If you love pecan pie but don’t love rolling crust, chilling dough, or worrying about soggy bottoms, this Pecan Pie Dump Cake is the dessert you’ll make on repeat. It has that classic Southern pecan pie personality—brown sugar, butter, vanilla, toasted pecans, and a sticky, gooey center—but it’s topped with a buttery cake layer that bakes up golden and tender. The best part? You really do “dump” most of the ingredients in layers, and the oven does the rest.
The texture is what makes people obsessed: the bottom bakes into a rich pecan-pie filling (almost like a praline custard), while the top becomes a soft, buttery cake with crisp edges. Served warm with vanilla ice cream and an extra drizzle of caramel, it turns into the kind of dessert that gets eaten straight from the pan with “just one more bite” energy.
This recipe is perfect for holidays, potlucks, and cozy weekends—especially when you want that homemade, from-scratch taste without spending hours in the kitchen.
Ingredients (9×13-inch pan)
Pecan pie filling layer
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2 cups chopped pecans (plus 1/2 cup pecan halves for the top, optional but pretty)
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3 large eggs, room temperature
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1 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark)
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1/2 cup granulated sugar
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1 cup light corn syrup (or maple syrup for a deeper flavor—see tips)
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1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
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2 teaspoons vanilla extract
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional, but cozy)
“Dump cake” topping
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1 box yellow cake mix (15.25 oz / about 430 g)
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3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
(Some cake mixes are thirstier—keep an extra 2–4 tbsp melted butter ready just in case.) -
1/2 cup toffee bits (optional but amazing)
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1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)
For serving (highly recommended)
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Vanilla ice cream
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Caramel sauce (store-bought or homemade)
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Pinch of flaky salt (optional, but wow)
Step-by-Step Instructions
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