Pumpkin Crunch Cake

Pumpkin Crunch Cake is the perfect pumpkin fall dessert! Spiced with your favorite fall flavors, this pumpkin pie inspired treat layered with a crumbly cake mix crunch and whipped topping makes this the ultimate easy pumpkin dessert. 

I’m not sure if this Pumpkin Crunch Cake recipe falls under the category of a cake or a pie but what I do know is that this my all-time favorite pumpkin recipe.  

This is the easy pumpkin dessert I make for every fall potluck, this is the pumpkin dessert my husband demands asks for each year for his birthday, this is the only pumpkin dessert I am allowed to make for Thanksgiving.  

I have tried to sneak others in … pecan pie bars? .. NOPE  …. apple walnut pie? … NOPE … pumpkin spice cake? … NOPE NOPE NOPE!!!  

.. It has to be THIS pumpkin crunch dessert.  

And as much as I may try to fight it (.. seriously!!! Who doesn’t love a fresh baked apple walnut pie????), I love this pumpkin pie inspired treat as much as everyone else.

what is pumpkin crunch cake?

Now, I love all things pumpkin. Pumpkin cupcakes, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin cheesecake pie, even pumpkin ravioli but there really is nothing that compares to this Pumpkin Crunch Cake.  

Pumpkin Crunch Cake is basically a layered fall dessert. On the bottom is a pumpkin pie-like layer perfectly spiced with all of your favorite fall flavors.

Then comes a cake mix crumble topping that lends a bit of crunch along with a rich buttery flavor.

Next comes the 5 inch layer of whipped topping…! Just kidding (not really!).. top your Pumpkin Crunch Cake with whipped topping and a scatter of toasted pecans and you have the perfect fall dessert!

original pumpkin crunch?

Did I write this recipe and am I claiming it as my own. NOPE!

There are tons of variations of this pumpkin crunch cake recipe. Google it and you will see.

I was given a copy of this recipe years and years ago .. circa 2003, to be exact …  and have tweaked it over the years to upgrade it a bit, if you will.

Just look at this picture.. check that date out and see how stained this recipe is?? Yup, this has been made A LOT!!!!

I have no idea who the original credit goes to but I promise, it’s a keeper!

the best pumpkin dessert

Why is this the best pumpkin dessert to ever hit your table? Let me tell you…

• Easy to bring together with no complicated instructions or ingredients.
• Perfectly spiced pumpkin pie filling topped with a crunchy (but tender!) cake mix crumble then whipped topping! Best of all worlds!!
• Even those who don’t care for pumpkin pie will like this dessert… it’s been proven!
• This easy sheet pan pumpkin dessert feeds a ton of people so ideal for fall potlucks and seasonal parties.

To make this Pumpkin Crunch Cake, you will need:

• Pumpkin puree
• Evaporated milk
• Sugar
• Eggs
• Spices
• Yellow cake mix
• Butter
• Chopped pecans or walnuts
• Whipped topping

how do you make pumpkin crunch cake?

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9 x 13 pan lightly with non-stick spray.
Mix together the pumpkin, milk, sugar, eggs and spices.

Pour this mixture into your prepared baking pan and set aside.
In a separate bowl, pour in your cake mix and add in softened butter.

This is where I tell you to grab your trusty hand mixer and mix, mix, mix until both are harmoniously combined and resemble crumbs.

I will tell you to do this step this way because you probably have not sacrificed your one and only hand mixer to the joy of combining 5 lbs of joint compound and latex paint to create Halloween props.

You probably would have thought ahead a little bit and realized at some point you would need a hand-mixer for cooking, not spackling. You would be one step ahead of me, in this case.

Combine with a fork or a hand mixer or just using your fingers until you have the consistency of clumpy sand.

Once you have the cake and butter combined, gently sprinkle the entire mixture evenly over your poured pumpkin pie layer in the baking pan.

Top with pecans/walnuts and pop this into your oven and bake on the center rack for 50-55 minutes.

Remove and set aside to cool COMPLETELY.
When your Pumpkin Crunch is COMPLETELY COOLED… add on your whipped topping and spread evenly before sprinkling on a few more nuts.

pro tips for perfect crunch cake

• Number 1 rule: Make this the day before you need it. Your Pumpkin Crunch cake NEEDS to be completely cool before adding the whipped topping.
• Your butter should be soft but not room temperature. You want some substance to it but still easy enough to mix with the cake mix.
• I find using my hands to make the cake mix crumble is easiest for ME but you can mix your crumble whatever ways works best for you. Small lumps of butter are fine, big huge lumps not so much.
• Once your pumpkin crunch has cooked and cooled, move your crunch cake the refrigerator to cool completely before adding the whipped topping.

personal choices

Now, some of this pumpkin crunch cake recipe will fall under the heading of Personal Preferences.  

As I have discussed before, choosing your spices is a personal decision on some level.  In this recipe, I use cinnamon and ginger but I have made it adding allspice and cloves and it was amazing then too.  

Some people like pecans, some people prefer walnuts, some people don’t like or can’t have nuts at all.  

And then there is the life long debate that I won’t even weigh in on … Cool Whip vs. Redi-Whip.  I know better, that battle is just not worth starting.

Alright there.. non-Cool Whip people..  sit down.. relax.. settle yourself… we will discuss this in a minute.

The bottom line is that this is just a pumpkin dessert recipe, albeit a FABULOUS one. Don’t like nuts, don’t add them. Don’t like ginger, don’t add it. Make this recipe your own.

make this the day before …

Let me say it again … Number 1 rule: Make this Pumpkin Crunch Cake the day before you need it.

I have tried to cheat this rule so many times and every time I regret being a slacker and not making it the day before.

This sheet pan pumpkin dessert needs to cool completely before you add the whipped topping.

If you make is the day of, I promise bad things will happen. They just do. Trust me.

No matter how long you let this sit to cool, no matter if you pop it in your refrigerator for an hour and think that it will be cool enough… this dessert has some kind of hidden heat properties… no matter how cool it feels, it is never cool enough if you cook it the day you need it.

Then what happens is that you plop on your two tubs of Cool-Whip and right before your eyes, you end up with a melted, gloppy mess that you cannot recover from.

Trust me, save yourself the bottle of wine you will drink to make yourself feel better and cook this the day before you need it.

pumpkin crunch cake topping

ONCE COMPLETELY COOLED… add on your whipped topping (aka Cool Whip) and spread evenly on the top of your crunch cake before adding on the remaining chopped nuts (if you are using them).

Before I upset anyone with the use of non Redi-Whip topping, let me explain.

I was raised on The Whip and never had Redi-whip ever in my house as a I child.

As an adult, I love Redi-Whip. My husband loves it.

My dogs have been trained (thank you Husband) to come running whenever they hear that magical SHKKKKAAAAAAA sound because Mike will feed them all whippets out of the can.

So believe me, this is not a favoritism situation.

The reason I use Cool-Whip is because it stays.. it sets… it never goes anywhere… Redi-whip just doesn’t keep as well so that is why I use Cool-Whip over Redi-Whip for this Pumpkin Crunch recipe.

Now, you most certainly could use Redi-Whip or even vanilla ice cream, I would only suggest then to add it to the dessert piece by piece instead of covering the entire dish at one time.

Again, its all about personal preferences.. whatever twirls your skirt up is fine by me.

more easy pumpkin recipes

• Pumpkin Cobbler with Bourbon Salted Caramel Sauce
• Easy Pumpkin Monkey Bread
• Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
• No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie
• Pumpkin Ravioli in Apple Sage Butter Sauce

Now sit back and wait for the onslaught of compliments. Smile and be gracious.. No one needs to know how easy this is to make. This will be our little secret, I promise.

Enjoy ♥ Heather

Update Notes: This post was originally published in November of 2015 but was republished with an updated recipe, new photos, step by step instructions and tips in September 2020.