In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, sea salt, corn syrup, vanilla extract, eggs, and 1/4 cup melted butter and mix well.
3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 tsp sea salt, 1/2 cup corn syrup, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup unsalted butter
Fold in 1/2 cup chopped pecans.
1 cup pecans
Pour mixture into skillet and using the back side of a spoon, even the mixture out.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake mix and cinnamon. Sprinkle the cake mixture evenly over nut mixture.
1/2 box yellow cake mix, 1/4 tsp cinnamon
Drizzle remaining 1/4 cup melted butter evenly over top of cake. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup pecans.
Bake cake for 25-30 minutes or until golden and set in center. If you're using an aluminum pan, bake cake for 35 minutes. Let cool slightly, and serve.
Store leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat it gently before eating it again.
Notes
Spread the butter evenly. Make sure the melted butter is evenly drizzled to avoid dry spots in the topping.
Change up the cake mix. Feel free to experiment with different cake mix flavors like butter pecan or spice cake for a fun twist.
To make a larger portion:You can double the recipe and bake the cake in a 9 x 13 pan. Double all the ingredients and adjust the baking time up by 10-15 minutes.
Storage & reheating: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. To reheat, microwave a slice of dump cake for 15–20 seconds until warm. If you're reheating a larger portion, you can cover the baking dish with foil and warm it in a 300°F oven for about 10–15 minutes.