Pecan Pie Dump Cake

Pecan Pie Dump Cake is a rich, gooey, and buttery dessert that combines the sticky sweetness of pecan pie with the ease of a “dump and bake” cake. It bakes into a caramel-like pecan layer topped with a golden, cakey crust and is especially popular for holidays, potlucks, and any time you want a warm dessert that tastes like you worked much harder than you did.​

Why this dump cake works

This recipe follows the classic dump cake formula—layered, not mixed—but uses a pecan pie–inspired base instead of fruit filling. The melted butter and pecans form a rich foundation, the brown sugar mixture creates a gooey, caramel-like syrup, and the dry yellow cake mix on top bakes into a crisp, buttery topping.​

Unlike traditional pecan pie, there’s no crust to roll out or custard to temper. Everything is layered directly in the pan:

• Butter + pecans at the bottom for toasted nut flavor.
• Brown sugar, water, vanilla, and cinnamon for a simple pecan-pie-style syrup.​
• Dry cake mix on top that absorbs moisture from below and bakes into a cobbler-like, cake-topped pecan dessert, as described in multiple pecan dump cake recipes.​