Preheat your oven to 350℉ (175℃). This will ensure it's at the right temperature when you're ready to bake.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the canned pumpkin, 1/4 cup of spice cake mix (or yellow cake mix), vanilla extract, and brown sugar. If you prefer, you can also add pumpkin pie spice or mixed spice for extra flavor. Mix thoroughly until smooth, then spread the mixture evenly in a 9x13 inch baking dish.

In a separate mixing bowl, combine the remaining 1 cup of spice cake mix (or yellow cake mix) with the softened unsalted butter. Mix together until a soft dough forms; the mixture should be somewhat crumbly but hold together in clumps.

Using your fingers or a spoon, drop small clumps of the cake mix and butter dough (from Step 3) evenly over the pumpkin filling (from Step 2) in the baking dish. Place the assembled dish into the preheated oven and bake for about 50 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. I like to rotate the pan halfway through to ensure even browning.

Remove the pumpkin bake from the oven and allow it to cool for at least 10-15 minutes before serving. For the best flavor, I serve it warm with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice. Enjoy!