Gooey pecan pie dump cake puts a shortcut caramel filling under a buttery cake-mix topping. There is no pastry to roll and no frosting to make. Bring a serving spoon: this is a soft, scoopable dessert, especially while it is warm.
The caramel comes from a jar of ice cream topping, so you can skip making a separate sugar syrup. Pecans give every spoonful some crunch. White cake mix supplies the topping, with melted butter poured over it before the pan goes into the oven.
A 9-by-13-inch pan makes 12 servings. Small bowls work well for a dessert this rich, and you can add ice cream at the table rather than letting it melt over the whole pan.
Questions You May Have
Do I make the cake batter first?
No. The mix goes on dry. Put the package directions aside and use only the ingredients listed below.
What kind of caramel should I buy?
Use pourable caramel ice cream topping in the stated 12.25-ounce amount. Hard caramel candies and thick dulce de leche are different products, so do not swap them straight across.
Does gooey mean underbaked?
No. The filling should be cooked through even though it remains soft. A thermometer helps check the egg filling without relying on the color of the topping.
Can I take it to a gathering?
Yes, but plan for safe serving and storage. Keep track of time out of refrigeration, including travel. Do not leave an egg-containing dessert on a buffet all afternoon.
What You Need to Make Gooey Pecan Pie Dump Cake
Cooking spray, for the pan
2 large eggs
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 jar (12.25 ounces) caramel ice cream topping
1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, melted and divided
3 cups pecan halves
1 box (14.25 ounces) white cake mix, dry
Vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)
Set out a mixing bowl, whisk, flexible spatula, measuring cups, a 9-by-13-inch pan, and a food thermometer. Measure the butter in two portions so the filling gets 1/4 cup and the topping gets 3/4 cup.
How to Make Gooey Pecan Pie Dump Cake
Heat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Let the melted butter cool until warm, not hot.
Whisk the eggs, brown sugar, caramel topping, and 1/4 cup of the melted butter together. Fold in the pecans and spread the filling in the pan.
Scatter the dry cake mix evenly over the filling. Slowly drizzle the remaining 3/4 cup melted butter across the surface, reaching the corners. Leave the layers unmixed.
Bake for 25–30 minutes, then check the center. The top should be golden, the filling bubbling at the edges, and the egg filling should reach at least 160°F on a food thermometer. Continue baking if necessary; loosely cover with foil if the top browns too quickly.
Rest for 20 minutes before spooning into bowls. Add vanilla ice cream to individual servings if desired.
A Few Useful Tips
Break up any firm lumps in the dry mix before scattering it. An even layer is easier to moisten than a mound in the middle. Pour the butter slowly rather than emptying it into one spot.
Use the size printed on the cake-mix box, not just the words “one box.” Packages vary. This ingredient list calls for 14.25 ounces of white cake mix; a larger package means a different amount of topping.
Let the pan sit on a heatproof surface while it rests. The filling is very hot straight from the oven, and waiting makes serving less messy. Use a spoon rather than expecting tidy layer-cake slices.
Storing and Reheating
Use the dry cake mix only; do not add the water, oil, or eggs listed on its box. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow covered containers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 90°F. Keep at 40°F or colder and use within 3–4 days. Reheat portions to 165°F. Contains pecans, eggs, milk, and wheat; check the cake mix and caramel labels for soy or other allergens. Do not taste uncooked filling or dry cake mix.
For more on handling egg-based desserts, see the USDA egg-safety guidance.
Printable Recipe
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Gooey Pecan Pie Dump Cake
A spoonable caramel-pecan filling under a buttery cake-mix topping. Makes 12 servings in a 9-by-13-inch pan.
Ingredients
- Cooking spray, for the pan
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 jar (12.25 ounces) caramel ice cream topping
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, melted and divided
- 3 cups pecan halves
- 1 box (14.25 ounces) white cake mix, dry
- Vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Let the melted butter cool until warm, not hot.
- Whisk the eggs, brown sugar, caramel topping, and 1/4 cup of the melted butter together. Fold in the pecans and spread the filling in the pan.
- Scatter the dry cake mix evenly over the filling. Slowly drizzle the remaining 3/4 cup melted butter across the surface, reaching the corners. Leave the layers unmixed.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, then check the center. The top should be golden, the filling bubbling at the edges, and the egg filling should reach at least 160°F on a food thermometer. Continue baking if necessary; loosely cover with foil if the top browns too quickly.
- Rest for 20 minutes before spooning into bowls. Add vanilla ice cream to individual servings if desired.
Notes
Use the dry cake mix only; do not add the water, oil, or eggs listed on its box. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow covered containers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 90°F. Keep at 40°F or colder and use within 3–4 days. Reheat portions to 165°F. Contains pecans, eggs, milk, and wheat; check the cake mix and caramel labels for soy or other allergens. Do not taste uncooked filling or dry cake mix.
Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker Kitchens’ pecan pie dump cobbler.
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