up the pecan mixture, pour it into the pan and sprinkle and drizzle the remaining ingredients over the top. After 40 minutes of covered baking, you’ll have a warm, gooey dessert at the ready without any fuss.

A serving of pecan pie dump cake being lifted from a dish
Credit:

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Keosha McGhee

Active Time:
15 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 10 mins
Servings:
16
Nutrition Profile:
  • This dessert comes together with just 15 minutes of active time.
  • In addition to adding crunch, pecans can also help lower LDL cholesterol.
  • The sweet, nutty flavors of this cake will remind you of pecan pie but simplified.


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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 16 servings

  • ½ cup dark corn syrup

  • ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted and divided

  • ¼ cup whole milk

  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature

  • 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar

  • 1 tablespoon heavy cream

  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

  • teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, divided

  • ¼ teaspoon salt

  • 2 cups pecan halves, divided

  • 1 (13.25-ounce) package vanilla cake mix

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 7-by-11-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

    A rectangular baking dish coated with butter

    Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Keosha McGhee

  2. Combine ½ cup corn syrup, ¼ cup melted butter, ¼ cup milk, 2 eggs, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon cream, 1 tablespoon vanilla, ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice and ¼ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl; whisk until smooth. Stir in 1 cup pecans. Pour into the prepared baking dish; spread in an even layer.

    A baking dish filled with a mixture of pecans and batter prepared for baking

    Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Keosha McGhee

  3. Sprinkle 1 package cake mix evenly over the pecan mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. Top with the remaining 1 cup pecans and drizzle with the remaining ¼ cup melted butter, making sure to cover as much of the dry cake mix as possible. Cover the dish with foil.

    A rectangular dish of pecan pie dump cake with visible pecans on top

    Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Keosha McGhee

  4. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the foil and let the cake cool at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

To make ahead

Let cool completely, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Serve at room temperature or gently reheat in the oven before serving.

EatingWell.com, November 2025

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

283 Calories
17g Fat
31g Carbs
3g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 16
Serving Size 1 (2¼-by-1¾-inch) slice
Calories 283
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 31g 11%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 21g
Added Sugars 16g 32%
Protein 3g 6%
Total Fat 17g 22%
Saturated Fat 5g 26%
Cholesterol 40mg 13%
Vitamin A 65µg
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Vitamin D 0µg
Vitamin E 1mg 4%
Folate 22µg
Vitamin K 2µg
Sodium 232mg 10%
Calcium 73mg 6%
Iron 1mg 6%
Magnesium 21mg 5%
Potassium 90mg 2%
Zinc 1mg 7%
Vitamin B12 0µg
Omega 3 0g

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.

Additional reporting by
Carrie Myers, M.S.
Carrie Myers
Carrie Myers is a portfolio entrepreneur with more than 30 years of experience in the health and wellness space. As a writer and editor, Carrie has worked for both consumer and trade print and online publications. She's been quoted in several articles as a health and fitness expert. Carrie is also a certified life and wellness coach and exercise physiologist, and the founder of CarrieMichele Co., a lifestyle company that helps women create lives they love where they can be authentic.
and
Linda Frahm
Linda Frahm has been a copy editor and fact checker working with food and nutrition content for the past 30-plus years for consumer print and online publications.