My 3-ingredient blueberry dump cake recipe is amazing! This easy cobbler with cake mix and pie filling is a great way to enjoy one of summer’s most popular fruits with minimal effort and / or at any time of the year. Although the base recipe of three ingredients is enough for a great cobbler, the addition of one extra ingredient really takes this dessert to the next level. If you want to learn how to make blueberry dump cake, keep reading!
Why Make a Dump Cake?
When people think of cobbler, they normally think of a fruit-based dessert with crispy pie crust or fluffy cake on top. If the cobbler has a cake-like top, it comes from a batter either based on self-rising flour or Bisquik.
Although desserts like old fashioned apple cobbler are delicious, they do take a bit of time–and a bit of skill–to make, especially if you have to feed a crowd. If guests pop over unexpectedly or a craving hits, rolling out pie crust is the last thing you want to do.
That’s where dump cakes come in. With these recipes, all you literally have to do is “dump” 3 ingredients into a pan, bake, and then enjoy. I’ve made strawberry dump cake and many others in the past, so I wanted to give the blueberry version a try. As you are about to find out, I’m glad I decided to try it.
3 Ingredients Blueberry Dump Cake Recipe
As I just said, the basic dump cake recipe calls for just 3 ingredients. All of these are either shelf-stable or something you probably already have on hand, so these cobblers are great when you need a quick and easy dessert for unexpected company or to satisfy a sudden craving:
Pie Filling – Instead of making the filling from fresh or frozen fruit, this dump cake cobbler uses canned blueberry pie filling from the grocery store. The canned filling already has sugar and thickener, so you don’t have to add anything else.
Cake Mix – Instead of making a homemade crust, this cobbler uses a box of cake mix for the “crust.” Once again, you don’t have to add any other ingredients.
Butter – Butter is what brings turns the cake mix into a crumble crust. Although two sticks sounds like a lot of butter, it’s what really makes dump cakes delicious.
How to Make a Blueberry Dump Cake
Learning how to make a blueberry dump cake with cake mix and pie filling is really easy. However, it’s still a good idea to go over the steps in a bit of detail. Although you can definitely make this recipe with just 3 ingredients, I’m going to suggest an additional ingredient that is optional but will take the flavor to the next level:
Add the Pie Filling
As the name suggests, the first step is in the recipe is opening the cans and “dumping” the pie filling into a buttered 9×13 casserole dish. Then, use a spoon or spatula to spread out the filling evenly.
Add Lemon Juice
Although you can definitely make this blueberry dump cake with just 3 ingredients, I recommend added a fourth: lemon juice. A bit of lemon juice is going to bring out the berry flavor and make the filling taste more homemade.
Once the pie filling is spread out in the baking dish, sprinkle the lemon juice on top and then mix it in slightly with a fork or small spoon.
Sprinkle on the Cake Mix
After finishing with the pie filling, it’s time for the cake mix. Once again, all you have to do is open the box of cake and “dump” it on the cake mix. I suggest moving the bag over the cobbler as you gently sprinkle out the raw cake mix, trying to distribute it as evenly as possible.
Then, take a fork or spoon and smooth out the cake mix. DO NOT mix it with the pie filling or pack it down: just make sure it’s spread out evenly.
Lay on the Butter
The final step in making a dump cake is the most time-consuming: cutting the butter into small pads and then laying them on top of the cake mix. To do this, I recommend:
- Use a sharp knife – It makes cutting easier.
- Keep the butter cold – Keep it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it. In fact, you may want to put it in the freezer for 5-10 minutes before this step to make sure it’s cold–just make sure it doesn’t freeze.
The pads of butter should be very thing, about 4-6 per tablespoon. Place the pads of butter on top of the cobbler, about 1/4 inch apart, if not less. The butter will melt down into the cake mix as the cobbler bakes, turning the raw cake mix into a delicious crumble.
Can I Melt the Butter Instead?
Although some people on YouTube do melt the butter and pour it on top, I don’t recommend doing that since it’ll be hard to distribute the melted butter across the top evenly. By putting small pads of butter on top that will melt down and out, you help ensure that the butter will be distributed evenly.
How Long Do You Bake Blueberry Dump Cake?
I baked my dump cake at 350F, uncovered, for 1 hour and 5 minutes. I added an extra 5 minutes to crisp and brown up a few places on top, but it was definitely after 60 minutes. At that point, the butter had melted, the cake mix had browned, and the pie filling has started bubbling through.
How to Serve Blueberry Dump Cake
I usually wait until my pies and cobblers cool down to room temperature, but you could eat this dump cake while it’s still warm–I think most of you reading this article will probably do that, haha.
Although this cobbler is delicious enough to eat plain, but you might also want to try:
Whipped Cream – A bit of homemade whipped cream is a great way to cut the sweetness.
Ice Cream – Ice cream and cobbler is a match made in heaven.
Fresh Berries – Fresh berries are a great way to dress up a plate and make it look special.
Does Blueberry Dump Cake Need To Be Refrigerated?
Although I don’t usually keep pies or cobblers in the refrigerator, I did keep this in the refrigerator since I wanted to keep it for a few days. However, I didn’t cover it because I didn’t want to trap in moisture that would make the cake mix soggy.
Blueberry Dump Cake FAQ’s
Can You Use Fresh or Frozen Blueberries?
Yes, you can use fresh or frozen blueberries to make a dump cake! However, you will have to adjust the recipe by adding just and probably a thickener. You might want to try using a combination of pie filling and fresh blueberries, like Christi at LoveFromTheOven.com explains in her version.
How Long Does It Keep?
Stored in the refrigerator, your blueberry dump cake should keep 2-3 days. Although it will probably be safe to eat longer than that, the moisture inside the refrigerator will likely start to soften the crumble, making this cobbler as less delicious experience.
Can You Freeze Dump Cake?
Yes, you can freeze blueberry dump cake! Simply cut the cobbler into pieces, place them onto individual plates, wrap each plastic with plastic wrap individually, then freeze. By freezing individual slices, you can take one out, thaw, and enjoy whenever you want!
A Chef’s Review
Overall, I liked this blueberry dump cake with cake mix and pie filling. This is a super easy cobbler that’s perfect for beginner cooks–or not so beginners–if you need to feed a lot of people. Since the ingredients are either shelf-stable or what you normally have on hand, this is perfect for whipping up when guests drop by unexpectedly.
In terms of flavor, it had a great buttery flavor, and I really liked the texture of the cake mix crumble. However, it was still a bit on the sweet side, and the butter flavor was a lot stronger than the blueberry flavor.
For something quick and easy with a nice bit of crunch, this recipe is a keeper. However, if you want something with that southern-style, old fashioned flavor, you need to make something from scratch.
If you liked this blueberry dump cake recipe, here are some variations you might want to try:
Lemon Blueberry Dump Cake – Instead of white or yellow cake mix, try lemon. You might also want to try adding a bit of lemon zest on top of the pie filling for extra lemon flavor.
Chocolate Blueberry Dump Cake – Some people say that chocolate and blueberries go together well, so try making this cobbler with a chocolate cake mix.
Strawberry Blueberry Dump Cake – Try using a box of strawberry cake mix. You might also want to replace 1 can of the blueberry pie filling with strawberry.
Pineapple Blueberry Dump Cake – Swap out one can of pie filling for a can of crushed pineapple. I think the acidity in the pineapple would help to bring out the berry flavor.
Other Easy Dump Cake Recipes:
If you liked this recipe, be sure to take a look at some of my other cake mix and pie filling cobblers:
Pumpkin Dump Cake (3 Ingredients)
Strawberry Dump Cake (3 Ingredients)
Lemon Dump Cake (3 Ingredients)
Cherry Dump Cake (3 Ingredients)
Blueberry Dump Cake Recipe
Blueberry Dump Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 21 oz cans blueberry pie filling
- 1 15.25 oz box cake mix (I recommend white or yellow)
- 2 sticks unsalted butter (113g each stick)
- optional: 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Dump the cans of pie filling into a buttered 9×13 baking dish and spread the filling out evenly.
- If using lemon juice, sprinkle the lemon juice on top of the pie filling in the baking dish, then use a fork or spoon to spread out the lemon juice.
- Sprinkle the cake mix on top of the pie filling, trying to do so as evenly as possible.
- Use a spoon to smooth out the cake mix. DO NOT mix the cake mix with the pie filling or pack it down.
- Cut 2 sticks of butter into small pads and lay the pads on top of the cake mix.
- Bake at 350F, uncovered, for 1 hour to 1 hour and 5 minutes.
YouTube Video:
Be sure to watch my YouTube video tutorial:
