Pin Now My neighbor knocked on my door one evening holding an empty casserole dish and a tired smile. She'd just fed twelve people with something she called a dump cake, and I couldn't believe it only took her ten minutes to throw together. The next weekend I tried it myself with cherry filling and a box of yellow cake mix, and by the time the edges started bubbling, my kitchen smelled like a county fair bakery. I've been making it ever since, mostly because it saves me when I need dessert in under an hour.
I made this for my son's birthday one year because I forgot to order a cake until the morning of the party. I used blueberry filling and added a handful of pecans on top, and the kids didn't notice it wasn't from a bakery. One of the parents even asked for the recipe, and I had to admit I'd barely done anything. That moment taught me that effort and love don't always look the same in the kitchen.
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Ingredients
- Fruit pie filling: The base of the whole dessert, and using two full cans ensures every bite has that sweet, jammy filling that bubbles up through the cake.
- Cake mix: The dry mix creates a tender, crumbly topping as the butter melts into it, so don't stir it in or you'll lose that signature texture.
- Butter: Cold butter sliced thin is key because it melts slowly and evenly, soaking into the cake mix and creating golden, crispy patches on top.
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Instructions
- Prep the dish:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish so the edges don't stick. This step takes less than a minute but makes cleanup so much easier.
- Layer the fruit:
- Spread both cans of pie filling across the bottom of the dish in an even layer. Don't worry if it looks like a lot; it'll cook down and get even thicker as it bakes.
- Add the cake mix:
- Sprinkle the entire box of dry cake mix over the fruit, covering it as evenly as you can. Resist the urge to stir or pat it down; just let it sit loose on top.
- Top with butter:
- Lay the cold butter slices across the surface, spacing them out so they'll melt and spread into the dry mix. I like to dot them all over like puzzle pieces.
- Bake until golden:
- Slide the dish into the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and you see the fruit bubbling around the edges. Let it cool for a few minutes before scooping it out, and serve it warm with ice cream if you want to go all in.
Pin Now The first time I brought this to a potluck, someone asked if I'd made it from scratch, and I just smiled and said it was an old family trick. Later that night, my friend texted me for the recipe, and when I told her it was three ingredients, she didn't believe me. That's the magic of this dessert: it feels like you tried harder than you did, and no one ever complains about that.
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Flavor Combinations Worth Trying
I've tested this with apple filling and spice cake mix in the fall, and it tastes like warm apple pie without the fuss of rolling dough. Cherry with chocolate cake mix is dangerously good, especially if you add a handful of chocolate chips under the butter. Blueberry and lemon cake mix is bright and summery, and peach with yellow cake reminds me of cobblers my grandmother used to make on her back porch.
Serving and Storing Tips
This is best served warm, straight from the oven, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting into the corners. If you have leftovers, cover the dish tightly and keep it in the fridge for up to three days; it reheats beautifully in the microwave. I've even eaten it cold for breakfast with coffee, and I'm not ashamed to admit it tasted perfect.
Little Touches That Make It Yours
Sometimes I scatter chopped pecans or walnuts over the top before baking, and they toast up into sweet, crunchy bites. Shredded coconut is another favorite, especially with pineapple or cherry filling. You can also drizzle a little caramel or chocolate sauce over each serving if you're feeling fancy, though honestly, it doesn't need much help.
- Use salted butter if you want a hint of sweet and salty contrast.
- Try mixing two different pie fillings for a more complex flavor, like cherry and blueberry together.
- Let it cool for at least ten minutes so the filling sets up just enough to scoop cleanly.
Pin Now This dessert has gotten me through forgotten birthdays, surprise guests, and nights when I just needed something sweet without the stress. I hope it does the same for you.
