Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes. Bake it the day before, cover, and refrigerate. Reheat gently in the oven before serving.

Can I freeze pumpkin dump cake?

Yes. Once cooled, wrap tightly in foil or plastic and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat before serving.

Canned pumpkin gives the most consistent results, but if you have fresh pumpkin, roast and blend it until smooth before using.

Yellow cake mix gives a buttery taste, but spice cake mix adds extra depth. Both work great.

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Prep: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch pan.
Make filling: In a bowl, whisk pumpkin puree, eggs, both sugars, evaporated milk, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and salt until smooth. Pour into pan.
Add dry mix: Sprinkle cake mix evenly over the filling. Do not stir.
Add butter:
- Crisp top: Dot the surface with thin slices of cold butter, covering as evenly as possible.
- Softer cobbler top: Drizzle melted butter evenly over the dry mix.
Add nuts (optional): Sprinkle pecans over the top.
Bake: 45–60 minutes, until the edges are set, the center has a slight jiggle, and the top is golden with no large dry patches. Metal pans brown faster; glass may need a few extra minutes.
Cool: Rest 20–30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Pumpkin pie mix: If using 30 oz pie mix, reduce granulated sugar to 1/4 cup and skip added spice.
Dairy-free: Swap evaporated milk for full‑fat coconut milk; use plant‑based butter.
Gluten-free: Use a GF yellow cake mix and add 5–10 minutes if needed for browning.
Avoid soggy spots: Distribute butter evenly and don’t underbake; look for a steady but slight center jiggle.
Storage: Refrigerate covered up to 4 days. Reheat at 350°F for 8–10 minutes to refresh the top. Freeze up to 2 months; thaw in the fridge, then warm.