If you need a gluten free fall dessert recipe, wait until you try this homemade gluten-free pumpkin dump cake recipe! This pumpkin dump cake is made with just a few simple ingredients, and it is a delicious dessert the whole family will love. Make it in under an hour.
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(This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Safeway. All opinions are 100% mine.)
❤️ Sandi’s Recipe Summary
The Quick Bite: This gluten free pumpkin dump cake has been a fall favorite since 2020, and it remains one of my easiest holiday desserts. It turns a box of gluten free cake mix into a buttery, pecan-studded, creamy pumpkin cake. I also share dairy-free and egg-free options.
“I made your Pumpkin Dump Cake today, testing it out for American Thanksgiving. Turned out great. My only modification was to throw the cake mix, topping spices, and better in my food processor and grind it up into fine crumbs before I sprinkled. I did this because I’ve had not the greatest luck in the past with dump cakes, with the melted or pats of butter, with having a bit of dry mix left on top. I sprinkled the pecans on top of that. Seemed to work out great!”
Marjorie, Facebook comment
You are in for a special treat today. Safeway now has gluten-free cake mixes, so I had to create a special gluten-free fall dessert recipe using them! All of the best, and they are only $4.99 a box! You know how expensive gluten-free can be, and this is an incredible deal on high-quality gluten-free mixes!
My readers have raved about this cake recipe ever since I introduced it on the blog back in 2020. It is a tried-and-true fall dessert, and I include variations to make this dairy-free and egg-free, so it is easily adapted for many food allergies! Dump cakes make a great dessert, and they are a huge time saver during the busy holiday season.
More people than ever are learning gluten free baking and cooking at home, and Safeway makes it easy to find all of the ingredients you need. You can find the ingredients for this pumpkin dump cake and this delicious vegan, gluten-free almond butter cake. Need more pumpkin recipes? I have a lot of gluten free pumpkin recipes to make.
Ingredient Notes and Easy Swaps:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- One box of Open Nature Gluten-Free Vanilla Cake Mix – The box was 14 ounces of dry cake mix.
- One can of pumpkin puree – you can also roast your own pumpkin. Safeway also sells great pie pumpkins for roasting!
- Butter – if you are dairy-free, you can use vegan butter or coconut oil
- Pecans – you can also use walnuts or another nut
- Brown sugar – dark or light sugar will work beautifully for the topping.
- Evaporated milk – use coconut evaporated milk if you are dairy-free.
Make it dairy-free using dairy-free butter. You can easily make this recipe egg-free by substituting 1/3 cup applesauce and 3 tablespoons Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer.
How to Make a Gluten-Free Pumpkin Dump Cake (Step-By-Step)
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Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350º F. Add the wet ingredients, including the eggs, pumpkin, sugar, evaporated milk, and vanilla extract, to a bowl and whisk well.
Step 2: Pour the wet ingredients into a greased 9×13 baking pan. This pumpkin mixture should spread on its own, but if it doesn’t, use a spoon to ensure it is evenly distributed.
Option for the Topping:
Use a food processor to mix the butter, seasonings, and cake mix, as mentioned by the reader below, or make it the traditional way by sprinkling the cake mix as I did.
Step 3: Sprinkle the gluten-free cake mix over the pumpkin mixture. Try to spread it evenly, but it is okay if it isn’t perfect.
Step 4: Next, sprinkle the brown sugar over the cake mix. Spread the pecans over the brown sugar.
Step 5: Drizzle the melted butter over the cake. (One reader cut the butter into small slices and covered the top of her cake. She felt it was easier to distribute the butter this way. Both ways work.) Bake at 350º F for 30 minutes. You will notice the cake is a little jiggly. The toothpick test will not work to test if the cake is done.
You will know the cake is finished baking when the top is golden. The cake will continue to set as it cools. Slice and top with Lucerne Pumpkin Spice Whipped Cream for a delicious treat!
This Gluten-Free Apple Dump Cake is another tasty dump cake recipe to try. You may also enjoy this Gluten-Free Pumpkin Coffee Cake recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions:
You can definitely use your favorite gluten-free cake mix for this recipe.
You can easily make this gluten-free dump cake dairy-free by substituting the butter for vegan butter.
Yes, make this cake egg-free by substituting 1/3 cup applesauce and 3 tablespoons Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer.
More Gluten-Free Pumpkin Recipes:
Reader Rave:
This is super easy and I used coconut evaporated milk and smart balance dairy free butter.
Leigh Anne, Pinterest User
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. Please include which flour blend you used. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Gluten Free Pumpkin Dump Cake (A Reader Favorite!)
Ingredients
- 1 box gluten free cake mix 14 ounce box, vanilla flavor
- 15 ounces pumpkin puree
- 12 ounces evaporated milk *see note
- 4 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups cane sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF, bake setting. I don't recommend using the convection bake because this cake will not bake evenly using convection bake. Move the rack to the middle of the oven.
- In a large bowl, add 15 ounces pumpkin puree, 4 large eggs, 1 1/2 cups cane sugar, 12 ounces evaporated milk, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice. Mix well with a whisk.
- Pour the pumpkin mixture into a greased 9×13 baking pan.
- Sprinkle the vanilla 1 box gluten free cake mix over the pumpkin mixture. Try to spread it out gently to make it even.
- In a small bowl, add 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and mix. Sprinkle it over the cake mix.
- Sprinkle the chopped 1 cup chopped pecans over the sugar cinnamon mix.
- Drizzle the melted 1 cup unsalted butter over the top of the cake. Be sure to cover as much area as you can. You can use a spoon to gently swirl the cake topping and butter a bit if you like. You can also cut the butter into small slices and lay them over the cake mix topping and cover the cake this way. (A reader suggested this may be easier to cover the top of the cake better.)
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until the cake is done. This cake will not be a firm cake so some jiggling is okay. It will continue to set as it cools.
Nutrition
Notes
- I highly recommend using a gluten-free vanilla-flavored cake mix.
- To make this dairy-free, use coconut evaporated milk (available at many grocery stores or Amazon) and vegan butter for the drizzle on top.
- Let this cake cool completely, as it will finish setting as it cools.
- Top with whipped cream, ice cream, or enjoy plain!
- This cake will keep up to 4 days in an airtight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
Private Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!
I truly hope you enjoy this recipe. I have been testing and creating gluten-free recipes for over 15 years. Creating gluten-free recipes that do not taste gluten-free is my goal for every recipe. Sometimes I only have to test a new recipe a couple of times, and others it takes multiple times. I do this so you get reliable, delicious results every time!
Hello! Excited to make this, however, is there a way to make it egg free? Perhaps apple sauce or yogurt?
Hi Bonny, I haven’t tested this recipe with an egg replacer. If you do try it, please come back and let me know how it turns out.
I am going to make this for Christmas. Can this be made abd then refrigerated after it cools? (I am trying to make ahead whatever I can) of it can be, will it affect the moistness and such? How long can this cake be safely left out? Thank you!
Hi Kristen, It is fine to refrigerate the cake. I have left it out for a few hours without any issues. Merry Christmas.
I made this recipe for the first time yesterday and it was a big hit at our pre-Christmas family dinner. We loved everything about it. The bottom layer tastes like pumpkin pie filling, the white cake mix baked perfectly between the pumpkin layer and the topping, and the pecans and brown sugar on top finished it off nicely. I used Crave gluten-free white cake mix and Smith pumpkin puree.
I am thrilled everyone loved this cake, Mary. I haven’t seen Crave cake mix, but I am so glad it worked well.
Oh my goodness! This was amazing!
I am so glad you loved this cake. Thank you, Mary!
So delicious. I used an Aldi gluten free yellow cake mix and it worked great! Everyone loved this dessert for Thanksgiving. So wonderful to have a delicious option since I’m gluten free! Thank you!! 🧡🙏🏼
Thank you so much, Mandy. I am so glad you loved this cake recipe.
Just a note – while making this recipe I realized the gluten free cake mix I bought was 22 ounces so I adjusted for the recipe.
That makes sense, thank you.
I did slice the better and place the cubes evenly across the top. Perfect!
This cake came out amazing. It was a big hit with my non-GF friends. I made it just as the recipe calls for. I am at over 9000 feet and I used the Open Nature GF white cake mix. Pretty close to perfect! I served it with a vanilla caramel ice cream.
I am so glad you loved this cake! Thank you so much for coming back to tell me, and I am sure your high altitude comment will help many other readers.
I made this and my family loved it! I couldn’t find the brand you used for the cake mix and ended up using King Arthur GF, it was a 22 oz, so I measured out the 14 oz. I think maybe i should have used the whole box. I used coconut sugar to help cut down on the sweetness others had mentioned and used salted plant based butter. I also used roasted salted pepitas instead of nuts due to a tree nut allergy in the family. This has been requested for Thanksgiving!
I am so glad you loved this recipe…salted pepitas sounds so good with this cake.
This is a simple recipe to make. The pumpkin mixture could use some salt to enhance the flavors.
I also found it overly sweet as a whole. Work on balancing those things and it will be more enjoyable. Thanks
I am glad you enjoyed this cake recipe. I haven’t thought about adding salt, as I was trying to keep it easy using just the cake mix. Keep me posted how adding more salt turns out.
The recipe calls for unsalted butter. Maybe using salted butter would be enought to fix this problem.
It is worth her giving salted butter a try, thank you, Paula.