Pecan Pie Dump Cake is what happens when you pour a real pecan pie filling into a 9×13, cover it with dry yellow cake mix and melted butter, and walk away. No crust to roll, no fussing. What comes out is a gooey pecan layer under a golden, buttery top: the pecan pie for people who like the filling best.
How to make pecan pie dump cake: whisk brown sugar, corn syrup, eggs, half of the melted butter, vanilla and salt, stir in half of the pecans and spread it in a greased 9×13. Sprinkle the dry cake mix over the top without stirring, drizzle the rest of the butter over every bit of it, scatter the remaining pecans and bake at 350 F for 40 to 45 minutes, laying foil loosely over the pan after the first 20. Let it rest at least 15 minutes before you cut it.
Why You’ll Love It
- No crust. The cake mix layer does that job, from the top down.
- Fifteen minutes of work. One bowl, one pan. The oven does the rest.
- A real pecan pie filling. Eggs, corn syrup, brown sugar and butter.
- Feeds twelve. One 9×13, 12 pieces, and it can be baked the night before.
Ingredient Notes
Light brown sugar and light corn syrup make the classic filling; dark corn syrup gives a richer taste.
Eggs are not optional. Four large eggs are what keep the filling gooey instead of hard. Beat them lightly first.
Unsalted butter, a full cup, melted: half in the filling, half over the cake mix. Let it cool a few minutes before it meets the eggs, or it can scramble them. With salted butter, leave out the 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
Pecans, 2 cups chopped, split the same way. For the most crunch, toast them first, 8 to 10 minutes at 350 F or in a dry skillet, and cool them before they go in.
Yellow cake mix, one 15.25-ounce box, used dry, never made into batter. White, butter pecan and spice mix work too. The 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon stirred into the dry mix is optional.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups light brown sugar, packed
- 3/4 cup light corn syrup
- 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled, divided (1/2 cup for the filling, 1/2 cup for the top)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups pecans, chopped, divided (1 cup for the filling, 1 cup for the top)
- 1 box (15.25 ounces) yellow cake mix, dry
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
How to Make Pecan Pie Dump Cake
1. Heat the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray. Melt the butter and let it cool for a few minutes so it does not scramble the eggs.
2. Make the pecan pie filling. In a large bowl whisk the brown sugar, corn syrup, eggs, 1/2 cup of the melted butter, vanilla and salt until smooth. Stir in 1 cup of the chopped pecans.
3. Fill the pan. Pour the filling into the prepared dish and spread it into an even layer.
4. Add the cake mix. Stir the cinnamon into the dry cake mix if using. Sprinkle the dry mix in a thin, even layer over the filling so the filling is completely covered. Do not stir. Tap the pan on the counter once so the mix settles.
5. Cover the mix with butter. Drizzle the remaining 1/2 cup melted butter slowly over the whole surface, aiming for any dry-looking spots, until no powdery patches remain. Scatter the remaining 1 cup pecans on top.
6. Bake. Bake for 20 minutes, then lay a sheet of foil loosely over the pan so the top does not over-brown. Bake 20 to 25 minutes more, 40 to 45 minutes in all, until the top is golden and the edges are bubbling.
7. Do the jiggle test. Gently shake the pan. The edges should be set and the center should still move slightly, like a pecan pie. It will not be firm like a cake and it firms up as it cools. If the middle sloshes like liquid, bake a few minutes longer and check again. For a thermometer check, the center of an egg-based filling should read 160 F.
8. Rest before serving. Cool at least 15 minutes on a rack so the filling thickens and the pieces hold their shape. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Will the Middle Set?
Yes, but not in the oven. At the end of the bake the center should still move a little when you shake the pan gently. That is right. It firms up as it cools and never bakes solid like a cake center. Baking it until the middle looks fully set gives a heavier, denser cake once it cools.
Bake time varies by oven and pan, anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes. We go with 40 to 45 minutes at 350 F, foil laid loosely on top at the 20-minute mark so it does not over-brown. Ovens vary, so trust the pan over the clock.
| Pan | Bake at 350 F | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| 9×13, full recipe | 40 to 45 minutes, foil after 20 | Golden top, bubbling edges, slight jiggle |
| 8×8 or 10-inch skillet, half recipe | 25 to 30 minutes | Golden top, set edges, soft middle |
The jiggle test in plain terms: edges set and lightly golden, bubbling at the sides, and a center that moves slightly but does not slosh. If it sloshes, bake a few minutes longer and check again. If the jiggle worries you, use a thermometer: USDA FSIS says egg dishes are done when the center reaches 160 F. The wobble is a texture cue; the temperature is the safety check.
Then leave it alone for at least 15 minutes so the filling thickens and the pieces come out clean. Cold from the fridge it slices cleanest; warm, it is spoonable. The same slight-jiggle cue tells you our lazy pecan pie bars are ready.
Cover the Cake Mix Completely
The other thing that goes wrong is dry, powdery pockets of cake mix on top. Any dry mix the butter misses stays powdery after baking. So sprinkle the mix in a thin, even layer, then drizzle the butter slowly over the entire surface, going back over any pale spots. A dry patch spotted mid-bake can be covered with a spoonful of bubbling filling from the edge. Or lay pats of butter edge to edge instead of drizzling: pats give a crisper, crumbly top, melted butter a denser, brownie-like one.
And do not skip the eggs. Without them the filling bakes rock hard.
Make It Ahead
Bake it the night before, cool it, cover the dish and refrigerate within 2 hours. The next day, cover it with foil and warm it at 300 F for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve it warm with ice cream, or cold for neat squares.
Variations
- Different cake mix. White, butter pecan or spice cake mix all work in place of yellow.
- Dark corn syrup. Swap the light corn syrup for dark for a richer, deeper flavor.
- Toasted pecans. Toast them 8 to 10 minutes at 350 F or in a dry skillet and cool before using, for more crunch.
Storage & Reheating
This is an egg dish, so it lives in the fridge, not on the counter. USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours (1 hour if the room is above 90 F), in a refrigerator at 40 F or below, and that pecan pie and egg casseroles keep 3 to 4 days. Cover the dish tightly with plastic or foil, or move pieces to an airtight container.
To freeze, wrap cooled portions in plastic and foil for up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat a piece 15 to 20 seconds in the microwave, or covered with foil at 300 F for 10 to 15 minutes for a crisper top. USDA FSIS says to reheat leftovers to 165 F.
What to Serve With It
Vanilla ice cream on a warm piece is the standard. For a crust after all, our pecan pie cobbler bakes the same kind of filling between two pie crusts. For a holiday dessert table, pecan pie bark and pecan pie brownie bombs give the same flavor in hand-sized pieces, and pecan upside down cake is the one for a proper cake with a pecan top. If the dump-cake method won you over, the slow cooker caramel apple dump cake uses the same idea with apples and no oven at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know when pecan pie dump cake is done, and is a jiggly center okay?
Yes, a slight jiggle is what you want. After 40 to 45 minutes at 350 F the top is golden, the edges bubble, and the center moves a little but does not slosh. It firms as it cools. USDA FSIS says the center of an egg dish should reach 160 F.
Do I stir the cake mix into the filling?
No. Filling on the bottom, dry cake mix on top, melted butter over the mix, and nothing stirred. The only mixing is the cinnamon stirred into the dry mix before it goes on.
Why are there dry pockets of cake mix on top?
The butter missed those spots. Spread the mix in a thin, even layer, drizzle the butter slowly over the whole surface, and go back over any pale spots. Pats of butter laid edge to edge also work.
Can I make it ahead, and how do I store and reheat it?
Yes. Bake it, cool it, cover it and refrigerate within 2 hours. It keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge or frozen up to 2 months. Reheat a piece 15 to 20 seconds in the microwave, or foil-covered at 300 F for 10 to 15 minutes, to 165 F per USDA FSIS.
Final Notes
If the first pan comes out with a pale corner, it still eats fine warm with ice cream. Next time, slow the butter drizzle over that corner.
Pecan Pie Dump Cake
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Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups light brown sugar packed
- 3/4 cup light corn syrup
- 4 eggs large, lightly beaten
- 1 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled, divided (1/2 cup for the filling, 1/2 cup for the top)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups pecans chopped, divided (1 cup for the filling, 1 cup for the top)
- 15.25 ounces yellow cake mix 1 box, dry
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray. Melt the butter and let it cool for a few minutes so it does not scramble the eggs.
- In a large bowl whisk the brown sugar, corn syrup, eggs, 1/2 cup of the melted butter, vanilla and salt until smooth. Stir in 1 cup of the chopped pecans.
- Pour the filling into the prepared dish and spread it into an even layer.
- Stir the cinnamon into the dry cake mix if using. Sprinkle the dry mix in a thin, even layer over the filling so the filling is completely covered. Do not stir. Tap the pan on the counter once so the mix settles.
- Drizzle the remaining 1/2 cup melted butter slowly over the whole surface, aiming for any dry-looking spots, until no powdery patches remain. Scatter the remaining 1 cup pecans on top.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then lay a sheet of foil loosely over the pan so the top does not over-brown. Bake 20 to 25 minutes more, 40 to 45 minutes in all, until the top is golden and the edges are bubbling.
- Gently shake the pan. The edges should be set and the center should still move slightly, like a pecan pie. It will not be firm like a cake and it firms up as it cools. If the middle sloshes like liquid, bake a few minutes longer and check again. For a thermometer check, the center of an egg-based filling should read 160 F.
- Cool at least 15 minutes on a rack so the filling thickens and the pieces hold their shape. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
