Slow Cooker Sticky Caramel Pumpkin Cake

4.72 from 77 votes

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Pumpkin Cake is a crock-pot dessert recipe that came to me later in life but when it showed up, it did so in a big way. This pumpkin cake recipe was our first recipe to go viral, within our first year of starting Platter Talk back in 2013.

Featured in Country Living, Better Homes and Garden, House Beautiful, MSN Food, and in various other high-profile media outlets, it is one of our most popular cake recipes. Best of all, you can make this easy pumpkin cake recipe in just two hours at home.

A pice of cake with caramel
This easy homemade cake is one of our many easy pumpkin recipes!
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About this

Halloween is still a few weeks away, but suddenly, gourds and pumpkins are popping up all over the place.

Speaking of pumpkins, one of them ended up in the most unexpected places the other day – in my slow cooker. When it came out, it looked like this:

A pumpkin cake with a jar of caramel sauce.

Growing up on a big Mennonite family farm, I always had a special relationship with pumpkins. And cakes.

In fact, homemade cakes are my favorite recipes to make. I’m talking about such yummy desserts as Chocolate Cake made with Whiskey and Coffee, Traditional Swedish Almond Cake, and Upside-Down Rhubarb Cake.

They’re all so delicious! We even came across a Pumpkin Pie Dump Cake, which uses a carrot cake box mix. It is an incredibly delicious fall dessert!

Each year I would plant a row or two in my mom’s huge garden, and as I grew older, I would try to grow the biggest pumpkins possible.

I tried milk-feeding them as I read about in the Little House on the Prairie books, using fresh milk and cream from our cows via a bowl and a candle wick spliced into the pumpkin vines.

It wasn’t until the fall season when I first left for college that some of my pumpkins had tipped the scale at over 40 pounds!

As fate would have it, I was over 100 miles away and wasn’t even able to bask in the glory of my pumpkin pride.

Slice of pumpkin cake with careamel sauce topping.

And then, 35 years later, this pumpkin cake recipe showed up.

It was given to my recipe pimp and beautiful friend, Amy, who picked it up in the grocery store check-out isle.

I made this easy pumpkin dump cake for my new food and recipe blog, and all of a sudden, Platter Talk became real.

And so did this incredibly simple crock-pot dessert.

Slice of pumpkin cake with caramel sauce and a glass of milk.

Ingredients

Ingredients to make pumpkin cake as a crockpot dessert.
  • Packed pumpkin
  • Flour
  • Sugar
  • Butter
  • Eggs
  • Baking Powder
  • Baking Soda
  • Pumpkin Spice
  • Salt
  • Caramel Sauce (optional topping)
Pumpkin cake topped with whipped cream and caramel sauce

Recipe highlights

  • This pumpkin dessert recipe is inexpensive or downright cheap at less than $10 for the whole thing.
  • Make this crock-pot dessert in just two hours.
  • You don’t need to be a baker to make this pumpkin dump cake, anyone can put it together!
  • Most importantly, the taste of this pumpkin cake recipe is nothing short of a miracle, IMHO.
Serving of crockpot cake with caramel.

In conclusion, this pumpkin cake recipe pretty much has it all.

It’s affordable, it’s extremely easy to prepare, and it is scary delicious.

This is the perfect crock-pot dessert recipe to make for guests or family for Halloween, Thanksgiving, or any holiday.

Speaking of holiday treats, if you haven’t tried our homemade chocolate peanut butter truffles yet, you must make this no-bake treat now!

If you were like me and thought that crock pots were just for making dinner and meals for the family while you are spending your entire day doing something else, I say, “Think again.”

Speaking of the different ways to make a cake, check out this incredible air fryer cake! If you’re a fan of easy air fryer recipes, you’re going to love this one!

Wedge of slow cooker pumpkin cake dessert with caramels sauce oozing off it.

Oven Method

If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can make this slow cooker cake in an oven. Here is how to do that:

  • Bake at 350° F.
  • The type of pan you have will determine how long to bake.
  • A loaf pan will require 45 minutes, a sheet cake or double layer cake will take about 30 minutes.
  • It is recommended that you not use a glass baking pan for this cake as metal and ceramic pans seem to help keep the batter from falling.

To avoid using processed (granulated white sugar), you can use 1/3 cup of maple syrup and 1/3 cup of honey.

If you don’t want to use butter, readers have used 2/3 cup of sunflower oil with great success.

Finally, some people have added a little extra pumpkin spice to the batter and a cap-full of vanilla.

Try this recipe and let us know how you make it!

More of our Favorite Dessert Recipes:

Some of our Most Popular Holiday Recipes

If you love caramel, you have to have a taste of our homemade caramel popcorn. One handful is all it takes to get you hooked!

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Slow Cooker Sticky Caramel Pumpkin Cake

4.72 from 77 votes
A delicious pumpkin cake from your slow cooker that goes together quickly and takes just a couple of hours to cook/bake!
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 2 hours
Total: 2 hours 10 minutes
Yield: 12 people

Ingredients 

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/3 cups sugar
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 4 eggs, at room temperature
  • 15 oz solid packed pumpkin, 1 can
  • 16 oz caramel sauce, 1 jar

Instructions 

  • Coat 4 1/2 quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray, turn to “high.”
  • Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice in mixing bowl.
  • Beat sugar and butter in large bowl with electric mixer for about 3 minutes, until light.
  • Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each one.
  • Add packed pumpkin, blend until well mixed.
  • Gradually add flour mixture and beat at low speed for a minute or so until smooth.
  • Spread evenly in slow cooker and cover.
  • Cook on high setting 2 hours or until center-inserted tooth pick comes out clean.
  • Let cake stand, uncovered 10 minutes.
  • Invert onto wire rack, invert again onto serving plate.
  • Drizzle half of caramel sauce over cake. Serve warm with additional sauce.

Video

Notes

For Best Results:
 
  • Be sure to apply a generous coating of non-stick spray to your slow cooker before adding the ingredients for this pumpkin cake recipe.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 426kcal, Carbohydrates: 66g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Cholesterol: 95mg, Sodium: 478mg, Potassium: 219mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 23g, Vitamin A: 6100IU, Vitamin C: 1.6mg, Calcium: 74mg, Iron: 1.9mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: crock-pot, Slow Cooker
Tried this recipe?Mention @plattertalk or tag #plattertalk!
Updated from the original post of September 19, 2014

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Meet the Platter Talk Guys

Dan & Scott split their time between Wisconsin and Southwest Florida and are dads to six boys. Good food runs through their veins, and they love showing others how to cook easy recipes.

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244 Comments

  1. I thought I was obsessed with my slow cooker but this has shown me that I haven’t even begun to explore the possibilities. Dessert in the slow cooker is so exciting to me! Thanks for linking up to #SaucySaturdays.

    1. Agreed, Christine. This is a great example of thinking outside of the box; or outside of the slow cooker! Thanks for the comments.

  2. Has anyone tried it not warm? I am wondering if I will be able to make a couple of these ahead of time and serve them at a party this fall but I won’t be able to keep them warm. I know the sauce would harden a little but I’m wondering if anyone has tried tasting the cake not warm or a day after it’s been made? 🙂

    1. Thanks for the question. I suggest not putting the caramel sauce on it until you are ready to eat the cake. If you do wait a day or two before you eat it, I would try to wrap it (air tight) and keep it in the fridge. It should keep similar to other cakes.

  3. Currently making this now and it’s been baking for the last 2 hours and still is pretty much the same way I put it in the crock pot very little has cooked. It’s on high like it should be nothen is wrong with my crock pot either it’s brand new.

    1. Christine, We are thrilled to learn that you are trying this delicious dessert! Without knowing more, it’s difficult to accurately address your issues. It’s important that your slow cooker was preheated, as stated in the directions. If your ratio of liquid to dry ingredients is correct, it may just need extra time in your slow cooker. Like all other electronic appliances, there can be variations in functionality, temperature, and other variables, from one slow cooker to another. I suggest you allow it to cook as directed, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Thanks again for your correspondence and thanks for your readership; it’s greatly appreciated.

  4. 5 stars
    I have never made a cake in a slow cooker but I am going to try your recipe. Yum! Looks so moist and delicious. Thank you for joking us at #purebloglove Pinterest Link Party. We enjoy having you every Thursday night at 8PM, EST through Sunday night. ~Cydnee

    1. Cydnee, it’s amazing what a slow cooker can do; you won’t believe how wonderful this cake is to enjoy!

  5. 4 stars
    I simply cannot relegate myself to making such a glorious looking cake and use a caramel sauce from a jar. I just can’t. Making my own SALTED CARAMEL sauce FROM SCRATCH… Geeze.

    1. 5 stars
      I am not sure about using my slow cooker as mine tends to burn things such as overnight oatmeal…

      That said, a buttered cast iron dutch oven may not be such a bad idea.

      And…this is just awful:http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sticky-toffee-date-cake-recipe.html

      Trust me, you don’t want to eat that, so when you make it, I’ll just take it off your hands… Sorry Dan. I HAD to. Make sure you use salted butter…I don’t care what the recipe says.

  6. Hi!

    This recipe looks AMAZING! I was just wondering if it would ruin the cake if I left it in the crockpot on the “warm” setting until we were ready to eat it. The only reason I ask is because I do not have a separate dining area for guests and it’s hard to be working in the kitchen once my guests have arrived. I was hoping to prepare it earlier in the day and keep it warm while we ate dinner.
    Thanks!

    1. Krista, The “warm” setting on our crock pot is closer atomic meltdown. A better alternative may be to remove the ceramic crock from the heating unit, cover it lightly with a towel and then serve at your convenience.

      1. I was wondering this same thing. I have one of those 3-crockpot servers and wanted to try this cake in one of them while I have spiced cider and milk (for cocoa) in the other two. I have yet to use it, so I don’t know if the ceramic bowl insert can be removed. I’m assuming it can be, but, for ease of serving and space-saving, do you think I could just turn it off after its done baking and leave it in the server? TIA!

    1. Kathy, Other people have asked this and I think you can do this, check it regular intervals so it is not over baked. The cake is delicious; I hope you give it a shot!

  7. 5 stars
    Thanks for sharing this awesome recipe! It is cooking right now, and making my house smell lovely. For those considering fresh pumpkin, give it a go! I take sugar or pie pumpkins, or even good old jack-o-lantern pumpkins and half them and scoop out all the guts (which go to the chickens). Place them on a cookie sheet or roasting pan and roast them in the oven at 350 degrees for an hour and a half, or 2 hours, depending on the size. I then scoop out all the flesh and put it in the food processor until it is pureed. I then put it in the fridge overnight to cool, and then use it as I would canned pumpkin. I freeze it in 2cup portions, and I am ready for pie or whatever recipe catches my fancy!

    1. What a fantastic comment, Allison! My mom always used fresh pumpkin and that’s a goal for me to try as well. I appreciate your simple direction. I think even I could do that! Enjoy this treat, I think you’re going to love it.

  8. Hello. I am a school teacher looking for something to make in the classroom that would go with our pumpkin math/science unit and I think I’ve found it! I am wondering if I could double the recipe – or would that affect the way it cooks? Thank you – Beth

    1. He Bethany,

      Depending on the size of your slow cooker, you can give it a shot. Alternatively, consider using two separate slow cookers. Good luck!

    1. Great question, Nina. Give it a shot in a traditional bunt pan, or regular cake pan. We would love to hear how it turns out!