The Easiest Fall Dessert: Pumpkin Crunch Cake

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The problem with this pumpkin cake is everyone asks you to make it again. 😂🎃 Which is exactly why I’m making it AGAIN today for our first annual Hallmark Fall Day. 🍂

My oldest daughter is coming over, I have matching pajamas + fluffy socks waiting for us, pumpkin pizzas for lunch, a giant fall charcuterie board, apple cider, entirely too many fall snacks… and obviously we needed dessert. 😂

This yummy Pumpkin Crunch Cake is a creamy, 5-ingredient fall dessert with a buttery spice cake topping easy, cozy, and always a crowd favorite.

This one is SO easy and tastes like fall in a pan, creamy pumpkin underneath with that buttery, crispy spice-cake layer on top. Save this one, because it’s ridiculously easy and SO good warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. (And if you’re planning your own movie night, and want some alternative movie options check out our cozy fall movie night post, we share our set up, our snack board and our faves movies for all ages.)

Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Only 5 ingredients, no mixer required
Layers itself, no fussy assembly
Creamy pumpkin base with a buttery, crunchy spice cake topping
Perfect for potlucks, fall gatherings, or a cozy night in
Even better the next day, warmed up with a scoop of ice cream

Ingredients

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin purée
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
2 large eggs
1 (15.25 oz) box spice cake mix
¾ cup unsalted butter, melted

How to Make Pumpkin Crunch Cake

Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 baking dish.
Add the pumpkin purée, sweetened condensed milk, pumpkin pie spice, and eggs to a bowl and whisk until completely smooth.
Pour into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly.

Sprinkle the dry spice cake mix evenly over the pumpkin mixture. Don’t stir it in!
Drizzle the melted butter over the cake mix, trying to cover as much of the dry mixture as possible.

Bake at 350°F for 45 to 50 minutes, until the pumpkin layer is set and the top is golden and buttery.
Let it set for about 30 minutes before serving.
Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream and enjoy!

Tips for Success

Don’t stir the cake mix in: Leaving it as a dry layer on top is what creates that signature buttery, crunchy topping.
Cover the dry mix well with butter: Any spots left dry won’t crisp up properly, so take your time drizzling.

Let it rest before serving: The 30-minute rest helps the pumpkin layer set so it slices (and scoops) cleanly.
Reheat leftovers: A quick warm-up in the microwave brings back that fresh-baked texture, especially with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.