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Pumpkin Crunch Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin crunch cake with cream cheese frosting features a layered pumpkin base, a buttery pecan crunch topping, and a fluffy frosting you can spread generously. Bake until golden and set, then cool completely and flip for a pecan-side-up presentation.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
cooling 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For pumpkin pie layer
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin
  • 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp salt
For crunch top
  • 1 box yellow cake mix
  • 1 cup butter, melted
  • 1.5 cup pecans, chopped
For cream cheese frosting
  • 16 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the pumpkin base
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F, then grease a 9x13 pan so the cake releases cleanly.
  2. Combine pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt in a mixing bowl until smooth.
  3. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the greased pan.
  4. Sprinkle the yellow cake mix evenly over the pumpkin layer.
  5. Scatter the chopped pecans across the top.
  6. Pour the melted butter evenly over the surface so it soaks into the cake mix.
  7. Bake at 350F for 50-55 minutes, until the top is golden and the center is set.
Cool and invert (optional)
  1. Cool the cake completely at room temperature to firm up the crunch layer.
  2. Flip the cake onto a board so the pecan side is up, or keep it right side up if you prefer to frost in the pan.
Make and spread frosting
  1. Beat the softened cream cheese and softened unsalted butter until smooth.
  2. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon and beat until very fluffy and lighter in texture.
  3. Frost the cake generously, spreading frosting between layers and along the sides as needed for full coverage.

Notes

Pro tip: bake times vary by oven and pan material—start checking at 50 minutes and look for a golden, set center. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze unfrosted layers up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge, then frost). For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cream cheese in the frosting for a slightly softer tang.