It’s The Great Pumpkin Crunch Cake Charlie Brown!!

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pumpkin crunch cake with cream cheese frosting

What better way to celebrate the season than with my Pumpkin Crunch Cake! It will definitely bring smiles to your table and soon become your new family fall tradition.

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
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It’s the Great Pumpkin Crunch Cake, Charlie Brown!

I first made My Pumpkin Crunch Cake back in the fall of 1999 for Lisa and my engagement party and it’s been a holiday standard ever since. When I first started blogging back in 2009, I had no idea where this delicious journey would take me and it was in the fall of 2010 when I first shared this magnificent cake with all my friends that follow my blog.

This cake has been a huge success on the internet being made by countless bloggers and home cooks who have shared the deliciousness around the world, and as always I’m very happy to see it shared. So I thought I would republish my Pumpkin Crunch Cake for all the friends and followers I’ve made since I first shared it on my blog…. I hope you enjoy it!

(Revised: first published Oct 2010)

four layer pumpkin crunch cake with a slice taken out sitting on a silver tray

It’s definitely that pumpkin time of year, everywhere I look I see my friends creating all of these wonderful Pumpkin treats, and the skies the limit! I am so proud to be part of this wonderful online community with so many creative, talented people sharing their recipes with us, and just when I thought I had seen it all, someone surprises me!! Life is good when you can learn something new every day!

a slice of pumpkin crunch cake on a glass plate with a fork sitting on a large glass table sitting in front of a four layer pumpkin crunch cake

So, my friends that being said, I would like to share with you a cake that is sure to please. I have been making this since my restaurant days many years ago when I became the reluctant baker at a restaurant I worked at. It is adapted from my first baking book, Good Housekeeping Illustrated (it had pictures…lol). Whenever I make it, it becomes everyone’s instant favorite, I get requests for whole cakes, recipes, and even marriage proposals…lol….yes its just that good! So when you try it at home, be prepared to wow your family and friends!

The Great Pumpkin Crunch cake fits in perfectly from October till December, after that you’ll just have to think of an excuse to make it, but whatever you do, just make it!! Now I always make this cake with 4 layers, it just looks spectacular with 4 layers, but feel free to cut it down to 3 layers. I also varied my normal cream cheese frosting by adding in some Mascarpone Cheese, you can use all cream cheese if you like.

slice of four layer pumpkin crunch cake on a glass plate with a fork, sitting a brown table cloth

To cut this cake, I would advise using a serrated knife, the crunch topping is a little hard to cut through. I also make extra crunch topping to decorate the sides and tops with, to me, it covers up all my imperfections but feel free to leave it plain.

If you’re looking for more autumnal desserts I know you’ll love my Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake and Classic Pumpkin Roll.

four layer pumpkin crunch cake with a slice cut out, sitting on a silver tray on a glass table

If you’ve tried my Pumpkin Crunch Cake recipe or any other recipe on askchefdennis.com please don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know where you found it in the comments below, I love hearing from you!

You can also FOLLOW ME  on Instagram @chefdenniseats and @chefdennistravels,  Twitter and Facebook

4.93 from 14 votes
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Great Pumpkin Crunch Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

What better way to celebrate the season than with my Pumpkin Crunch Cake! It will definitely bring smiles to your table and soon become your new family fall tradition.

Author: Chef Dennis Littley
Nutrition Facts
Great Pumpkin Crunch Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Amount Per Serving
Calories 745 Calories from Fat 288
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 32g 49%
Saturated Fat 13g 65%
Cholesterol 65mg 22%
Sodium 262mg 11%
Potassium 267mg 8%
Total Carbohydrates 97g 32%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Sugars 73g
Protein 8g 16%
Vitamin A 86.4%
Vitamin C 1.6%
Calcium 11.8%
Iron 11.3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: pumpkin cake, pumpkin crunch cake
Prep Time: 45 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins
Servings: 20
Calories: 745 kcal
pumpkin crunch cake with cream cheese frosting
Ingredients
Crunch Topping
  • 3 Cups Walnuts finely chopped
  • 3 Cups Vanilla Wafers about 75 cookies
  • 3 Cups Brown Sugar
  • 2 Sticks Butter
Pumpkin Crunch Cake
  • 1 1/4 Cup Sugar
  • 1 1/2 sticks of Softened Butter
  • 16 oz can Solid Pack Pumpkin not pumpkin pie mix
  • 2 1/2 Cups Flour
  • 1/2 Cup Greek Yogurt
  • 1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla
  • 1 Tablespoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
  • 2 1/4 Teaspoons Baking Powder
  • 3/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
  • 3 Large Eggs
Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 24 oz Cream cheese
  • 16 oz Marscapone
  • 8 oz Softened Butter 2 sticks
  • 1 lb Confectioners sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla
Instructions
Crunch Topping
  1. Melt Butter
  2. In a food processor, pulse cookies to a fine crumb
  3. Then Pulse walnuts to a fine chop
  4. Add in Brown Sugar and mix well.
  5. Add in Melted Butter and blend together.

  6. Divide mixture into 4  9-inch round Cake Pans, pressing into bottom and spreading it evenly into the cake pans. Reserve about 2 cups of the mixture which will be baked to use on the sides of the cake.

  7. Set pans aside and begin cake.

  8. Pre-heat Oven to 350 degrees.

Pumpkin Crunch Cake
  1. In your mixer beat sugar and butter for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl frequently.
  2. Add-In Pumpkin and all the rest of the ingredients, except the eggs. Mix just until blended.
  3. Add in the Eggs, one at a time just until blended.
  4. Divide batter equally into your 4 prepared cake pans, smooth it out and make it as even as possible in the pan.
  5. Place remaining crunch mixture in another cake pan or pie dish and allow to bake for the same amount of time as the cakes.
  6. Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If you use 2 racks to bake on in the oven, at the halfway mark rotate the pans Allow pans to cool about 10 minutes, then turn them out onto wire racks and allow to completely cool.
  7. break up the extra crunch mix to very small bits to use to decorate the cake with.
  8. While your cakes are baking prepare a Cream Cheese Frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
  1. Whip the cream cheese, mascarpone, and butter till very smooth and creamy

  2. Slowly add in the confectioners sugar while mixer is on low setting

  3. Add in Vanilla and mix well. Set aside till needed.
Assembly
  1. After your cake is completely cooled ( you can even refrigerate for a few hours) begin frosting the layers and putting the cake together.
  2. After you have assembled all the layers with some frosting between them, start to spread the remaining frosting on the sides and top.
  3. When finished frosting, coat sides and top with your extra crunch mixture ( you can eliminate this step).
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Amazing delicious and fun cake to make, tomorrow will be my third time I made this cake.

    Thank you very much for sharing!

    Reply

  5. That slices of pumpkin pie makes me drool. I will definitely copying this recipe and make it this coming weekend. My family would be delighted I cant wait this is so good.

    Reply

  10. I love the crunch you added to this! We were just talking about how we should make some pumpkin desserts well ahead of Thanksgiving. I think my kids would love this, it would be a fun fall treat.

    Reply

  14. Wow. That looks amazing. I need to make this for our Thanksgiving dinner with our extended family. It would be a hit for sure!

    Reply

  18. I wish I could jump through my screen right now! This is my kind of cake. It looks so moist and delicious and the cream cheese frosting (my very fave) looks amazing!

    Reply

  20. Great recipe! Delicious cake. I didn’t have vanilla wafers so I used Ritz crackers, and didn’t have any walnuts to add. But still turned out delicious. Also just used a basic cream cheese frosting and still was great. Thanks for the delicious recipe! Also, I made it just two layers in two 9×13 pans to make it stretch further.

    Reply

  21. I made this for our Thanksgiving- it was so good and a hit with my family. I almost omitted the crunch topping because I burnt the first batch (rookie move) – but took no time to fire off a second round- and Im so glad I did! It was delicious and beautiful. Im 2 for 2 as I made your amazing tiramisu as well. Thanks for the great recipes

    Reply

    • Thanks for the feedback Jen, and I’ve burned the topping before too. You get distracted and forget about it. I’m glad you hung in there and made it over because that is really what makes the cake so special! I’m happy to help you with your desserts and now you’re ready to try my chocolate mousse!

      Reply

  22. I’m making this for my family for Thanksgiving. And I’m just wondering when you make the frosting are all the ingredients at room temperature? As well as the eggs? I’m assuming so, but you know what they say about assuming lol.
    Also I only have 2 cake pans but plan on doing the 4 cakes. When I’m dividing up the cake batter in the pans do you fill them quite full?

    Thanks
    Cindee

    Reply

    • hi Cindee
      having all of your ingredients at room temperature is always a good way to start. The pans will not be full as the layers are thin. if you fill the pans it will take a lot longer to bake and they won’t really cook very well. I would suggest dividing the batter in two for each round of cakes. You might find my video helpful, its one of the first videos I ever made but it goes through the process completely. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWZQHrJMDq8

      Reply

  24. I just made this for a party last night and it was unbelievable! It received rave reviews. I was so impressed by how it looked and when I cut into it all of the layers looked beautiful! This is a show stopper, so delicious! Thank you

    Reply

  25. Dennis, this looks aMAZing! Making it this weekend for my wife’s birthday and the family harvest party. Question though – does this recipe yield all 4 layers? Secondly, if I only use cream cheese, is that a total of 5 8-oz pkgs of cream cheese?

    Thanks!

    Reply

  26. hi Jackie

    I just gave the pans a quick spray with food spray, the trick is to invert them while still fairly hot, they come out easy. If you let them cool just pop them on top of the stove for a moment to rewarm the topping and they will come out much easier. Just run a knife along the edges of the pan first
    Dennis

    Reply

  28. I made this cake this weekend for my mother's birthday and it was a hit! This is definitely going into my fall baking rotation.

    Reply

  31. The frosting looks so delish! I love cake, it wouldn't take long for me to devour the whole thing! Thanks for sharing this with us. We share all the delicious walnut recipes and news with all of our walnut loving friends. We would love to have you join us and tell us all about your walnut love! Hope to speak with you and read your posts again soon.

    Reply

  33. What an impressive stack of deliciousness! This is pretty much guaranteed to elicit oohs and aahs when sliced up, I am sure.

    Reply

  34. I just gained about 10 pounds looking at this cake! Oh, mercy! This is the best use of pumpkin that I have seen yet!

    Reply

  36. This looks absolutely amazing! I will definitely be making this sometime this season. I just have to think up an excuse to make it!

    Reply

  37. I can haz Pumpkin Cake! Chef Denis I can see why you would get marriage proposals from this cake. O-M-G I'm in pumpkin heaven.

    Reply

  38. You are a fabulous cook AND a baker! I wish I had a piece of this incredible looking cake RIGHT NOW. With my coffee. Yes.

    Reply

  39. Oh sweet Lord!! That is what I call a cake! I've never made a bonafide layered, filled,frosted and topped fancy shmancy cake with pumpkin and your post is wonderful inspiration to get to it!!! It looks wonderful Dennis 🙂

    Reply

  40. It looks like it is a great recipe. You are the winner of my CSN give away. Could you send me your email so I could send you your prize.

    Reply

  41. This looks absolutely delectable. I love the crunch topping, perhaps i'll throw on some toffee bits. I have found my Thanksgiving dessert! Thank you!

    Reply

  42. Oh My! this pumpkin cake is just so beautiful! I imagine biting into the crunchy thing on the frosting… very, very tempting!!

    Reply

  43. Congrats on Top 9! This cake looks delicious, I have a can of pumpkin puree and just haven't been able to decide what to make with it, I just need an excuse for this cake now!I especially love the crunch topping, makes me think of all the other cakes I could put this on! Thanks

    Reply

  44. Frankly, I wait all year for pumpkin and cream cheese goodness. I'm pretty much in heaven. (Only caramel could somehow make it better.)

    Reply

  45. Dennis – this is beautiful, stunning, mouth watering. I cannot wait to try it this weekend. You are truly amazing and I love following your blog.

    Reply

  48. My word, Dennis! That is the most stunning cake I have seen in ages!!! LOVE the crunchy topping and oh, that moist cake. Mmm. You've outdone yourself on this one! 🙂

    Reply

  51. My daughter was asking for me to make a pumpkin cake this weekend… thanks to you, I will be making it. I might even make if for my hubby's birthday. Sounds perfect!

    Reply

  53. Oh my!!! I am not a good cake maker, I just don't have the patience to make them look pretty, but this one is very much tempting me. I printed the recipe a day ago and have had it pinned to my board above my desk… just thinking! Beautiful Dennis!

    Reply

  54. seriously Dennis, vanilla wafers?? YES, YES, and YES!!!!!

    the multitude of icing layered throughout makes the pumpkin stand out in contrast! so yummy looking 😀

    best is that its got crunch factor too!!!

    Reply

  55. Beautiful, Dennis! I was just thinking to make some pumpkin muffins with cream cheese frosting and nuts. Now, I'm thinking 'mascarpone'. That sounds so good…
    Ooh, and congrats on being number 1 on The Top 9! You deserve it, Chef!

    Reply

  57. Good thing I got down to #86 so at least I can congratulate you on being #1 for the Top 9 for October 26,2010. Let this be official!
    You mentioned about wowing our family with this cake, well Dennis, you certainly WOWED US…WOW!
    This is so spectacular, and amazingly delicious, I am at loss for more words…just simply mesmorized.
    Thank you for sharing your beautiful cake, and the source, as well!
    Hugs,
    Elisabeth

    Reply

  58. I have a feeling you've just managed to put this on everyone's to-do list for the season, including mine! This cake looks special, definitely fit for the holiday season. Can't wait to try it.

    Congrats on this very well deserved Top 9!

    Reply

  62. That cake is gorgeous! I love the layers and I love the variation with the marscarpone. I'll take a couple slices, one for each hip. p.s. thanks for your support Dennis! Means a lot.

    Reply

  63. Well, well, well, looks like I picked a pumpkin of a day to drop by. That cake looks sinful! The four layers add to its Pumpkinification!

    Thank you so much for sharing, Dennis.

    Reply

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