What does adding an extra egg to a box cake mix to?

Because eggs help build the cake's structure (don't use them and you're looking at a gooey mess), adding an extra egg yolk makes the cake batter denser . Translation: you'll have a moister confection. Conversely, she suggests an extra egg white for a fluffier cake.

How to spice up a yellow box cake mix?

Add Some Extra Flavor Add a little rum, almond, or orange extract as well. If you're making a white or yellow cake, add a teaspoon or two of fresh lemon or lime zest, or a bit of juice . And don't forget about all of those ingredients in your pantry that you would use in cookies, brownies, or other cakes.

Should you beat eggs before adding to cake mix?

For chemically-leavened cakes — that is, cakes calling for baking powder or baking soda — it's OK if you don't remember to add the eggs until the end. Martina says, “Late in the mixing stage, eggs will incorporate better if you lightly beat them before adding to the batter.

What happens when you add sour cream to a box cake mix?

"It adds a subtle tang to the flavor or baked goods . The fat contributes to moistness and richness that makes tender cakes," says Samantha Seneviratne, author of The Joys of Baking: Recipes and Stories for a Sweet Life. What's the Difference Between Créme Fraîche and Sour Cream?

What happens if you add cocoa powder to yellow cake mix?

Since you added cocoa powder to the cake mix, the cake could turn out dry unless you add some extra moisture . Sour cream is a fantastic way to bump up the moisture and flavor of your chocolate cake. Stir the sour cream into the batter when you add the other wet ingredients (like eggs, oil or butter, etc).

What does adding pudding to cake mix do?

Put some pudding in the mix: Add a small box of pudding mix in with the cake mix. (Don't make the pudding.) The mix adds additional flavor, moistness, and a denser texture .

How to make a box cake more dense?

On their own, boxed cake mixes have a structure that's loose and airy. But if you add ¼ cup flour or half a box of instant pudding mix , the texture of the cake becomes denser and tighter, ideal for a pound-cake-like consistency that will hold the shape of a Bundt pan.

How does the number of eggs affect a cake?

If there isn't enough egg, your batter or dough may not be able to hold its structure or could end up overly dry or dense. On the other hand, if there is too much egg, your baked goods could lose their shape due to excess liquid, or have a rubbery (or even overly cakey) texture depending on the recipe .

How to make box cake fluffier?

Swap out each cup of water called for with milk . Buttermilk: Instead of water, use the same amount of buttermilk. The acid in the buttermilk interacts with the leavening agents in the mix for a better rise. "Swapping out the water for buttermilk creates a fluffier cake and a moister one, too," says Waterson.

What makes a box cake rise more?

Add a leavening agent to the flour . Most cakes will call for a leavening agent like baking powder or baking soda.

Pumpkin Crunch Cake Recipe using Yellow Cake Mix

November 13, 2017August 24, 2023

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With a crisp topping and a dollop of whipped cream, this Pumpkin Crunch Cake – made with a cake mix – is perfect for a crowd. Sometimes people call this Pumpkin Crunch Cake or Pumpkin Crunch Bars. We think it should be called the Best Ever Pumpkin Crunch Dessert of all time.

Table of Contents

Pumpkin Crunch Cake

Easy Pumpkin Crunch Dessert with yellow cake mix is a simple pumpkin dessert to make. The ingredients include canned pumpkin, eggs, evaporated milk, sugar, cinnamon, cake mix and butter. This really is a pumpkin dump cake as opposed to a traditional cake recipe.

Instead of making the same old boring pumpkin pie, try this Pumpkin Crunch with yellow cake mix instead. You won’t be disappointed. Barbara loves this dessert, and she claims it as one of her favorites. She lost the recipe a couple years ago, but recently found it again.

A co-worker shared this recipe with her years and years ago. Even though Barbara hasn’t seen her for almost 10 years, she thinks of her each time this Pumpkin Crunch goes into the oven.

Pumpkin Crunch Cake Ingredient List

Canned Pumpkin (not canned pumpkin pie filling)
Evaporated Milk
Large Eggs
Ground Cinnamon
Sugar
Yellow Cake Mix (dry mix, unprepared)
Butter

A Pumpkin Crunch Cake with Cake Mix

Cake mix is the secret ingredient in the “crunch” part of this easy fall dessert. The bottom layer is essentially the pumpkin pie. Then, a dry cake mix is sprinkled right on top of the pumpkin pie layer. Melted butter is poured right over top the dry cake mix to form the beautiful, delicious crunch.

For even drizzling of the butter, use a liquid cup measure or something that allows the melted butter to pour evenly. If you’ve got dry clumps of cake mix, spread out the butter or add more drizzled butter to get the entire top.

I sometime even give the top of the cake a spray with nonstick cooking spray to make sure it’s all wet on top for an even crunch.

How To Make Pumpkin Crunch Cake

Step By Step Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, eggs, sugar, evaporated milk, and cinnamon.
Pour pumpkin batter into a prepared 13 x 9 inch baking dish.
Sprinkle cake mix over pumpkin pie mixture, and pour melted butter over top of the cake mix, being sure there’s no dry spots.
Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees F.
Serve topped with whipped cream, Cool Whip or scoop of vanilla ice cream (if served hot).

Storage Instructions

Cover dish with a tight-fitting lid, plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Store in the fridge for up to a week.

Does pumpkin crunch cake need to be refrigerated?

We would recommend to serve immediately, or let cool and refrigerate. If you are going to eat later, we would recommend not letting it sit for more than four hours at room temperature before covering and putting it into the refrigerator.

Can you freeze pumpkin crunch cake?

Yes, if you’ve got too many desserts at thanksgiving, place individual pieces of pumpkin crunch cake in a freezer dish or separate multiple slices with waxed paper in a larger freezer-safe container. Place in the refrigerator to thaw.

Recipe FAQs

Use evaporated milk, not sweetened condensed milk.
This pumpkin crunch cake uses regular canned pumpkin, not to be confused with pumpkin pie filling.
The topping of this dessert reminds us a bit of the crunchy topping of our Peach Batter Cake. We know it sounds odd to just sprinkle the dry cake mix over the top of the wet ingredients, but we promise it works! Just be sure to evenly distribute the melted butter and use a bit more butter if you have large dry spots of cake mix.
Use a liquid measuring cup to drizzle the butter more evenly.
You know what would make this even better? Toasted nuts, praline almonds, or these cinnamon glazed pecans sprinkled on top of the dollop of whipped cream!
This pumpkin crunch with yellow cake mix is versatile. You could swap out different types of boxed cake mix if you prefer. A spiced cake mix would be delicious!
We are huge fans of using boxed cake mixes in desserts other than cakes. Some of our favorites are Cake Mix Cinnamon Rolls, Easy Cake Mix Caramel Bars, Sweet Maple Walnut Bars and Yellow Cake Mix Gooey Bars.

Recipe Variations

Add chopped nuts such as chopped pecans or walnuts to either the pumpkin mixture or sprinkle over the cake mix.
Swap yellow cake mix for white cake mix.
Use a variety of pumpkin pie spices such as ground nutmeg, cloves, ginger or allspice with the cinnamon.
Serve with a drizzle of caramel sauce.

Old Fashioned Pumpkin Recipes

Love pumpkin? Try our favorites old fashioned pumpkin desserts.

Pumpkin Woopie Pies

Grandma’s Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Pumpkin Waffles

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Pie Pudding

Frozen Pumpkin Dessert.

Grandma’s Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin Crunch Dessert with Yellow Cake Mix

With a crisp topping and a dollop of whipped cream, this Pumpkin Crunch – made with a cake mix – is a perfect dessert for a crowd.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time45 minutes mins

Total Time50 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cake mix recipes, Crunchy Pumpkin Dessert, does my pumpkin crunch need to be refrigerated?, easy pumpkin crunch dessert, Pumpkin Crunch, pumpkin crunch bars, Pumpkin Crunch Cake, pumpkin crunch with yellow cake mix, Pumpkin Dessert Recipes

Servings: 16

Calories: 255kcal

Author: Barbara

Ingredients

15 oz. pure pumpkin
3 eggs lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups sugar
12 oz. evaporated milk
2 teaspoons cinnamon
16.5 oz. boxed yellow cake mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine melted

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin, eggs, sugar, evaporated milk and cinnamon; pour into pan.
Sprinkle the yellow cake mix evenly over the pumpkin mixture.
Pour the melted butter evenly over top (if there are any big dry spots, use a little extra melted butter).
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

Video

Notes

It’s called Pumpkin Crunch because the butter forms a nice crunchy top over the cake mix.
Use evaporated milk, not sweetened condensed milk.
This pumpkin crunch cake uses regular canned pumpkin, not to be confused with pumpkin pie filling.
The topping of this dessert reminds us a bit of the crunchy topping of our Peach Batter Cake. We know it sounds odd to just sprinkle the dry cake mix over the top of the wet ingredients, but we promise it works! Just be sure to evenly distribute the melted butter and use a bit more butter if you have large dry spots of cake mix.
Use a liquid measuring cup to drizzle the butter more evenly.
You know what would make this even better? Toasted nuts, praline almonds, or these cinnamon glazed pecans sprinkled on top of the dollop of whipped cream!
This pumpkin crunch with yellow cake mix is versatile. You could swap out different types of boxed cake mix if you prefer. A spiced cake mix would be delicious!
We are huge fans of using boxed cake mixes in desserts other than cakes. Some of our favorites are Cake Mix Cinnamon Rolls, Easy Cake Mix Caramel Bars, and Yellow Cake Mix Gooey Bars.
The nutritional information below is auto-calculated and can vary depending on the products used.

Love pumpkin? Try our favorites including Pumpkin Woopie Pies, Grandma’s Pumpkin Chiffon Pie, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins, Pumpkin Waffles, Slow Cooker Pumpkin Pie Pudding and Frozen Pumpkin Dessert.

Nutrition

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Pumpkin Crunch Cake Recipe using Yellow Cake Mix - These Old Cookbooks (2024)