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Sweet Potato Dump Cake

Sweet potato dump cake layers a smooth, cinnamon-spiced sweet potato filling with yellow cake mix, pecans, and melted butter. Bake it until the topping is golden and the center reaches 160°F, then rest for 20 minutes before serving.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
resting 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 480
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the sweet potato layer
  • 2 can (29 oz) sweet potatoes or yams drained and mashed
  • 2 eggs large
  • 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp kosher salt
For the topping
  • 1 box (15.25 oz) yellow cake mix
  • 1 cup unsalted butter melted
  • 1 cup pecans chopped

Equipment

  • 1 9x13-inch baking dish

Method
 

Prepare the sweet potato layer
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed sweet potatoes, eggs, evaporated milk, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and kosher salt until smooth.
  4. Spread the sweet potato mixture in the baking dish.
Add the topping and bake
  1. Sprinkle the dry yellow cake mix evenly over the sweet potato layer.
  2. Scatter the chopped pecans over the cake mix.
  3. Drizzle the melted unsalted butter evenly over the top.
  4. Bake for 55 to 70 minutes, until the topping is golden with no dry cake mix visible and the center of the sweet potato layer reaches 160°F.
  5. Rest the cake for 20 minutes before serving.

Notes

For an even topping, spread the dry cake mix all the way to the edges before adding the pecans and butter. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days; freezing is suitable. For a gluten-free option, use a gluten-free yellow cake mix.