1-First: preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish to keep everything from sticking. This sets the stage for your easy pecan pie dump cake. Then, in a large bowl, mix the brown sugar, salt, corn syrup, vanilla, eggs, and half of the melted butter (½ cup) until well combined.

2-Next: fold in half of the chopped pecans (1 cup) to add that nutty goodness. Pour this mixture into your prepared dish and spread it evenly for a solid base. Take the dry yellow cake mix and mix it with the optional cinnamon if you’re using it, then sprinkle it over the filling without stirring that’s the dump cake magic.

3-Drizzling and Baking Steps: Drizzle the remaining melted butter (½ cup) evenly over the cake mix to help it all come together. Top it off with the rest of the chopped pecans (1 cup) for a crunchy finish. Pop it in the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the top is golden and the center still jiggles a bit.

4-Once it’s done, let it cool slightly before serving. The whole process takes about 15 minutes to assemble and 45 minutes to bake, serving around 12 people. It’s perfect for everything from weeknight dinners to holiday parties.