Pecan Pie Dump Cake
This is pecan pie without the rolling pin, and it leans on the same physics as every great dump cake: a custard that sets from the bottom up while a blanket of dry cake mix drinks up melted butter and turns crisp and golden on top. The trick to a gooey-not-soupy center is treating the base like a real pecan-pie filling — three eggs for structure, corn syrup for that glossy, non-crystallizing set — and then not rushing it: the cake reads done when the edges are deeply golden and the center barely wobbles, and a full 30-minute rest lets the custard finish setting so your first scoop comes out clean instead of soupy. The edges, where the butter pools against the hot pan, turn shatteringly crisp, which is exactly the contrast you want against the soft middle. If you'd rather have the same pecan flavor in a proper flaky crust, that's our Maple Pecan Pie — this one is the crowd-sized, no-fuss shortcut for when the oven already has a turkey in it.
Dessert · Thanksgiving, Fall, Pecan, Baking • 1 hr + 30 min rest
Nutrition (per serving)520Calories·31gFat·59gCarbs·5gProtein
Per serving. Values are approximate and calculated from USDA FoodData Central.
Ingredients
- For the pecan pie filling:
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup (240ml) light corn syrup
- ¾ cup (150g) packed dark brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1½ cups (170g) pecan halves, toasted
- For the topping:
- 1 box (432g) yellow cake mix (from a 15.25-ounce box), dry and unprepared
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 226g) unsalted butter, cut into thin pats
- ½ cup (55g) pecan halves
- For serving (optional):
- vanilla ice cream
- flaky sea salt
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Steps
- Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center. Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish lightly so the crisp edges release cleanly.
- Toast the pecans: Spread 2 cups of pecan halves on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven until deeply fragrant and a shade darker, 8 to 10 minutes, tossing once halfway. Cool for a few minutes, then set aside ½ cup for the topping and leave the rest whole for the filling.
- Make the filling: In a large bowl, whisk the eggs just until no streaks of white remain, then whisk in the corn syrup, brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla, and salt until the sugar is fully dissolved. Stir in the 1½ cups of toasted pecans, then pour the mixture into the prepared dish and spread it into an even layer.
- Add the cake mix: Scatter the dry yellow cake mix evenly over the filling in a single layer, using your fingers to break up any clumps. Do not stir — the dry mix is supposed to sit on top.
- Top with butter and pecans: Lay the thin pats of butter in rows over the entire surface of the dry cake mix, covering as much of it as you can so no large dry patches remain. Scatter the reserved ½ cup of pecan halves over the top.
- Bake: Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the edges are deeply golden and crisp, the butter has melted into glossy pools that brown on the surface, and the very center jiggles only slightly when you nudge the pan. The top will still look a little powdery in spots before it browns — that is normal, and it will crisp as it cools.
- Rest and serve: Cool the pan on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before scooping — the custard finishes setting as it cools, and cutting in too early leaves a soupy center. Serve warm, scooped into bowls with vanilla ice cream and a pinch of flaky sea salt if you like.
Tips & Variations
Make Ahead
Toast the pecans up to 3 days ahead and keep them in an airtight container at room temperature. The filling can be whisked together and refrigerated up to 1 day ahead — re-whisk briefly before pouring it into the dish. The cake is best the day it's baked, but you can bake it a day ahead, cool it completely, cover, and refrigerate; reheat individual portions to serve.
Storage
Because the filling is an egg custard, cover and refrigerate the cooled cake for up to 4 days. Reheat individual servings in a 300°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or in the microwave in 30-second bursts, until just warmed through. The baked cake also freezes well for up to 2 months — thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat before serving.
Substitutions
Dark corn syrup works in place of light for a deeper, more caramelized note. Swap the yellow cake mix for a spice cake or butter pecan cake mix to lean into the fall flavors, and swap the pecans for walnuts one-for-one. A 1:1 gluten-free yellow cake mix works in the topping with no other changes. For a fully plant-based version, use three flax eggs (3 tablespoons ground flax whisked with 9 tablespoons water), plant-based butter sticks, and a vegan yellow cake mix.
Nutrition
Per serving: 1 serving (1/12 of a 9x13-inch pan)
Reviews
Reviews coming soon! In the meantime, let us know what you think of this recipe.
