Name: Pecan Dump Cake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1½ cups dark brown sugar, (packed (divided into 1 cup and 1/2 cup)); 1 cup dark corn syrup ((I used dark Karo syrup)); 1¼ cup salted butter, (melted and cooled (divided into ½ cup and ¾ cup)); 3 large eggs, (room temperature); 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract; 4 cups pecan halves ((divided into 3 cups and 1 cup)); 15.25 ounces white cake mix ((I used Duncan Hines Classic White Cake mix)); 1 cup hot water

This pecan dump cake doesn’t bake like a traditional cake. The bottom turns into a soft, gooey pecan layer while the top bakes up buttery and golden. It’s closest to a pecan pie in taste without a crust to fuss with.

A close-up of a glass baking dish filled with gooey, golden-brown pecan dump cake, topped with whole pecans, with a portion scooped out from one corner to reveal the moist texture of this delicious fall-inspired dessert. — You can see the layers here once my pecan pie is scooped. It’s soft and gooey underneath with a lightly set top.

Where most versions go wrong is treating a dump cake like a traditional cake and baking it until it’s firm. That’s what turns it from soft and pie-like into something dense and cake-like, which misses the whole point of this recipe.

In testing, the versions that baked until the center looked fully set came out heavier once cooled. Pulling it while the center still has a slight jiggle is what allows it to finish setting properly and keeps that soft, layered texture.

Read Before You Begin

Melt the butter and let it cool before you start. The portion that goes into the filling needs to be fully cooled before it’s mixed with the eggs. If it’s still warm, it can scramble them.
Grease your baking dish before you make the filling. Once it’s mixed, it needs to go straight into the pan, so you don’t want to be stopping to prep it at that point.
Measure out your hot water and have it ready. This step happens quickly once the layers are built, and it’s easier if it’s already set aside.
Chop 3 cups of the pecans and set aside 1 cup as halves for the top so they’re ready when you begin layering.

A glass baking dish filled with a creamy Pecan Dump Cake, topped with whole pecans and sprinkled with brown sugar, fresh out of the oven. — Pecan halves on top before baking, just as it should look going into the oven.

This is one of the dessert recipes I come back to when I want something warm and low-effort, and you can browse my full collection of dessert recipes.

Ingredient Notes

A variety of baking ingredients on a counter for Pecan Dump Cake, including a bottle of water, brown sugar, vanilla extract, three eggs, white cake mix, a stick of butter, pecan halves, and corn syrup. — Simple ingredients, but each one matters for getting that pecan pie–style texture. Brown sugar, corn syrup, and pecans are what drive the flavor and texture here.

Brown sugar: use dark brown sugar for a deeper, more molasses-forward flavor. Light brown sugar works and tastes a little cleaner. The difference is noticeable but not dramatic.

Corn syrup: dark corn syrup is what gives the filling its pecan pie–like texture. Light corn syrup works, but the flavor is a little lighter. Don’t replace it with honey. The texture depends on a liquid sugar that stays stable under heat.

Cake mix: I recommend white cake mix to keep the pecan and brown sugar flavors upfront. Yellow cake mix adds a richer top. Spice cake mix works if you want a fall-leaning version.

For a full ingredients list and instructions, visit the recipe card below.

Don’t Miss This Step

Pull the cake while the center still has a slight jiggle. The edges will be set and lightly golden, but the center should still move slightly when you gently shake the pan.

In testing, letting it bake until the center looked set led to a heavier texture once cooled. Pulling it earlier keeps the base soft as it finishes setting.

Most recipes tell you to bake until the center is set. That’s the instruction that takes it too far.

A close-up of Pecan Dump Cake in a glass dish, topped with pecan halves and a golden-brown, crumbly layer, suggesting a sweet, gooey texture. — Fresh out of the oven, this is exactly where you want your pecan dump cake to look like on top.

For a chilled, sliceable option with the same nutty flavor, this pecan cream pie is a good one to try next.

If you want something smaller and easy to share, these pecan pie bites pack that same sweet pecan filling into a handheld version.

Recipe Test Notes – Last Updated April 2026

I originally published this recipe in November 2025, then went back and retested it in April 2026 to reduce the sweetness and dial in the bake time

The first thing that stood out when I retested it was the sweetness. The original version was good, but it was sweeter than it needed to be.

I reduced the brown sugar in the bottom layer to 1 cup and the amount on top to ½ cup. That change made the biggest difference. The filling had more depth, and the pecan and molasses flavors came through more clearly instead of getting buried.

Once the sweetness was where it needed to be, I turned to the pecans. Using full halves in the bottom layer caused them to clump together. Some bites had too many while others had very few. Roughly chopping them fixed that. I kept the ones on top as the halves to preserve the texture and look.

A serving of gooey Pecan Dump Cake casserole on a white plate, topped with whole pecans. In the background, there’s a casserole dish and bowl of pecans, with forks and scattered pecans nearby. — Gooey underneath, buttery top, pecans in every bite.

You can serve this pecan dump cake both warm or cold. Warm it’s softer and more spoonable, cold it firms up and slices cleaner. Both are good but for different reasons. For an easy serving idea, you can’t go wrong with adding my homemade vanilla ice cream.

If you want to explore more flavors of dump cakes, I’d recommend my peach dump cake and chocolate dump cake recipes.

Pecan Dump Cake

5 from 15 votes

A quick, no-mix dessert made with brown sugar, pecans, and cake mix. Prepped in 10 minutes. Serves 12 – the perfect size for potlucks and holidays.

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 40

Total Time 50

Servings

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Ingredients

1½ cups dark brown sugar, packed (divided into 1 cup and ½ cup)
1 cup dark corn syrup (I used dark Karo syrup)
1¼ cup salted butter, melted and cooled (divided into ½ cup and ¾ cup)
3 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
4 cups pecan halves (divided into 3 cups and 1 cup)
15.25 ounces white cake mix (I used Duncan Hines Classic White Cake mix)
1 cup hot water

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Generously spray a 9×13 (or 13×9) baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Chop 3 cups of the pecan halves.
Add 1 cup dark brown sugar, dark corn syrup, ½ cup melted butter, eggs, and vanilla to a medium-sized mixing bowl (2-3 quarts). Whisk to combine.
Stir in the 3 cups of pecan halves you previously chopped
Evenly spread the pecan mixture into the sprayed baking dish.
Sprinkle the dry cake mix over the pecan filling.
Drizzle the remaining ¾ cup of melted butter over the dry cake mix.
Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup dark brown sugar over the butter layer.
Pour the hot water over the top of the dry cake mix and butter. Do not mix. You can carefully tilt the cake pan to distribute the water over the cake mix.
Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup pecan halves over the cake and water layer.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Because all ovens bake differently, check on the cake at the 30-minute mark. Also, it will be a bit jiggly in the center, but it will firm up as it cools. It will not be solid like a cake center. Allow the cake to cool completely before serving.

Notes

Be very careful when placing the cake in the oven due to the hot water on top of the cake.

Storage: Covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. Refrigerate for up to a week. To freeze, cool completely, wrap portions in plastic wrap, and store in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.