Pumpkin Cake: The Ultimate Fall Dessert with Caramel, Cool Whip, and Heath Bits Recipe
This Pumpkin Cake is the ultimate fall dessert, combining moist pumpkin-infused cake with a creamy topping and crunchy Heath bits, all drizzled with caramel sauce for a perfect balance of sweet and seasonal flavors. Easy to make with simple ingredients and no eggs or oil required, it’s a great make-ahead treat for holidays and gatherings.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix (15.25 oz)
Wet Ingredients
- 1 can pumpkin purée (15 oz)
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz)
- 1 tub Cool Whip (8 oz)
Toppings
- ½ bag Heath bits (4 oz)
- Caramel sundae sauce (to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish to prevent the cake from sticking.
- Mix Batter: In a large bowl, combine the dry yellow cake mix and pumpkin purée. Stir until the mixture is smooth, being careful not to overmix; some lumps are fine. Note that no eggs or oil are needed for this recipe.
- Bake: Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish and bake for 23 to 28 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.
- Cool and Poke Holes: Let the cake cool for about 10 minutes. Then, use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes evenly across the top to allow the sweetened condensed milk to soak in.
- Add Sweetened Condensed Milk: Pour the sweetened condensed milk slowly over the cake, ensuring it seeps into the holes for maximum flavor and moisture.
- Refrigerate: Chill the cake in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to set and let the condensed milk absorb fully.
- Top the Cake: Spread the Cool Whip evenly over the chilled cake surface, then generously sprinkle with Heath bits for a sweet, crunchy texture.
- Drizzle Caramel Sauce: Drizzle caramel sundae sauce liberally over the top to add a rich, gooey finish.
- Final Chill: Refrigerate the completed cake for 3 to 4 hours or overnight before serving to allow all the flavors to meld beautifully.
Notes
- Avoid overmixing the batter; a few lumps help keep the texture tender.
- The longer the cake chills, the better the flavor and texture become.
- You can substitute Heath bits with chopped pecans or crushed gingersnaps for a different crunch and flavor.
- This cake is a fantastic make-ahead dessert perfect for holidays and potlucks.
- For an extra hint of fall spice, try using a spice cake mix instead of yellow cake mix.
Keywords: pumpkin cake, fall dessert, pumpkin dessert, easy pumpkin cake, caramel pumpkin cake, Heath bits pumpkin cake, no eggs pumpkin cake, make-ahead dessert
