You guys, this pumpkin crunch bars recipe is amazing! If you love pumpkin and cake together in one bite, you’re going to love this easy pumpkin recipe.

Amazing Pumpkin Crunch Cake Bars Recipe on a sheet pan with spatula

Pumpkin Crunch Cake Bars

It’s the best of a cake and bar all rolled into one awesome pumpkin bite.  It’ll be on your go-to baking list for fall & the holidays. Perfect for parties or after a big thanksgiving meal, each bite of these bars will fill your belly with holiday flavors. Our recipe doesn’t start with a box cake mix. It’s all from scratch and the cake is tender, moist and really delicious. Sure, pumpkin pies are the go-to dessert for the Fall season, but to mix things up and to bring something interesting the table, why not a different pumpkin recipe that still satisfies your sweet tooth. Topped with nuts, healthy dried fruit and loaded with holiday spices, one bite into these bars will remind you of why this holiday season can be delicious.

Amazing Pumpkin Crunch Cake Bars Recipe on cooling rack

Video: Pumpkin Crunch Bars Recipe

How to Make Pumpkin Cake Bars (Tips)

The warm spices of ground ginger, cloves, nutmeg and more combined with pumpkin puree in an easy cake recipe like this is something to share and make everyone happy.

  • It’s all made super easy in a baking dish and you don’t even have to mix the cake mix.
  • All you do is to sprinkle the dry cake mix over the wet pumpkin puree batter and after about an hour in the oven, you have amazing bars that will be devoured in minutes.
  • Add more nuts or dried fruit if you like to make it delicious your way.
  • Dried cranberries are a favorite dried fruit for a Holiday menu.
  • Don’t forget the coffee and if there’s any leftover, it’s perfect as a breakfast pumpkin pastry.
  • Amazing Pumpkin Crunch Cake Bars Recipe in baking pan with spatula

Pumpkin Crunch Cake Bars

Yield: 12 servings
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
This recipe is so easy and delicious to make, you'll make pumpkin crunch cake for the whole season! The key is to make sure to try to spread the melted butter evenly over the whole cake. It's ok to have a few small dry cake-mix spots, but avoid large dry spots of cake mix.
Use what ever combination of dried nuts and fruit that you want! If you want to use pumpkin pie spice mix to replace all the individual dried spices (cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground cloves), then use about 1 Tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice mix.
5 from 10 votes

{click on stars to rate}

PRINT RECIPE Review Save to Pinterest

Ingredients

  • 15 oz. (425 g) package prepared dry cake mix (usually yellow or white cake mix)
  • 15 oz. (425 g) pumpkin puree
  • 14 oz (397 g) sweetened condensed milk (not to a be confused with evaporated milk)
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
  • 2 teaspoons (10 ml) ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) ground ginger , optional
  • 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt
  • 1 cup (117 g) chopped pecans or walnuts
  • 1/2 cup (60. g) dried cranberries or raisins
  • 1 cup (227 g) melted butter (2 sticks or 1/2 lb.)
  • whipped topping or whipped cream (optional)

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).  Grease 9-inch x 13-inch pan.
    Greased 9x13 pan
  • In large bowl, combine 15 oz. pumpkin puree, 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk, 3 eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon optional ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves and 1/2 teaspoon salt in bowl until smooth until evenly combined.
    Mixing pumpkin mixture
  • Pour the pumpkin mixture into the prepared 9×13 pan.
    Pouring pumpkin mix in pan
  • Sprinkle 15 oz. of dry cake mix evenly over the wet pumpkin mixture.
    Sprinkling cake mix on top
  • Add 1 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts) and 1/2 cup cranberries (or raisins) on top.
    Adding nuts and dried fruit
  • Drizzle melted butter evenly over mixture. Try to cover as much of the dry spots of cake mix that you can.
    Drizzling butter on top
  • Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 55 minutes or until top is turning golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the cake.
    Baked pumpkin cake bars
  • Allow cake to completely cool. Cut into squares, add whipped topping or whipped cream and serve.
    Dolloping whipped topping on bar

Video

Youtube video

Nutrition Information per Serving

Calories: 515kcal, Carbohydrates: 64g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 27g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Cholesterol: 98mg, Sodium: 552mg, Potassium: 277mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 46g, Vitamin A: 6144IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 202mg, Iron: 2mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Baked Goods, Dessert, Holiday
Calories: 515

Here’s more great recipes: