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Dump cakes are the easiest dessert I make (and the most popular!): fruit filling on the bottom, dry cake mix on top, butter over everything, and the oven does the rest. I’m sharing my basic method, the slow-cooker version, and 12 of my favorite flavors to try. The most popular with readers are my Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake, Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake, Chocolate Dump Cake, and Strawberry Dump Cake.
Why You Will Love Making Dump Cakes
You all know I have a love for boxed cake mixes, and dump cakes are where that love started. I’ve been sharing easy family recipes here since 2009, and these are the desserts I reach for when unexpected guests stop by or I need something for a potluck at the last minute. The hardest part is opening a couple of cans!
Once you know the method, you can make a dump cake out of almost any pie filling and cake mix in your pantry. Start with the basics below if you’ve never made one, then pick a flavor from the recipes further down.
- 3 ingredients is all a basic dump cake needs: fruit filling, dry cake mix, and butter.
- About 5 minutes of prep and no mixing bowl or mixer.
- Oven or slow cooker – I share both methods below.
- Feeds a crowd: one 9×13 pan makes 12 servings, and it’s best served warm with ice cream.
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Most recipes don’t even require you to mix the ingredients together. You just “dump” everything into a pan and bake. It almost seems too easy to be true. But I promise you, they are delicious and bake perfectly every time.
What is a Dump Cake?
Recipes like my Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake, Peach Cobbler with Cake Mix, Cherry Dump Cake and Strawberry Cheesecake Dump Cake are very similar to cobblers. They have a thick, sweet filling on the bottom and a crumbly cake topping. The dessert gets its name because you dump all the ingredients into a pan and bake.
There is no measuring, no mixing, and no complicated cake-making techniques to worry about. Everyone can make one, even the most novice chefs! And once you know how to make a dump cake, you’ll want to make them all the time!
The best part is that they actually taste really good. They are rich and sweet and can be made in hundreds of different ways. There are so many different flavors you can try that you will surely find one that you love.
What is a Dump Cake Made Of?
They are made with very simple ingredients. Here is what you will need to make a very basic recipe:
- Canned Fruit or Pie Filling – Most start with a layer of canned fruit spread across the bottom of a casserole dish. Canned pie filling is the most common first ingredient. Nice and thick, it’s perfectly sweetened and ready to eat straight from the can. Any flavor of pie filling or fruit filling will work! I don’t recommend using fresh fruit as it is not as soft or sweet as pie filling.
- Pudding Mix – Pudding is another very common ingredient. It’s nice and moist, so it helps soften the dry cake mix and is especially good for the chocolate versions. Instant pudding is also really easy to make and takes just seconds to whisk together. This ensures your dessert will still be quick to whip up!
- Cake Mix – Dry cake mix is the key ingredient. It makes the crumbly cake topping that covers the filling. You can use almost any type of dry mix, but chocolate and vanilla are the most common.
- Butter – Butter pieces are dotted across the surface before baking. The butter will help moisten the dry cake mix as it bakes.
- Nuts – Many recipes have nuts sprinkled over the cake. This gives the cakes a little extra crunch and a boost of flavor.
Variations
Feel free to mix and match different ingredients and toppings to make this recipe your own! Here are a few of my favorite variations:
- Stir a little vanilla extract or almond extract into the canned fruit to enhance the flavors.
- Swap out the cake mix in your recipe to switch up the flavor. Use white cake mix in place of a box of yellow cake mix, or even try using funfetti! Chocolate cake mix can be replaced with peanut butter cake or even pumpkin cake mix. Get creative!
- Add toppings after it is baked. Caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream is always a good idea!
- Sprinkle chocolate chips or white chocolate chips on top of the fruit layer. This is a nice easy way to add even more sweet flavor to the simple dessert.
How to Make Dump Cakes in the Oven
Most only take about 5 minutes to prepare before transferring them to the oven. This is why so many people love them!
- Preheat and add the first layer: Set your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (or the temperature in your recipe) and grease the pan. Spread the first layer into the prepared pan – usually pie filling, canned fruit, pudding, or fruit puree. Pictured here: cherry pie filling.
- Add the dry cake mix: Sprinkle the cake mix across the entire pan. Make sure you sprinkle it evenly and break up any lumps – and don’t stir. The separate layers are what make a dump cake work.
- Add the butter and toppings: Cut the butter into pieces and dot it over the entire surface, or pour melted butter evenly over the top. Try to cover all of the cake mix so it moistens as the butter melts. If you are using chopped nuts or another crunchy topping, this goes on last.
- Bake: Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling around the edges. Let it rest about 10 minutes so the center sets, then serve warm.
How to Make a Dump Cake in the Slow Cooker
Making one in a slow cooker is one of my favorite things to do and one of the easiest desserts ever. It makes this simple method of making cakes even easier! It also helps make the layers stay tender and cakey thanks to the steam inside the slow cooker.
If you want a recipe that is more like a cake and less like a cobbler, this is the cooking method you should use.
- Assemble: Layer the ingredients inside the bowl of your slow cooker, layering the filling and cake mix and adding the butter on top.
- Cover and bake: Cover the bowl of the slow cooker, and cook on high heat for 2-3 hours. When the dump cake is done baking, the topping will be firm and slightly golden brown.
- Enjoy!: Scoop the cake directly from the bowl of the slow cooker. I actually like to keep the crockpot set to ‘warm’ and let my guests serve themselves straight from the Crockpot!
Kasey’s Tips
- Saturate the cake mix with butter. Powdery, floury spots on top are the number-one dump cake mistake. Melted butter poured evenly gives the most even top; if you slice cold butter, lay it edge to edge and dot extra on any dry patches.
- Don’t stir the layers. Filling on the bottom, dry mix on top, butter over everything – the layers are the whole point.
- Use canned pie filling or canned fruit, not fresh. Fresh fruit isn’t as soft or sweet and doesn’t give off enough liquid to soften the mix.
- Trust the top, not the clock. It’s done when the topping is golden brown and the filling bubbles around the edges – usually 45 to 60 minutes. If the top browns before the edges bubble, tent it loosely with foil and keep baking.
- Give it a short rest. Ten minutes out of the oven lets the center set so it scoops instead of runs. Versions made with eggs or cream cheese (like pumpkin or cheesecake) need longer – check the individual recipe.
- Refrigerate leftovers. Once cooled, cover and refrigerate for up to 4-5 days, and don’t leave egg or cream cheese versions out for more than a couple of hours.
Most Popular Dump Cakes
These four get the most visits of any recipe in this collection, so they’re the ones I’d start with.
Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake
Only 4 ingredients for an easy, tangy dessert with creamy layers and a buttery topping. Perfect for any occasion!
Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake
Cherry pie filling is topped with devil’s food cake mix and butter for a sweet treat that’s one part cake, one part cobbler, and two parts irresistible. We like it best topped with whipped cream!
Chocolate Dump Cake
The easiest cake recipe ever! Just like the name suggests – you can dump and go! Perfect for any chocolate lover!
Strawberry Dump Cake
Made with only 3 ingredients – yellow cake mix, strawberry pie filling, and butter for an easy, delicious dessert!
Fruit Dump Cakes
Canned pie filling or canned fruit plus a yellow or white cake mix – the classic combination, in every flavor I make.
Peach Dump Cake
A quick and easy dessert that only includes 3 ingredients! Canned peaches, yellow cake mix, and butter are all you need to make this delicious dessert a smashing hit!
Blueberry Dump Cake
An easy dessert made with blueberry pie filling, cake mix, butter and almonds for a warm buttery treat!
Cherry Dump Cake
Just cherry pie filling, cake mix, butter & a splash of almond extract – no bowl, no mixer, golden and bubbly in under an hour.
Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake
A fruit lover’s favorite with both cherry pie filling and pineapple. Made with only 4 ingredients – just dump all the ingredients into a baking pan, bake and eat!
Pineapple Upside Down Dump Cake
All the flavor of a classic pineapple upside down cake, made the easy dump-and-bake way.
Strawberry Cheesecake Dump Cake
You only need 4 simple ingredients to make this unbelievably delicious recipe! It’s a summertime favorite.
Fall Favorites
The two I make from September through Thanksgiving.
Pumpkin Dump Cake
A quick and easy dessert made with simple ingredients. The perfect fall dessert recipe, and an easier-to-make but just-as-tasty substitute for pumpkin pie.
Apple Dump Cake
Apple pie meets cake mix with only 3 ingredients. A perennial Thanksgiving and Christmas dessert favorite.
Cake Mix Cobblers
Same idea, cobbler texture – these two are among the most-visited desserts on the site.
Peach Cobbler with Cake Mix
This easy peach cobbler with cake mix needs just peaches, a box of cake mix, and butter — a dump-and-bake cobbler that’s golden, bubbly, and ready for ice cream.
Berry Cake Mix Cobbler
This mixed berry cobbler with cake mix only uses four ingredients to create a fruity filling and crumbly topping for a delicious dessert!
FAQs
Dump cakes are made by simply pouring a few ingredients into a pan and baking. They are typically made with pie filling, dry cake mix, and butter. The moisture of the pie filling layer helps soften the dry cake mix. The butter sprinkled over the top of the dry cake mix also helps tenderize and bake the cake mix. As the dessert bakes, the juicy bottom layer will bubble and cook while the butter melts into the cake. The result is a cobbler-like dessert that can be altered and customized in so many ways.
The top will be golden brown, and the filling will be bubbling around the edges. Typically, you’ll need around 45-60 minutes to bake in an oven or two hours in a slow cooker.
Cover your cake with aluminum foil or transfer it to an airtight container. Leftovers will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. When you’re ready to serve, reheat in the microwave or oven just until heated through.
A dump cake is made with dry cake mix sprinkled over the filling, while a cobbler is usually made with a from-scratch batter or biscuit topping. My cake mix cobblers above sit right in between.
Yes. Once it has cooled, cover it and refrigerate. Fruit fillings keep for 4-5 days. Anything made with eggs, evaporated milk, or cream cheese, like the pumpkin and cream cheese versions, should not sit out for more than a couple of hours.
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How to Make a Dump Cake
Equipment
- 1 9×13 baking dish
Ingredients
- 2 cans fruit filling
- 1 box (~15.25 ounces) cake mix
- 1 stick unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9×13 baking dish, and set aside.
- Spread the fruit filling in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly on top. Cut the butter into cubes, and arrange it on top of the cake mix. Add any additional toppings, if desired.2 cans fruit filling, 1 box (~15.25 ounces) cake mix, 1 stick unsalted butter
- Bake 45-60 minutes or until the top of the cake is golden and the fruit filling is bubbly.
Notes
- Saturate the cake mix with butter. Powdery, floury spots on top are the number-one dump cake mistake. Melted butter poured evenly gives the most even top; if you slice cold butter, lay it edge to edge and dot extra on any dry patches.
- Don’t stir the layers. Filling on the bottom, dry cake mix on top, butter over everything. The separate layers are what make a dump cake work.
- Use canned pie filling or canned fruit, not fresh. Fresh fruit isn’t as soft or sweet and doesn’t give off enough liquid to soften the mix.
- Doneness: the top is golden brown and the filling bubbles around the edges, usually 45-60 minutes. Let it rest about 10 minutes so the center sets before scooping.
- Slow cooker: layer the same way in a greased crock and cook on high for 2-3 hours, until the topping is firm and lightly golden.
- Storage: once cooled, cover and refrigerate for up to 4-5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Versions made with eggs or cream cheese should not sit out for more than a couple of hours.
- Want a specific flavor? All 12 of my dump cake recipes are listed above, from lemon cream cheese to pumpkin.
Nutrition
Which one are you making first? Tell me in the comments – and if you’re after more cake-mix shortcuts, my Pudding Poke Cake and 10 tricks to make a box cake mix taste homemade are next.
Still a huge hit on ATM! Dump cakes FTW!
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. Such an easy and helpful idea!
So easy to throw together, and it always comes out delicious with whatever mix-ins you’ve got!
I’ve made this before and it’s such a lifesaver — so easy, so quick, and always a hit with everyone! 🍰
Dump cakes are one of my favorites!