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Easy, No-Mix Dump Cake — A Crowd-Pleasing Sweet Treat
Don’t let the name fool you — “dump” cake is one of the simplest desserts you’ll ever make, and it tastes amazing. With just a few pantry staples and no mixing required, this dessert layer-bakes itself into a gooey fruit base with a buttery, golden cake-like topping. Think of it as a half-cobbler, half-cake that’s perfect for potlucks, family dinners, or last-minute dessert cravings.
A classic dump cake starts with a layer of fruit or pie filling in a 9×13-inch pan, topped with dry cake mix and sliced or melted butter. As it bakes, the fruit juices steam up into the cake mix, creating a soft interior and a beautifully crisp top.
Why This Dessert Works So Well
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Ridiculously easy: No mixing bowl, no beating, no fuss — just layer and bake.
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Customizable: Use any pie filling or fruit you love — the flavor possibilities are endless.
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Perfect texture: Moist and fruity on the bottom with a buttery, almost cobbler-like crust on top.
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Great with toppings: Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for maximum deliciousness.
Ingredients
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1 (21 oz) can pie filling or fruit (any flavor you like — think cherry, blueberry, peach, etc.).
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1 box cake mix (white, yellow, or butter cake — feel free to experiment with flavors). For a Black Forest Dump Cake, use a chocolate cake mix with cherry pie filling.
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½ cup quick oats or shredded coconut, optional (adds extra texture)
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¾ cup butter (cut into thin slices or melted).
How to Make It
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Preheat your oven to 350°F.
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Layer the fruit: Spread the pie filling or fresh/frozen fruit (mixed with sugar if using berries) evenly in the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish.
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Add the dry topping: Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the fruit. If you’re using quick oats or coconut, mix them with the dry cake mix first.
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Top with butter: Arrange the thin slices of cold butter on top of the cake mix, or drizzle the melted butter evenly over the top. I feel I get it more evenly covered using cold butter.
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Bake: Bake for about 45 minutes, until the top is golden and the fruit is bubbling. If it hasn’t browned enough, broil for a minute or two (watch carefully).
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Rest before serving: Let it cool for at least 5 minutes so the juices settle in before scooping.
Variations & Tips
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Fruit mixes: Combine fresh or frozen berries with canned pie filling to stretch your dessert and add texture.
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Slow cooker version: You can make this in a slow cooker — just layer all ingredients and cook on high for about 2 hours.
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Dutch oven treat: This also works great when baking outdoors over coals — perfect for camping.
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Serve warm: Top with ice cream, whipped cream, or even a drizzle of caramel sauce for an indulgent finish.
For this Dump cake, I used 1 can of Blueberry Pie Filling along with some frozen huckleberries and a white cake mix.
I recently made an awesome Pineapple Dump Cake. I thickened a can of crushed pineapple and some pineapple tidbits with cornstarch to replace the pie filling, and I used a pineapple cake mix on top. This is one that I would suggest adding coconut to the topping, but it is also great without.
Dump Cake
Ingredients
- 1 21 oz can pie filling
- 1 box cake mix
- ½ cup quick oats or coconut (optional)
- ¾ cup butter (sliced cold or melted)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Spread pie filling in the bottom of a 9" x 13" pan. Mix oats or coconut (optional) with dry cake mix and sprinkle evenly over the top of the pie filling. Place sliced butter or pour melted butter evenly over the top of the cake mix.
- Bake for 45 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Pro tip: The most important thing with a dump cake is not to mix the ingredients together — keep those layers distinct so the cake mix can steam up properly and form its signature texture.
- Country of origin is United States
- The package weight of the product is 1 pounds
- BETTY CROCKER CAKE MIX: French vanilla naturally and artificially flavored cake mix with pudding in the mix, from Betty Crocker; It's America's #1 Cake Mix brand (based on 52 weeks of Nielsen sales data for dry cake mixes ending 4/05/25)
- QUICK AND EASY: Make a cake by just adding a few simple ingredients as directed and popping in the oven; A convenient time saver in the kitchen
- ENDLESS OPTIONS: Add your own twist to our cake mixes by using as a cupcake mix, trying trusted Betty Crocker recipes, or topping with a different Betty Crocker Frosting every time
- DELICIOUS AND MOIST: Use this versatile cake mix to whip up delicious, moist cake as part of everyday moments or sweet celebrations; Ideal for making a birthday cake
- CONTAINS: One 13.25 oz box of Betty Crocker Delights Super Moist French Vanilla Flavored Cake Mix
- BETTY CROCKER CAKE MIX: With Betty Crocker, it's easy to bake a strawberry naturally and artificially flavored cake for dessert or any time; It's America's #1 Cake Mix brand (based on 52 weeks of Nielsen sales data for dry cake mixes ending 4/05/25)
- QUICK AND EASY: Make a cake by just adding a few simple ingredients as directed and popping in the oven; A convenient time saver in the kitchen
- ENDLESS OPTIONS: Add your own twist to our cake mixes by using as a cupcake mix, trying trusted Betty Crocker recipes, or topping with a different Betty Crocker Frosting every time
- DELICIOUS AND MOIST: Use this versatile cake mix to whip up delicious, moist cake as part of everyday moments or sweet celebrations; Ideal for making a birthday cake
- CONTAINS: One 13.25 oz box of Betty Crocker Delights Super Moist Strawberry Flavored Cake Mix
- One 20-ounce can of Apple Pie Filling
- No high fructose corn syrup
- No artificial flavors
- Ready to use right from the can
- After opening, refrigerate in separate container
- One 21 oz Duncan Hines Comstock Strawberry Pie Filling and Topping
- Juicy strawberries deliver a sweet, fruity taste and luscious, rich texture for homemade-style strawberry desserts
- Makes it easy to whip up weeknight treats, family desserts, or party desserts with confident, time-saving convenience
- Crafted with fruits picked at their peak and a few simple ingredients, with no artificial colors and no high fructose corn syrup
- Use as strawberry pie filling, a quick strawberry compote, canned strawberry topping, or swirled into your favorite ice cream or sundae topping
- Easy Squeeze Convenience - Flexible squeeze bag makes filling, topping, and decorating clean and mess free with no scooping or spooning needed. Just cut the tip and you’re ready to go!
- Thick Pie Filling Texture - Rich, spoonable consistency holds its shape for baking and layering without running or soaking into desserts
- Real Strawberry Flavor - Sweet, fruity strawberry taste perfect for classic pie flavor in both baked and no bake recipes
- Versatile Dessert Use - Ideal for pies, cheesecakes, cookies, pastries, turnovers, danishes, parfaits, and cake fillings
- Bulk 2 lb Size - Generous bag is great for home bakers, foodservice, and high volume baking projects. Refrigerate after opening.
