Ingredients and what they do
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup pecan halves
- 2 cups yellow cake mix
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Nutrition (approximate): 350 calories per serving, 18g fat, 45g carbohydrates, 3g protein (values like these are consistent with similarly rich pecan dump cake portions).
Ingredient notes
- Butter: Provides richness and moisture. Many pecan pie dump cake recipes either pour melted butter into the bottom of the pan or slice cold butter over the cake mix to ensure it bakes up moist and golden.
- Pecans: Pecan halves give visual appeal and crunch; some versions use chopped pecans, but whole or halved nuts feel more like pecan pie.
- Brown sugar + water + vanilla + cinnamon: This combination mimics the sweet, spiced syrup in pecan pie, minus the eggs and corn syrup, as seen in several simplified pecan pie dump cake recipes.
- Yellow cake mix: Acts as both topping and structure. Dump cake tutorials note that the dry cake mix absorbs moisture from the filling and butter as it bakes, forming a tender crust.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Prepare the pan and base
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a 9×13-inch baking dish, pour the melted butter evenly across the bottom.
Pecan pie dump cake recipes often either pour melted butter into the pan or grease it before layering; starting with melted butter under the pecans helps them toast and creates a buttery base.
- Sprinkle the pecan halves evenly over the butter.
Many recipes spread pecans over the bottom or on top of cake mix, but layering them directly over butter ensures they roast in the oven and release nutty flavor into the syrup.
Step 2: Mix the pecan pie-style syrup
- In a separate bowl, mix the brown sugar, water, vanilla extract, and cinnamon until well combined.
- Stir until the brown sugar is mostly dissolved.
This mixture echoes the sweet base of several pecan dump cakes and pecan pie-inspired cobblers, where sugar, liquid, and flavoring are blended and poured over pecans.
- Pour this mixture evenly over the pecans in the baking dish.
As it bakes, this syrup bubbles up around the pecans and under the cake mix, creating that gooey, caramel-like layer similar to pecan pie filling.
Step 3: Add the cake mix layer
- Sprinkle the yellow cake mix evenly over the top, covering all the pecans and liquid.
- Do not stir; let the layers remain separate.
Dump cake tutorials and expert tips repeatedly emphasize not mixing the layers; the dry cake mix should sit on top so that oven heat and the moisture beneath transform it into a crust. Several pecan pie dump cake recipes stress this same “no stirring” rule.
Some versions place pats of butter over the dry cake mix to ensure even browning, but this recipe pulls fat from the melted butter below and moisture from the syrup.
Step 4: Bake
- Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the edges are bubbling.
Pecan pie dump cake recipes typically bake at 350°F for roughly 35–45 minutes, until the topping is golden and the filling is visibly bubbling around the edges.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
Cooling slightly lets the syrup thicken and the layers set, which is standard advice for gooey dump cakes and cobbler-style desserts.
Step 5: Serve
- Serve warm, optionally topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
Most pecan pie dump cake and pecan cobbler recipes recommend vanilla ice cream as the ideal pairing, often noting that the contrast of hot dessert and cold ice cream is especially good.