This pumpkin toffee crunch cake is a moist and gooey pumpkin cake with the satisfying crunch of toffee bits and pecans. Drizzle caramel sauce over the top for extra decadence!
Why This Recipe Works
- The flavor of pumpkin can’t be beat!
- The delicious moist, custard-y cake bottom is to die for.
- Satisfying crunch makes it extra fun to eat.
- Easy to make since it starts with cake mix!
Ingredients
- Pumpkin – Make sure to use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie mix.
- Pecans – I like the tender texture of pecans in this cake, but you could also use walnuts, almonds or hazelnuts. Or heck, if you’re not into nuts, leave them out entirely. If you go with pecans, I recommend Millican Pecans.
- Toffee bits – I have these milk chocolate toffee baking bits on hand all the time and that crunch in this cake… yes, please!
- Cake mix – Any 15.25-ounce box of yellow cake mix will work.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step 1: In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, both sugars, spices, salt, cornstarch, eggs and milk.
Step 2: In separate bowl, stir cake mix, toffee bits and pecans together.
Step 3: Stir flour mixture into pumpkin mixture.
Step 4: Spread batter into a greased 9×13-inch baking pan.
Step 5: Pour butter evenly over the top. (Don’t stress about this. Mine is always just swirled over the top and the pumpkin cake comes out deliciously moist every single time.)
Step 6: Bake for about 1 hour until top and custard bottom are set. Leave in pan and cool completely on a wire rack. If using a dark metal pan or glass pan, reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. You may need to lengthen baking time a little bit, so keep an eye on it.
Expert Tips
- For a crunchy topping, toffee bits and pecans can be sprinkled over the top of the batter (before adding butter) instead of mixed in with the cake mix.
- For a more cobbler-like dessert, use half or ¾ of the cake mix instead of the entire thing.
- If you can’t find toffee bits, you can chop up Heath Bars or Skor Bars in a food processor.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream on top.
Or, drizzle caramel sauce over the cake and ice cream for an extra special treat.
Recipe FAQ
I think yellow cake mix is perfection in pumpkin toffee crunch cake, but I’ve seen some people use spice cake mix.
Of course! I love pecans in this dessert, but walnuts, almonds or hazelnuts would also work. If you leave the nuts out, feel free to bump the toffee bits up to ¾ cup.
Because of the custard-like filling, it should be stored in the refrigerator.
Related Recipes
Pumpkin Toffee Crunch Cake
Ingredients
- 1 15-oz can pure pumpkin puree
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 4 eggs
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 1 15.25-ounce box yellow cake mix
- ½ cup toffee bits
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- ½ cup butter melted
- Caramel sauce for drizzling, if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
- Whisk together pumpkin, both sugars, spices, salt, cornstarch, eggs and milk.
- In a separate bowl, stir together cake mix, pecan chips and toffee bits. Stir into pumpkin mixture.
- Pour cake batter into prepared baking dish. Pour butter evenly over top of cake batter. Bake for 1 hour. Serve warm with ice cream, whipped topping or a drizzle of caramel syrup.
Notes
- For a crunchy topping, toffee bits and pecans can be sprinkled over the top of the batter (before adding butter) instead of mixed in with the cake mix.
- For a more cobbler-like dessert, use half or ¾ of the cake mix instead of the entire thing.
- If you can’t find toffee bits, you can chop up Heath Bars or Skor Bars in a food processor.
- If using a dark metal pan or glass pan, reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. You may need to lengthen the baking time a little bit, so keep an eye on it.
