Ingredients

Although you only need 3 ingredients to make this dump cake, adding a few more will make it even better:

Key Lime Pie Filling – 2 21 oz cans

Cake Mix – 1 15.25 oz box white cake mix

Butter – 2 stick of unsalted butter (226g)

Optional:

Lime Juice – 2 Tablespoons

Lime Zest – 1 Tablespoon (or 1 teaspoon lime zest and 1 teaspoon lime extract)

Salt – a dash of salt

Tools:

9×13 Baking Dish

Spoon

Spatula

Sharp Knife

Fork

How to Make Key Lime Dump Cake

You can make this dessert with just a few, short steps:

Butter the Baking Dish

Don’t forget to butter the 9×13 baking dish before you start the recipe–this will help prevent sticking.

Dump in the Pie Filling

As the name suggests, the first step is “dumping” the 2 cans of pie filling into the baking dish and then spreading the filling out evenly.

Optional: Add More Flavor

Although you can make this key lime dump cake with just 3 ingredients, adding lime juice, zest (and/or extract), and a dash of salt (to balance out the sweetness) will help take this dessert to the next level. Be sure to spread the lime juice and zest out evenly across the top of the pie filling before continuing.

Sprinkle on the Cake Mix

Next, sprinkle the cake mix over the top as evenly as possible. Don’t worry about being perfect–this recipe is supposed to be easy.

Even Out the Cake Mix

Use a fork to spread out the cake mix across the top evenly, breaking up any lumps as you go along. However, be sure to NOT mix the cake mix into the pie filling.

Lay Butter Across the Top

Now comes the most tedious and time-consuming step–but arguably the most important: cutting the butter into thin pads and laying them on top of the cake mix. Cut the butter thin enough to make 4-6 slices per Tablespoon. This is much easier if your butter cold, so keep the butter in the refrigerator until this point.

Bake the Dump Cake

Put the dump cake in the oven and bake it at 350F, uncovered, for 1 hour or until golden brown.

Cool Before Serving

Although you could serve the dump cake immediately, it’s best to let it cool down for at least 15-20 minutes to minimize the risk of burning yourself. If you want the slices to hold their shape better, wait at least 30 minutes before serving.

Enjoy the Treat

Serve and enjoy! Although it’s great plain, it would also be good with ice cream or Cool Whip. If you like homemade whipped cream, be sure to check out my recipe!

Helpful Tips

Even though this cobbler is simple to make, here are a few things that will make it easier and tastier:

Don’t Mix – Resist the urge to stir the cake mix and pie filling together so that your dump cake has 2 distinct layers: a fruity filling and sweet, buttery crumble topping.

Keep the Butter Cold – Cold butter is not only easier to cut but also melt more slowly and evenly, helping to create a crispy, golden crust on top of your cake.

Use a Sharp Knife – Cutting the butter with a sharp knife helps make thin, mostly uniform slices that will distribute the butter as evenly as possible.

Spread Out the Butter Evenly – Distribute it evenly over the dry cake mix. This helps ensure the cake bakes evenly and gets a nice, golden crust.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Use A Different Type of Cake Mix?

Yes! Although I recommend using white or yellow cake mix because of the neutral flavor, you can switch things up with any flavor you want. In fact, I think lemon–or lime if you can find it–would be nice.

Where Can I Buy Canned Key Lime Pie Filling?

Even though canned key lime pie filling is a bit hard to find, you should be able to find it at large retailers, or online. Look in the baking aisle with the other canned pie fillings.

Is There an Easier Way to Add the Butter?

Maybe. I don’t recommend pouring melted butter over the top because it’s hard to get even distribution–you’re almost guaranteed to have dry spots. However, Aubry of FindingBeautifulTruth.com made her peach dump cake with grated frozen butter, so you might want to try freezing the butter, grating it with a cheese grater, and then sprinkling it on top. If you do it that way, let me know what you think!

Recipe Review

This 3-ingredient key lime dump cake recipe turned out great. It had a nice lime flavor that was enhanced by the zest and juice, but without the intense acidity that you sometimes find in key lime pie or other citrus desserts. The crumble topping was sweet, buttery, crispy, and crunchy, so it combined nicely with the creamy filling.

Honestly, my only critique of this recipe is that it lacked color. I was expecting the canned key lime pie filling to be green, but since it wasn’t, this cake had a rather (in my opinion) uninteresting color that didn’t really indicate what the flavor was. A quick sprinkling of extra lime zest before serving changed that, so I guess this criticism isn’t major.

Overall, this cobbler was a big success. It’s perfect for beginner cooks who need to be a quick 9×13 dessert for a crowd, and it would also be good for people who like lime flavor but don’t like too much acidity. Although the flavor profile is perfect for summer, it would be great at any time of the year.

Other Lime Recipes

If you like citrus as much as I do, check out these other recipes:

Key Lime Cake – This traditional southern cake’s cream cheese frosting is the perfect finishing touch.

More Dump Cakes

For more simple, 3-ingredient cobbler recipes, check out:

Lemon Dump Cake – If you love lemon but not all the acidity, this dessert is for you.

Pineapple Dump Cake – Bright flavors and colors make this old-fashioned dessert really amazing.

Cherry Dump Cake – For a dessert with a bright red color, this cobbler is the perfect choice.

Key Lime Dump Cake Recipe Instructions

YouTube Video

Be sure to watch my YouTube video tutorial, too:

The post Key Lime Dump Cake appeared first on ParnellTheChef.

Mixed Berry Pie with Frozen Mixed Berries Ingredients

My mixed berry pie with frozen mixed berries recipe is easy because it only has a few ingredients:

Frozen Berries – 24 oz (strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries)

White Sugar – 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons + 2 teaspoons (250g). I know that this is a very specific amount of sugar, so if you want to round up to 1 1/4 cup white sugar, feel free.

Lemon Juice – 1 Tablespoon

Cornstarch – 8 Tablespoons

Salt – 1/8 teaspoon

Pie Crusts – 2, 9-inch pie crusts

*Extra Sugar – 2 Tablespoons white sugar to sprinkle on top of the pie

How to Make a Mixed Berry Pie with Frozen Berries

Learning how to make mixed berry pie with frozen berries is easy. You just have to follow a few, simple steps:

Get the Pie Crust Ready (Premade or Homemade)

Before you start the recipe, make sure your pie crusts are ready to go. As stated above, you can use either premade from the store or homemade–I made my own crust using my oil and melted butter pie crust recipe, but you can use your favorite recipe.

Thaw the Frozen Berries

The first step in making the mixed berry pie filling is thawing the berries. As explained above, I thawed my berries in the microwave, but you can also thaw the frozen berries in the refrigerator or in cold water.

Parbake the Bottom Crust

While the berries thaw / cool down, use this time to parbake the bottom crust. By partially baking the bottom crust, it’s much less likely to get soggy. Here’s how to parbake the bottom crust.

Make the Mixed Berry Filling

Once the berries are thawed (and if defrosted in the microwave, at around room temperature), making the filling is easy: simply add the sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and salt to the berries and stir to combine. That’s it!

Pour the Filling into the Bottom Crust

When the ingredients are thoroughly combined, pour the filling into the bottom crust. Then, use your spoon to distribute the berries and juices evenly.

Add the Top Crust

Next, put the top crust on top of the pie. See the video at the end of this article for tips on how to put a top crust on a pie.

Once the pie crust is on top of the pie, cut off any excessively-overhanging crust and then crimp the edges so that the juice doesn’t boil out from the sides while the pie bakes.

Cut Slits In The Top Crust

Once the top crust is on the pie, don’t forget to cut slits in the top so that steam can escape.

Sprinkle On Extra Sugar

The final step before putting the mixed berry pie in the oven is sprinkling the top with 2 Tablespoons of sugar. While optional, this sugar gives a touch of extra sweetness and crunch that’s very nice.

Bake the Pie

Bake the pie at 350F, uncovered, for 45-55 minutes. The pie I made in the video was in the oven for 55 minutes, but I would recommend checking your pie at the 45-minute mark since every oven is different.

Cool the Pie

Resist the temptation to cut into the pie right away; instead, let it cool for at least 1-2 hours, 3-4 hours even better, so that the juices can thicken. If you cut the pie too soon, the mix berry filling will be runny.

Serve

Enjoy the pie!

Mixed Berry Pie Recipe FAQ’s

What to Serve with Mixed Berry Pie

Although this mixed berry pie with frozen berries is delicious enough to eat on its own, you could also serve it with:

Whipped Cream – A bit of whipped cream cuts through the sweetness and adds a nice, soft texture. If you’ve never made homemade whipped cream before, I suggest you try my recipe.

Cool Whip – If you prefer whipped topping, it would be great on this pie as well.

Ice Cream – There’s nothing like pie and ice cream.

How Long to Cook Mixed Berry Pie

Cook your mixed berry pie at 350F, uncovered, for 45-55 minutes. Although I baked mine for 55 minutes, I recommend checking your pie after 45 minutes just in case.

How to Store a Mixed Berry Pie

Once the pie is fully cooled, keep it in the refrigerator, uncovered, so that the trapped moisture doesn’t make the crust soggy. The pie should be good for 2-3 days before getting soggy.

Can You Freeze Mixed Berry Pie?

Yes! For best results, assemble the pie (without the sugar sprinkle) in a disposable pan and then freeze it unbaked. When you want to bake it, take it directly from the freezer to the oven without thawing and bake.

Do You Need to Thaw the Frozen Berries Before Making the Pie?

Yes! Unlike my old-fashioned cobbler recipes in which cooking the filling on the stove allows you to start with frozen fruit, you need to thaw the berries when you make the filling for this pie.

Can You Make This Pie with a Different Combination of Berries?

Yes! The famous Marie Callender’s Razzleberry Pie combines blackberries, raspberries, and apples, so you can definitely create your own mix of berries. I recommend at least 3 berries: strawberries, blueberries, and at least one sour berry like blackberries or raspberries.

If you want to make a triple berry pie, I recommend equal parts strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. Honestly, there are a lot of possibilities, so if you try something different, let me know how it turns out!

Mixed Berry Pie with Frozen Berries Recipe Variation

If you want to try other versions of this mixed berry pie, here are a few ideas:

Strawberry and Blueberry Pie – I’ve made mixed berry desserts with 1/2 strawberries and 1/2 blueberries, and I really liked how they turned out.

Mixed Berry Pie with Crumble topping – Dorothy from CrazyForCrust.com has a mixed berry pie with crumble topping recipe that adds even more texture to this dessert.

More Pie with Frozen Fruit Recipes

If you liked the ease of using frozen fruit in this pie recipe, you’ll want to check out these recipes:

Strawberry Pie with Frozen Strawberries – The bright red filling makes this pie perfect for the 4th of July.

Peach Pie with Frozen Peaches – Make this southern summertime classic at any time of the year!

Other Berry Dessert Recipes

If you like anything with berries, here are some other recipes you’re sure to enjoy, too:

Blackberry Cobbler with Pie Crust – My version of the old-fashioned southern classic is super easy.

Mixed Berry Pie with Frozen Berries Recipe Directions

YouTube Video Tutorial

Be sure to watch my YouTube video tutorial:

The post Mixed Berry Pie with Frozen Berries appeared first on ParnellTheChef.

Can You Make Strawberry Fudge?

Yes, you can! When most people think of fudge, they think of regular chocolate, or perhaps white chocolate–not strawberry. In fact, many people would think it isn’t possible to make fruit-flavored fudge.

Types of Strawberry Fudge Recipes

In reality, there are a lot of strawberry fudge recipes on the Internet. Although the recipes vary, they normally fall into two groups:

Canned Frosting – This 2-ingredient strawberry fudge recipe from MidgetMomma.com is a great example of how you can make homemade fudge with storebought frosting and white chocolate chips.

Marshmallow Fluff – With strawberry marshmallow fluff as a main ingredient, this version from WhereIsMySpoon.com also calls for white chocolate chips.

My Strawberry Fudge with Sweetened Condensed Milk Recipe

I’m sure the other versions are delicious, but I wanted to try something different. Storebought frosting usually has trans fat-containing hydrogenated oils, and marshmallow fluff can be a bit hard to find. That’s why I decided to invent my own recipe for strawberry fudge with sweetened condensed milk.

Why Make Strawberry Fudge with Sweetened Condensed Milk?

Making strawberry fudge with sweetened condensed milk is great because it’s so quick and easy. While researching this recipe, I realized that many of the other recipes, including both the canned frosting and marshmallow fluff versions mentioned above, called for white chocolate chips.

As I learned from my very popular sweetened condensed milk fudge recipe, using a can of condensed milk and a bag of chocolate chips to make homemade fudge in the microwave is super simple and incredibly delicious. Given the success of my other chocolate recipe and what I saw in existing strawberry versions, I decided to create a new strawberry fudge recipe using the same concept from the past recipe.

Why Use White Chocolate Chips to Make Strawberry Fudge?

Although it might sound odd to use white chocolate chips in a strawberry fudge recipe, it makes perfect sense:

More Neutral Flavor – Compared to normal chocolate, white chocolate’s flavor is definitely more subtle, making it easier to add other flavors on top of it.

Holds Its Shape – Like other types of chocolate, you can melt white chocolate and then cool it down again, and it will harden into a solid that you can cut into pieces.

Readily Available – White chocolate is available in almost every grocery store, so it’s easy to find.

Given these characteristics, it’s no wonder that white chocolate is a main ingredient in this recipe.

Why Use Freeze Dried Strawberries to Make Fudge?

Freeze dried strawberries are strawberries that have been processed to remove almost all of the moisture but not the flavor or nutrients. When ground into a powder, freeze dried strawberries allow you to add flavor from real strawberries without adding moisture–this is super important in some recipes, such as my strawberry cookies with cake mix, since moisture would make the cookies fluffy like a cake, not crisp.

Since moisture, whether from water or juice, can ruin melted chocolate, I knew that adding real strawberries wasn’t an option. That’s why I opted for freeze dried strawberry powder. It worked absolutely fantastic in this recipe, so don’t leave it out–it added a lot of good, old-fashioned flavor.

Strawberry Fudge Recipe Ingredients

My strawberry fudge recipe with sweetened condensed milk has just a few, simple ingredients:

Sweetened Condensed Milk – 14 oz can

White Chocolate Chips – 11 oz bag. If your bag is 10 or 12 oz, that’s OK.

Freeze Dried Strawberries – 1.2 ounces. You can also just buy freeze dried strawberry powder.

Strawberry Jello – 3 oz box. In the US, this is the standard size for small boxes of gelatin.

Unsalted Butter – 1 Tablespoon. If using salted butter, leave out the 1/8 teaspoon of salt.

Salt – 1/8 teaspoon

Recipe Tools

When you make this recipe, make sure you have:

Microwave-Safe Bowl – I recommend a large, glass bowl.

Spatula or Large Spoon – Something to stir the fudge.

Plastic Wrap – To line the dish in which you’re going to pour the fudge mixture.

Casserole Dish – I poured the fudge into an 8×8 dish to harden. For thicker fudge, use a loaf pan.

Rolling Pin and Plastic Bag -or- Food Processor – To pulverize the freeze dried strawberries into powder.

How to Make Strawberry Fudge

Learning how to make strawberry fudge is easy. You just have to follow a few, easy steps:

Dry the Bowl and Utensils

If there’s any water in the bowl or on your utensils, it has the potential to seize your chocolate, ruining the fudge. So, make sure your microwave-safe bowl, spatula, and spoons are 100% dry before you begin.

Prep the Mold Before You Start

It’s important make sure the dish in which you’re going to harden the fudge is lined with plastic wrap. Once everything is mixed together, the fudge will start to set quickly. If you forget to line the dish, taking just an extra minute or two to prep the dish will make the fudge much harder to pour and spread.

Pulverize the Freeze Dried Strawberries

After gathering the ingredients and prepping the dish, the first step in my strawberry fudge recipe is pulverizing the freeze dried strawberries. I did it the old-fashioned way: I put the freeze dried strawberries in a plastic bag and hit them with a rolling pin until they turned into dust.

I think you could also use a small food processor, too. You could even buy freeze dried strawberry powder and skip this step. However, if you don’t want to buy special tools or pay more for the powder, a rolling pin, a plastic bag, and some built-up anger will work just fine, hahaha

Combine the Sweetened Condensed Milk, White Chocolate Chips, and Butter

The next step is pouring the sweetened condensed milk, white chocolate chips, and butter into a microwave-safe bowl. Since just a few drops of water can make chocolate seize and ruin the recipe, it’s very important to make sure the bowl is clean and 100% dry.

Melt the Sweetened Condensed Milk, White Chocolate Chips, and Butter in the Microwave

Once these ingredients are in the bowl, melt them together in the microwave. Microwave them on high, uncovered, for a total of 2 minutes using 30-second increments, stirring after each increment.

Stir Every 30 Seconds, And at the End

It’s very important to stir every 30 seconds to make sure everything melts evenly, so don’t forget!

At the end of the 2 minutes, the white chocolate chips may appear to not be fully melted. Simply keep mixing the soon-to-be fudge together a few times, and the chips will melt totally.

Add the Freeze Dried Strawberries and Strawberry Jello

After the sweetened condensed milk, white chocolate chips, and butter are melted and mixed together, it’s time to add the freeze dried strawberries and strawberry gelatin to give the fudge flavor. The order in which you add them doesn’t matter.

However, it’s important to note that once you add the strawberry gelatin, the fudge mixture will become a lot harder to stir. Like I said earlier, it’s important to have everything ready at the beginning because this recipe moves quickly, especially at the end.

Don’t Forget the Salt!

Although you can add the salt to the sweetened condensed milk, white chocolate chips, and butter and melt the 4 ingredients together, I waited until the end of the recipe because, honestly–I forgot, LOL.

Pour the Strawberry Fudge into the Prepared Dish and Smooth It Out

With all of the ingredients now mixed in, pour the soon-to-be fudge into the prepared dish. Use a spoon or spatula to smooth it out as much as possible.

Chill in the Refrigerator to Set the Fudge

Once the strawberry fudge is distributed evenly and smoothed out, let it cool down for 15-30 minutes before placing it in the fridge. Then, place the fudge in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours to set. There’s no need to cover it while chilling–I didn’t.

Cut and Serve the Fudge

3-4 hours later, your strawberry fudge should be firm enough to cut and serve–enjoy!

How Long Does Strawberry Fudge Take to Set?

My old-fashioned strawberry fudge recipe takes 3-4 hours to set. To be on the safe side, I would give it 4 hours in the refrigerator.

How Many Servings Does This Recipe Make?

Honestly, it depends on how big you cut the pieces. If using an 8×8 casserole dish, cutting the strawberry fudge into 32 pieces will give you portions that will require multiple bites to finish but still aren’t too big. To make 32 evenly-sized pieces, make 8 horizontal cuts, then 4 vertical cuts.

How to Store Strawberry Fudge with Sweetened Condensed Milk?

To store your strawberry fudge, place it in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Although you could wrap each piece individually, I don’t think that’s necessary–besides, it would be very time-consuming.

How Long Does Strawberry Fudge Last?

If stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator, your strawberry fudge should keep for 3-4 weeks. After that, it will start to dry out and lose flavor.

Can Strawberry Fudge Be Frozen?

Yes! In fact, if you want your strawberry fudge to last more than a few weeks, I recommend freezing it.

If you don’t want the pieces of fudge to freeze together, spread them out on a baking sheet so that they aren’t touching, then place them in the freezer. Once fully frozen, put them into a plastic bag. By freezing them spaced-out first, they won’t stick together when you go to take them out of the bag.

However, if you don’t mind having to pull the pieces of fudge apart, you can just put all the pieces of strawberry fudge into a bag and then put the bag in the freezer. This recipe is forgiving.

Can I Make Strawberry Fudge with Regular Chocolate Chips?

Although you technically could make this recipe with milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips, it would no longer be “strawberry fudge.” Instead, it would become “strawberry chocolate fudge.” I’m sure it would be delicious, so if you give it a try, let me know!

Can I Use Fresh Strawberries in this Recipe?

Probably not. Although strawberry puree is a main ingredient in my strawberry cake with jello recipe, it won’t work in fudge. As stated above, water can make melted chocolate seize, so the moisture in strawberry puree would likely ruin this recipe.

Although you could potential cook down the puree until most of the moisture boils away, I’m still not sure if it would work. If you give this a try, let me know how the recipe turns out!

Can You Make Strawberry Fudge on the Stovetop?

Yes! This strawberry fudge recipe is super versatile, so if you prefer to do things the old-fashioned way, you can melt the condensed milk and white chocolate chips on the stovetop with the water bath method.

Why Is My Strawberry Fudge Gritty?

If you try the fudge before it’s firmed up fully, you may find that it has a gritty texture. That’s from the strawberry gelatin and freeze dried strawberries. Once the two dry ingredients have had time to fully hydrate and chill, the texture will be a lot smoother.

Why Is My Fudge Soft?

If your fudge is soft, it’s probably because it hasn’t chilled long enough to set firmly. Like I said above, I would give it 3-4 hours–preferably 4–before serving.

Another possibility is that the fudge has been out of refrigeration for a long time. Although the fudge won’t melt at room temperature, it won’t be as firm. My advice is to leave it out of the refrigerator for 30 minutes, and then serve–that should make the strawberry fudge a bit softer, but not too soft.

A Chef’s Review

Honestly, I was really pleased with how my strawberry fudge recipe with sweetened condensed milk turned out. The strawberry flavor was surprisingly strong for such a quick and easy recipe: everyone who tried it really liked it. Although there was a bit of “and cream” flavor in the background due to the white chocolate, everyone who tried this was absolutely amazed by how good and fruity it was.

In addition to the old-fashioned flavor, this recipe is super easy. As I said above, all you have to do is melt 3 ingredients together in the microwave, add a few other things, then chill the fudge in the refrigerator. The hardest parts are pulverizing the freeze dried strawberries and making sure everything is dry.

And to top it all off, this fudge had a bright pink color that represented the flavor perfectly. Like I said, this strawberry fudge was a bit hit with my friends and I. Since fruit-flavored fudge isn’t very common, you and your family are sure to live this.

Possible Changes to the Recipe

Although I was very pleased with how this strawberry fudge recipe turned out, possible changes include:

Lactose-Free Sweetened Condensed Milk – For those who are lactose-intolerant, this might be a good option.

Vegan Fudge – Although I haven’t tried it, I imagine that sweetened condensed coconut milk, vegan white chocolate, vegan butter, and vegan strawberry gelatin could be used in this recipe, too.

Strawberry Fudge Recipe Variations

If you’re looking to add a twist to this strawberry fudge recipe, try:

Red Sprinkles – Shake red sprinkles on top of the fudge before putting it into the refrigerator. This will add not only more color but also nice crunch.

Chocolate Drizzle – A touch of melted semi-sweet chocolate added once the fudge is in the mold, or even once cut into pieces, would be nice.

Easy Fudge Recipes

If you like homemade candy, be sure to check out these other easy fudge recipes on my site:

Sweetened Condensed Milk Fudge Recipe – Make a chocolate treat with just 2 ingredients!

White Chocolate Fudge – Made with a base of 2 ingredients, this treat is perfect for the holidays!

Recipes with Strawberries

Strawberry Pie with Frozen Strawberries – If you can’t get high-quality fresh berries, this is a great option.

Strawberry Dump Cake – This 3-ingredient strawberry dessert is perfect for beginner cooks.

Strawberry Cake with Jello – Adding strawberry gelatin and puree to cake mix makes this cake amazing.

Strawberry Fudge Recipe Directions

YouTube Video

Be sure to watch my YouTube video tutorial:

The post Strawberry Fudge with Sweetened Condensed Milk Recipe appeared first on ParnellTheChef.

What Is A Dump Cake?

Originating in the 1950’s, a dump cake is a simple dessert in which ingredients are “dumped” into a dish and baked. Most versions, such as my 3 ingredient lemon dump cake, resemble cobblers in that pie filling or canned fruit is dumped into a pan, covered with cake mix, topped with pads of butter, and then baked.

Can You Make a Dump Cake with Chocolate Cake Mix?

Yes! You can make a dump cake with chocolate cake mix by either using it in one of the cobbler recipes, such as replacing the white cake mix in my cherry dump cake recipe, or using the chocolate cake mix to make a quick cake that’s perfect for chocoholics.

4-Ingredient Chocolate Dump Cake

If you choose the cake option, I highly recommend my 4-ingredient chocolate dump cake recipe. It’s moist, flavorful, and super easy to make: all you have to do is dump the ingredients into a baking dish, mix them together, and bake.

Is It Really a Dump Cake?

Although some purists might say that the need to stir disqualifies this recipe from being classified as a dump cake, I disagree. Like other dump cakes, this dessert requires few ingredients and little preparation–it’s mostly just opening boxes of pre-measured ingredients and pouring them into a baking dish. And just like other dump cakes, everything is done in one dish, so cleanup is a breeze.

Easy, Good for Beginner Cooks, and Crowds

Another good thing about this chocolate dump cake recipe is that there are no eggs! That means you can try the batter without worrying about the raw eggs.

Considering that this recipe is so simple, I think it still deserves to be classified as a dump cake. It’s good, easy, and since it’s made in a 9×13 pan, it’s great for crowds. If you try it, I know you’ll like it.

Chocolate Dump Cake Ingredients

To make this simple 9×13 dessert, you only need 4 ingredients:

Chocolate Cake Mix – 15.25 oz box. I used Devil’s food, but you can use any kind you want.

Instant Chocolate Pudding – 3.9 oz box. I used regular, but fudge, triple chocolate, etc. is OK.

Milk – 1.5 cups (360g). I used whole milk–powdered, actually–but you can use 1%, 2%, or even skim.

Butter – 1 stick, unsalted (113g). If using salted butter, omit the optional salt.

Optional Ingredients:

Although these ingredients aren’t necessary, I highly recommend adding:

Chocolate Chips – 12 oz bag. I used dark chocolate, but milk is fine as well.

Instant Coffee – 1 teaspoon. It really brings out the chocolate flavor.

Salt – About 1/4 teaspoon–I honestly didn’t measure. A bit of salt helps to balance out the flavors.

Tools for the Recipe

9×13 Baking Dish – Like other dump cakes, this recipe should be made in a 9×13 casserole dish.

What Type of Chocolate Cake Mix Should I Use?

Any kind you want! I used Devil’s food chocolate cake mix because that’s what I had on hand, but you could any type, including chocolate fudge, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or even German chocolate.

Although your dump cake will turn out slightly different, I don’t think the finished dessert will be drastically different, so feel free to use what you have on hand and to experiment.

Can I Use Brownie Mix?

Yes! Use can definitely use brownie mix to make this 4-ingredient chocolate cake recipe. However, you will have to make a few adjustments to the recipe:

Add 1 teaspoon baking powder – Most brownie mixes have minimal (if any) leavening agent, so unless you want your cake to be flat, you need to add 1 teaspoon of baking powder.

Note the number of ounces – My box of cake mix was 15.25 oz, but I’ve noticed that many brownie mixes are around 18 oz, so you might want not want to use the whole box, or maybe use a bit more milk to make the batter.

According to Susie of MomsDinner.com, brownie mixes usually have more sugar and more cocoa powder than cake mixes. In spite of the difference, I don’t think you need to make any other changes in order to use brownie mix in this chocolate dump cake recipe.

How to Make 4-Ingredient Chocolate Dump Cake

Learning how to make a 4-Ingredient chocolate dump cake is easy. Just follow a few, simple steps:

Melt the Butter and Pour Into the Dish

After greasing the 9×13 pan with butter, the first step in my 4-ingredient chocolate dump cake is melting the butter. In the video I cut up the stick up butter, put the chunks in a glass measuring cup, and then melted the butter in the microwave–I think that’s probably the easiest way to do it.

When the butter is melted, pour it into the 9×13 pan and try to distribute it in the pan as evenly as possible. In the video you can see there were still a few bits of unmelted butter. This is an easy, forgiving recipe, so if some of the butter isn’t melted, that’s OK–it’ll get worked into the batter perfectly fine.

Add the Instant Pudding

Once the melted butter is in the dish, add the instant chocolate pudding by sprinkling it into the melted butter as evenly as possible. In a normal dump cake recipe, sprinkling in a dry ingredient evenly is important, but since this recipe calls for mixing everything together, this version is more forgiving.

Dump in the Cake Mix

Then, add the chocolate cake mix by “dumping” it into the pan, moving the bag over the pan so that you distribute the cake mix evenly. If you want to, you can use a fork or spoon to spread it out evenly in the pan, but that isn’t necessary–as with the instant pudding, since everything is going to be mixed into a batter, you don’t have to make sure the ingredients are distributed throughout the pan evenly.

Sprinkle in the Instant Coffee and Salt (Optional)

Although this chocolate dump cake is absolutely great with just 4 ingredients, I recommend adding 2 more at this point in the recipe if you want to take this dessert to the next level: salt and coffee.

Whatever you’re making, salt helps to bring out the flavors–even in desserts–so a bit of salt will make this chocolate dump cake even more flavorful. I didn’t measure, but I’d recommend adding 1/4 teaspoon.

As in my chocolate cake with peanut butter cream cheese frosting recipe, coffee enhances the flavor of chocolate. Even if you don’t really like coffee, I still highly recommend sprinkling in 1 teaspoon of instant coffee–it will make a big difference.

What Can I Add to Enhance the Flavor Besides Coffee?

However, if you absolutely hate coffee, a good alternative is 1 teaspoon of molasses. Chocolate chip cookie recipes almost always have brown sugar, so molasses and chocolate definitely go together.

Pour in the Milk

Next, add the milk. Try to pour the milk in evenly throughout the pan, but once again, you don’t have to be perfect. I used powdered whole milk because that’s what I had on hand, but regular whole, 2%, 1%, or even skim would be fine.

Honestly, I think you could even use plant-based milk, or if you absolutely have to, just water–the chocolate dump cake won’t be as rich, but it will still be good. Like I said earlier, this recipe is forgiving.

Stir the Ingredients to Make the Batter

Now it’s time to stir the ingredients together to make the batter. Avoid splashing against the sides so that the dish stays clean and the finished cake looks more presentable.

Smooth Out the Dump Cake Batter

Once the batter is formed, smooth it out so that it’s distributed evenly in the pan. I used a fork to mix the batter but a spoon to spread it out, but for spreading out the batter, I definitely recommend a spoon.

Add the Chocolate Chips (Optional)

Although this recipe is great with just 4 ingredients–along with the salt and coffee–adding chocolate chips will really take this dump cake to the next level. With the batter smoothed out evenly in the pan, sprinkle a 12 oz bag of chocolate chips on top of the cake. I used semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you could use milk chocolate, too.

By adding the chocolate chips at the end, they’ll sit on top of the cake–or sink down slightly–so they’ll be visible when the dump cake is done. This way, everyone will know that this cake not only has a chocolate batter but also chocolate chips: any chocoholic who lays eyes on it will definitely want a piece.

Can I Put the Chocolate Chips Inside the Cake?

If you’d rather have chocolate chips inside the dump cake, you definitely can. Although I would add them right before pouring in the milk, I recommend first putting the chocolate chips into a bowl, adding 1.5 Tablespoons of flour, and coating the chips with the flour, and then adding them to the pan.

Whenever you want chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or any other mix-ins evenly distributed in a cake, muffin, or other baked good, it’s best to first coat the small pieces with flour. That way, they’re much less likely to sink to the bottom during the baking process.

Bake the Dump Cake

Now that everything is in the 9×13 baking dish, it’s time to put the dump cake into the oven. I baked my 4-ingredient chocolate dump cake at 350F, uncovered, for 35 minutes.

After cooling for 15-20 minutes, it should be cool enough to serve. Enjoy!

How to Serve 4-Ingredient Chocolate Dump Cake

Although this 4-ingredient chocolate dump cake was delicious on its own, you could serve this cake with:

Ice Cream – There’s nothing like ice cream and cake, and this dump cake is no exception.

Whipped Cream – The fattiness of whipped cream helps cut through the sweetness of desserts. If you just need a little bit for a few servings, make my whipped cream with an immersion blender recipe–there’s nothing like homemade whipped cream!

Cool Whip – Cool whip or some other type of whipped topping would be good, too.

Caramel Sauce – As suggested by Stephanie Keeping of SpaceshipsandLaserBeams.com in her version of this recipe, caramel sauce would go great with this dump cake.

Can You Make This 4-Ingredient Chocolate Dump Cake Recipe Without Stirring?

Unfortunately, no. As I said earlier, some dump cake purists argue that since this recipe requires stirring, it isn’t really a dump cake, so you might be wondering if it’s possible to make this without stirring the ingredients.

I thought about it, and I don’t think this will work without stirring. As I say in the video, all chocolate cake recipes call for stirring–I think that agitating ingredients by mixing helps to combine the dry and wet ingredients. However, if you do make this dump cake without stirring, let me know how it turns out.

How to Tell When the Dump Cake is Done?

As with other chocolate cake recipes, it can be hard to tell when this dump cake is done since the cake doesn’t turn golden brown. You can tell that your 4-ingredient chocolate dump cake is done when:

It pulls away from the edge – Look for a small gap between the edge of the cake and the pan.

The top looks dry – The top of the cake no longer looks wet.

A toothpick comes out clean – If you insert a toothpick into the cake, it should come out clean, or in this case, mostly clean. This dump cake is supposed to be more moist than other chocolate cakes, so taking it out of the oven when the toothpick still doesn’t come out totally clean is OK.

Is 4-Ingredient Chocolate Dump Cake Supposed to Be Gooey?

Yes, to an extent, especially if served warm. This 4-ingredient chocolate dump cake is supposed to be more moist than normal chocolate cakes. And with chocolate chips, some are going to melt slightly, making the cake gooey, especially if it’s served warm.

Although the dump cake should be gooey, it shouldn’t be runny, especially when cooled. If you slice into the cake and it’s runny inside, it’s underdone. Likewise, if it’s gooey at room temperature, it’s underdone, too. If you find that your dump cake is underdone, simply put it in the oven for about 10 more minutes.

How to Store 4-Ingredient Chocolate Dump Cake

Storing your 4-ingredient chocolate dump cake is easy: simply put the entire pan in the refrigerator. If there isn’t enough room for a 9×13 pan, you can cut the cake into smaller pieces.

Although you could cover the pan with foil, I wouldn’t. I think that covering the cake may trap in moisture and making the cake soggy faster, but if you feel better covering it, go ahead and cover the cake lightly.

How Long Does 4-Ingredient Chocolate Dump Cake Last?

If stored in the refrigerator, this 4-ingredient chocolate dump cake should keep 2-3 days, possibly up to 5. However, after about the third day, it will probably start to lose flavor and get soggy.

Can You Make a Chocolate Dump Cake the Night Before?

Yes! You can definitely make chocolate dump cake the night before. Although you can make it ahead of time, I personally wouldn’t make it more than 24 hours in advance so that you can serve the cake, as well as leftovers, for a day or two before the quality starts to decline.

Can You Make a Chocolate Dump Cake in a Crockpot?

Yes! You can make a chocolate dump cake in a crockpot. I’ve never done it myself, but if you do, let me know how it turns out!

Can I Make this Recipe with Only 3 Ingredients that are Shelf-Stable?

Yes! If you only have instant pudding, cake mix, and dry or shelf-stable milk, you can still make this dump cake. It won’t be as rich without the butter, but it will be acceptable. I would increase the milk by 1/2 cup to 2 cups, and I would also make sure to spray the pan thoroughly to keep the cake from sticking.

Can I Make This Recipe Vegan?

Yes! If you have vegan chocolate cake mix and instant pudding, I think you could use plant-based milk as well. I’ve never used a vegan butter substitute, but I’m sure it would work in this recipe, too.

A Chef’s Review

This 4-ingredient chocolate dump cake recipe turned out great. With a deep, rich color and chocolate chip on top, it’s sure to grab the attention of chocolate lovers. Because of the 3 types of chocolate–pudding, cake mix, and the (optional) chips–it had a very strong chocolate flavor. Although salt and instant coffee are definitely optional, I still highly recommend them to bring out the flavor even more.

This dump cake was also very easy to make. Although a bit of stirring is required, it’s far simpler to make than most chocolate cakes since the ingredients are pre-measured and there’s minimal cleanup. And since this recipe makes a 9×13 cake, this dessert is perfect for beginner cooks who need to feed a crowd.

However, as a chef I have to admit that although this dump cake tasted good, it doesn’t have the same flavor as a “real” old-fashioned cake. If that’s what you’re looking for, this recipe isn’t for you. But if you want a quick dessert to satisfy a craving, this 4-ingredient chocolate dump cake recipe is perfect.

Possible Changes to the Recipe

Although I thought this dump cake turned out great, possible changes to the recipe include:

Different cake mix – I’m curious how a chocolate fudge or German chocolate cake mix would change the recipe.

Milk Chocolate Chips – I prefer dark chocolate, but I’m sure milk chocolate would be good in this recipe.

Peanut Butter Cups – Replacing the chocolate chips with broken mini peanut butter cups would be a good twist on this dessert.

4-Ingredient Chocolate Dump Cake Recipe Variations

Possible variations to this 4-ingredient chocolate dump cake recipe include:

Chocolate Cherry – Cherry pie filling would put a Black Forest Cake twist on this recipe.

White Chocolate Chips – I’m sure that white chocolate chips would work in this dump cake.

Chocolate Cream Cheese – The tanginess of cream cheese would go well with the chocolate.

These are just a few–honestly, the possibilities are endless!

More Dump Cake Recipes

If you liked this 4-ingredient chocolate dump cake recipe, be sure to check out:

Apple Cobbler with Cake Mix and Pie Filling – Technically a dump cake, it’s absolutely delicious.

Cherry Cobbler with Cake Mix – This 3-ingredient dump cake cobbler is super easy to make.

Strawberry Dump Cake – If you like strawberries, you’ll love this dessert.

Other Chocolate Recipes

If you have a chocolate craving, these recipes are just what you’re looking for:

Chocolate Milk with Cocoa Powder Recipe – No need to buy chocolate milk powder–use cocoa instead!

Sweetened Condensed Milk Fudge Recipe – With just 2 ingredients, this couldn’t get any easier to make.

4-Ingredient Chocolate Dump Cake Recipe Directions

YouTube Video:

Be sure to watch my YouTube video tutorial:

The post 4-Ingredient Chocolate Dump Cake appeared first on ParnellTheChef.

Can You Make Applesauce In the Microwave?

Yes! From melting butter to cooking rice, you can cook just about anything in the microwave, including applesauce. Instead of standing over a hot stove and stir constantly, you can cut up some apples and soften them in the microwave–it’s a lot easier.

Can You Make Applesauce Without Peeling the Apples?

Yes! You can definitely make applesauce without peeling the apples. Leaving the peel on not only saves time but also adds flavor and vitamins to the applesauce. The skins also thicken the applesauce with naturally-occurring pectin, and depending on the type of apple, the skins can add color, too.

Microwave Applesauce For One (No Sugar) Ingredients

My microwave applesauce recipe is super easy because it only has 2 ingredients:

Apples – 2/3 cup yellow apple chunks. As I explain in my easy apple cobbler with pie crust recipe, I think that yellow apples have the perfect balance between sweetness, tartness and flavor. If you want to make microwave applesauce with a single variety of apple, Golden Delicious would be my first choice.

Lemon Juice – 1.5 Tablespoons. Lemon juice (or something acidic in general) helps to bring out flavors, especially in fruit. In this recipe, the lemon juice not only emphasizes the apple flavor but also helps prevent the apples from turning brown.

Although you could add a pinch of salt if you wanted, I don’t think it needs it–this recipe is great with just 2 ingredients.

What Kind of Apples Should I Use?

Golden Delicious are the Best for Microwave Applesauce

I think Golden Delicious apples have the perfect combination of tartness and sweetness, along with the right amount of pectin to not be mushy when cooked. In fact, a SouthernLiving.com article on the best apples for applesauce mentions Golden Delicious as one of the best, so I’m not alone in my opinion.

Golden Delicious apples also have just the right amount of naturally-occurring pectin, the same thickener used to set jams and jellies. This pectin helps yellow apples baked in pies hold their shape, as well as applesauce made with yellow apples to be thicker.

For these reasons, I think that Golden Delicious apples are the best apple for my microwave applesauce recipe.

Other Varieties of Apples for Microwave Applesauce

However, many applesauce recipes recommend a combination of at least 2 varieties is probably, preferably a sour apple and a sweet variety.. To give you some ideas, you might want to try:

Golden Delicious – As stated above, I think yellow apples are the best. If you’re only going to use one type of apple, I’d use Golden Delicious. If you can find yellow apples tinged with a bit of pink, those tend to be a bit sweeter.

McIntosh – The SouthernLiving.com article says that McIntosh apples are fresh and crisp yet soften easily, making them perfect for cooking.

Fuji – The sweetness would balance out a tart green apple.

Honeycrisp – This sweet apple would add a nice, refreshing taste.

Granny Smith – Since this microwave applesauce recipe is made with no sugar, I’d be sure to pair green apples with a sweet variety like Fuji or Honeycrisp.

Jonagold – A cross between Jonathan and Golden Delicious, Jonagold apples add a refreshing twist to the sweet and tart combination.

Braeburn – According to a Food52.com article, Braeburn apples are great for applesauce because cooking them releases hints of aromatics. I’ve never tried this recipe with Braeburn apples, but it sounds delicious.

Do I Need to Add Water to the Applesauce?

No, you don’t need to add water. Although most applesauce recipes call for adding water or apple juice to thin it out, I think that when making unsweetened applesauce, thicker is better. By leaving out the liquid, the flavors are more concentrated in the thick sauce, helping to make up for the lack of sugar.

However, if you prefer a thinner applesauce, I recommend adding about 1/4 cup of water at the beginning of the cooking process. If you give this a try, let me know what you think.

How to Make Microwave Applesauce For One With No Sugar

Learning how to make microwave applesauce for one with no sugar is easy. Let’s go over the steps:

Select 1 Pound of Whole Apples

Since this recipe calls for 2/3 cups of apple chunks, you will need to start with 1 pound of whole, fresh apples. You will likely need about 2 medium apples. As stated above, I recommend using Golden Delicious, but you can use whatever you like.

Cut the Apples into Chunks

After washing drying the apples, cut around the core. You can use an apple corer and peeler if you want, but I think it’s easier to just use a large knife to cut large chunks from around the core.

Then, cut those larger chunks into 2 or 3 pieces so that each apple is cut into 8-10 chunks. Although the pieces should ideally all be about the same size, you don’t have to be exact. You don’t have to cut the chunks into cubes, either: rounded slices are fine.

Honestly, it’s hard to explain this in words, so I recommend referring to the video at the bottom of the page for a better idea of how to cut the apples. If a picture’s worth 1,000 words, a video’s worth 1,000,000.

Measure the Apples

Once the apples are cut into chunks, measure 3 cups of chunks (300 grams). If you have a food scale, I suggest weighing the chunks since it’s difficult to measure irregularly-shaped objects by volume.

Add the Apples to a Microwave-Safe Bowl

Then, place the apple chunks in a microwave-safe bowl. Since you will be using an immersion blender to puree the applesauce, I suggest using a bowl that is deeper than it’s wide so the blender can sink down into the apples and puree them more easily.

Add Lemon Juice

Then, add 1.5 Tablespoons of fresh lemon juice. This is to not only prevent browning but also bring out the flavor. Since this applesauce is unsweetened, we want to maximize the flavor as much as possible.

Cover the Apples

I covered the glass bowl with plastic wrap, but if your container comes with a designated lid, feel free to use that. You don’t have to make an air-tight seal: just enough to lock in most of the heat and moisture.

Microwave in 5-Minute Increments and Stir

Once the apples are ready, microwave them on HIGH for three, 5-minute increments. After each 5-minute increment, take the apples out of the microwave and stir them.

Please be careful when uncovering the apples: since the heat is locked in, the steam will be very hot. If you want, you could uncovered the bowl slightly and let the steam escape for a few seconds before stirring.

Puree with an Immersion Blender

The apple chunks will be soft after 15 minutes of cooking, so all that’s left to do is puree the chunks into applesauce. Although you could use a potato masher or even a blender, an immersion blender makes this job quick and easy.

As explained in my immersion blender whipped cream recipe, an immersion blender is good for small jobs. If you’re just making enough applesauce for one, or only enough whipped cream for one slice of cake, you can do the job a lot faster–and with less cleanup–than with a larger blender.

With just 30-60 seconds of pureeing, your applesauce should be nice and smooth.

Serve

When the applesauce is pureed to your liking, it’s done! Enjoy!

How Much Applesauce Does This Recipe Make?

One batch of this microwave applesauce recipe makes about 1/2 cup (maybe a little more), just enough for a generous single serving.

Should I Serve Microwave Applesauce Hot or Cold?

I think this microwave applesauce is good either hot or cold. However, in my opinion, I think I liked it a little better cold.

How to Enjoy Microwave Applesauce For One With No Sugar

This unsweetened applesauce can be enjoyed multiple ways:

Healthy Dessert – Since this applesauce is made with no sugar, it’s extremely healthy. And with no eggs, milk, butter, or flour, it’s also coincidentally vegan and gluten-free.

Applesauce Pie – If you like apple pie and pumpkin pie, then you’ll enjoy using this applesauce as a filling for a custard-style pie.

Baked Ham – The refreshing sweetness of applesauce complements salty, smoky, fatty ham very well.

How Long Does Microwave Applesauce Keep?

Stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator, your microwave applesauce should be good for 5-7 days.

Can You Freeze Applesauce?

Yes! Although you can freeze applesauce by putting it into plastic bags, I admit I’m not sure how the freezing / thawing process would affect the texture.

A Chef’s Review

I really liked my microwave applesauce for one with no sugar recipe. Since there was no peeling, the prep time was minimal, and since I made it in the microwave, it was a lot easier than the stove top. Personally, I think that using ripe Golden Delicious apples was key since they lend themselves to cooking very well.

I also really liked the texture, the thickness adding richness that sugar would normally provide. If you’ve only had thin storebought applesauce, you have to try this thicker version, too.

Compared to storebought, this homemade applesauce had a fresh flavor that was came through loud and clear. If you have a recipe that calls for applesauce, using this will definitely add a lot of flavor.

If you’re looking for a quick dessert that’s healthy, gluten-free, and vegan, this is it. So, if you’ve never made applesauce before, this recipe is definitely worth a try.

Possible Changes to the Recipe

Although I thought my unsweetened applesauce in the microwave recipe turned out great, possible changes to the recipe include:

Different Apples – As stated above, you can use a variety of apples to make applesauce.

Spices – I am sure a bit of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg would be good in this recipe. I would add it just before putting the apple chunks in the microwave so the spices have time to cook into the apples.

Chunky – If you prefer chunky applesauce, puree it with a potato masher or large spoon to your liking.

Microwave Applesauce For One (No Sugar) Variations

If you want to switch things up, possible variations to this recipe include:

Include Other Fruits – I’m sure one apple and one pear would be nice, or perhaps a handful of blueberries or strawberries.

Lime Juice – I’m curious how using lime juice in place of lemon juice would affect the recipe.

Pineapple Juice – I think this might be good, too.

Other Healthy Recipes

If you liked this healthy no sugar applesauce, then be sure to check out my other healthy recipes:

Baked Butternut Squash – Learn how to make butternut squash in the oven the simple way.

Carrot Salad Recipe – Originally from France, this Argentinian side dish is surprisingly delicious.

How to Cook Quinoa on the Stove – This recipe shows how to make quinoa that’s fluffy, not soggy.

Other Immersion Blender Recipes

If this recipe made you realize the usefulness of immersion blenders, be sure to check out my other hand blender recipes:

Immersion Blender Whipped Cream – Homemade whipped cream with vanilla extra is the best.

Immersion Blender Butter – If you have leftover whipping cream, make homemade butter.

Microwave Applesauce For One (No Sugar) Recipe Directions

YouTube Video

Be sure to watch my YouTube video tutorial:

The post Microwave Applesauce For One (No Sugar) appeared first on ParnellTheChef.

What Is a Dump Cake?

As explained in my pumpkin dump cake article and similar recipes on my site, a dump cake is a simple cobbler made by “dumping” ingredients into a 9×13 dish. Although some recipes call for fresh or frozen fruit, most use cans of storebought pie filling.

All you have to do is layer in fruit filling, a cake layer, and then butter on top, home cooks can quickly and easily make a cobbler. And since most dump cake recipes use 9×13 pans, these cobblers are perfect for feeding large crowds.

I absolutely love desserts with fruit, as well as lemon. I tried and liked strawberry and blueberry cake mix cobblers, so I wanted to see how a lemon version would turn out–I’m really glad I decided to give this a try because it turned out even better than I had anticipated.

Are Lemon Dump Cake and Lemon Bars the Same Thing?

No, they’re not. Although they’re both rectangular lemon-flavored desserts, the flavor and texture are very different.

As seen in Sally’s Baking Addiction lemon bar recipe, this treat has a shortbread crust, lemon curd filling, and then a sprinkling of powdered sugar on top. However, a lemon dump cake inverts the two main layers by putting the lemon pie filling on the bottom and a cake layer on top.

In my opinion, the texture of the crust is similar in the two desserts, but lemon dump cake’s topping is a bit more like a crumble. Although both have a lot of lemon flavor, I think dump cake has a bit less sour, which is perfect for people who like lemon but don’t like sour things.

In short, if you like lemon bars, I think you’ll like lemon dump cake.

Ingredients

Like I said, this lemon dump cake recipe is super easy because it only has 3 main ingredients:

Lemon Pie Filling – Two 22 oz cans of pie filling.

Cake Mix – I used lemon cake mix since it just made sense.

Butter – 2 sticks of unsalted butter. It sounds like a lot–and it is–but you’ll need it.

However, if you want to take this cobbler to the next level, I recommend adding:

Lemon Juice – 2 Tablespoons. Freshly squeezed, of course.

Lemon Zest – 2 teaspoons. If you don’t have zest, use 1 teaspoon of extract instead.

But even with just 3 ingredients, this dessert is fantastic.

Can You Make Lemon Dump Cake with White or Yellow Cake Mix?

Yes! Although I do think that using lemon dump cake makes sense in this recipe, you can definitely use white or yellow cake mix. If you want to mimic lemon cake mix, I would mix in 1-2 teaspoons of lemon zest into the white or yellow cake mix.

Can You Use Lemon Curd Instead of Pie Filling?

Yes–but it will be different. Lemon curd is a bit richer than lemon pie filling, but it’s similar, so I think you could use it. However, lemon curd is a bit runnier, so the finished cobbler might not hold its shape as well when cut and served.

Also, like I said, lemon curd is very rich–possibly too rich. When combined with the already sweet cake mix, some people might find the dump cake to be too sweet. I haven’t tried this recipe with lemon curd, but if you do, please let me know what you think.

How to Make Lemon Dump Cake with 3 Ingredients

Learning how to make my lemon dump cake with 3 ingredients is easy! You just have to follow a few, simple steps:

Dump in Pie Filling

After buttering the 9×13 baking dish, the first step in making lemon dump cake is pouring in the pie filling. This step is simple: just open 2 cans of pie filling and “dump” them into the baking dish. Then, take a spatula or large spoon to spread out the filling evenly.

Lemon Juice and Lemon Zest?

As stated above, your dump cake will be delicious with just 3 ingredients. However, if you want to take it to the next level, I recommend adding some lemon juice and zest. Simple sprinkle the juice and zest over the pie filling, then mix them in gently.

Like I said, this is optional, but I highly recommend it. I tried the pie filling straight out of the can, and then with some fresh lemon mixed in, and there was definitely a difference: a little bit of the real thing goes a long way.

And BTW, when it comes to lemon juice, please use freshly squeezed–the bottled stuff is OK in an emergency, but it just isn’t the same.

Lemon Zest and Juice Tips

Buy firm lemons – Old, soft lemons are very hard to zest, so make sure to buy firmer lemons.

Zest before cutting to juice – Zesting a cut lemon is very difficult–I know from experience.

Roll before slicing to juice – Rolling the lemons on the counter for a few seconds makes them easier to juice.

Dump In Cake Mix

Once you’re done with the filling layer, it’s time to add the cake mix. Simply open the cake mix and sprinkle it on top of the pie filling, trying to sprinkle it on as evenly as possible.

Smooth Out the Cake Mix

After sprinkling on the raw cake mix, use a large spoon, spatula, or fork to smooth it out. Even though it might seem natural, resist the urge to pack the cake mix down or mix it in with the pie filling: simply drag the utensil across the top of the cobbler to level it out.

While you’re level out the top, break up any large clumps of cake mix. Don’t worry about being perfect–this is an easy, forgivable recipe, so just do the best you can.

Add Butter

The last step in making my lemon dump cake with 3 ingredients recipe is adding the butter. This is the most time-consuming and tedious step, but taking a bit of time to do it right will ensure that your dessert turns out perfectly. To do this:

Use Cold Butter – It’s much easier to slice cold butter than soft butter, so keep your butter in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.

Slice It Thinly – Cutting the butter thinly will give you more pads, making it easier to distribute the butter evenly. In each Tablespoon of butter, aim for 4 to 6 pads of butter.

Lay the Pads Close to Each Other – Place the pads of butter as evenly as possible across the top and relatively close to each other; at most, 1/4 inch apart.

It’s important to spread out the slices of butter evenly and to place them close to each other. As the dump cake cobbler bakes in the oven, the butter will melt down and out, turning the raw cake mix into a delicious crumble.

However, if butter doesn’t soak into some of the cake mix, those areas will turn out dry, powdery, and unappetizing. Like I said, cutting the butter and putting it on top of the dump cake is time-consuming, but it’s worth the time and effort.

Can You Pour On Melted Butter?

Although I’ve seen dump cake recipes on YouTube in which people melt the butter in the microwave and then pour it in top, I personally wouldn’t recommend that. I think it would be hard to pour the butter evenly across the top, so you’d be almost guaranteed to have some dry spots.

Is There An Easier Way to Add The Butter?

Even though I’ve never tried it, a subscriber on YouTube suggested freezer the butter, grating it on a cheese grater, and then sprinkling the grated butter on top of the dump cake. In theory, I think this would work great. If you give this a try, let me know how it turns out!

Bake in the Oven

When the butter is laid across the top, it’s time to put the dump cake in the oven. Mine took 1 hour at 350F, but be sure to keep an eye on it since ovens very.

Serve

I let the dump cake cool for about an hour before serving. Even though I think you could serve your dump cake immediately, I recommend letting it cool for at least 30 minutes. Not only do you not want to burn yourself–LOL–but the portions will also hold their shape better once mostly cool.

What to Serve with Lemon Dump Cake

Although this lemon dump cake was absolutely fantastic on its own, it’s also good with:

Whipped Cream – A bit of whipped cream helps to cut through the sweetness and tartness. Use my hand blender whipped cream recipe if you just want a little bit for 1 or 2 portions.

Cool Whip – If you don’t care for whipped cream, whipped topping is an option, too.

Ice Cream – Vanilla ice cream would be good on this, too, I think.

How to Store Lemon Dump Cake

After the dump cake cools down completely, store–uncovered–in the refrigerator. Personally, I recommend not covering fruit pies and cobblers because covering them will trap in the moisture, potentially making the crust soggy (or at least not as crispy / crunch).

Can I Make Lemon Dump Cake The Night Before?

Yes! I think that the dump cake would be perfectly fine if you made it the night before and kept it in the refrigerator after it cooled down.

How Long Does Lemon Dump Cake Keep?

2-3 days. I kept mine in the refrigerator, and I ate a little bit every day. I felt that it was still fine on the 3rd day, but by the 4th day, the crust wasn’t as crunchy and the filling had started to loose some flavor.

Can You Freeze Dump Cake?

Yes! Simply cut the cobbler into individual portions, place them on paper plates, wrap in plastic wrap, and freeze. The frozen dump cake should maintain its quality for 2-3 months.

To defrost, unwrap and place in the refrigerator for a few hours. As recommended by a SoutherLiving.com article when thawing cake slices, make sure your slice of dump cake is unwrapped: if it thaws while wrapped in plastic, the plastic will trap in the moisture and make the cake crumble topping soggy.

A Chef’s Review

My lemon dump cake with 3 ingredients recipe was a big success. I was actually surprised by how much I liked it: it had plenty of lemon flavor but with less acidity. Even though there was a touch of an artificial taste, that’s to be expected when using storebought ingredients.

With the combination of taste, texture, and ease, this dessert was a win. If you like lemon desserts like lemon bars or lemon meringue pie but you don’t like the sourness, and especially if you want something an easy cobble recipe you can make for a crowd, this is for you.

Possible Changes to the Recipe

Although I thought that it turned out great, I’m curious how making a few tweaks would change the recipe:

White or Yellow Cake Mix – I think it might cut down on the lemon flavor a bit, but then the focus would be on the lemon pie filling.

Spice Cake Mix – I think that citrus and spices go together well. Honestly, I think the spices might overpower the lemon a bit, but I’m still curious how this would turn out.

Lemon Curd – Using this instead of lemon pie filling would be interesting.

Lemon Dump Cake Recipe Variations

Possible variations to the recipe include:

Blueberries – I think that adding fresh blueberries, or perhaps some blueberry pie filling would be good.

Strawberries – Just like blueberries, I think strawberries and lemon go together very well.

Cream Cheese – I think the tanginess of cream cheese and the sourness of lemon would go together well.

More 3-Ingredient Dump Cake Recipes

If you liked this 3-ingredient lemon dump cake recipe, check out my other easy dump cake cobblers:

Pumpkin Dump Cake (3 Ingredients) – Spice cake mix is the perfect combination to the pie filling.

Strawberry Dump Cake (3 Ingredients) – For spring and early-summer flavor, this is one of the best.

Blueberry Dump Cake (3 Ingredients) – A bit of lemon juice brings out the berry flavor in this recipe.

Cherry Dump Cake (3 Ingredients) – The bright-red filling of this cobbler is really eye-catching.

3-Ingredient Key Lime Dump Cake – If you like lemon flavor but not all the acidity, this is for you.

More Lemon Recipes

If you’re a lemon-lover like I am, be sure to give these other recipes a try:

Lemon Blueberry Dump Cake with 3 Ingredients – Lemon and blueberry go together well in this dessert.

Lemon Custard Pie – Based on egg custard pie, this dessert has lots of lemon flavor without the sourness.

Argentinian Lemon Mustard Chicken – This recipe uses lemon, mustard, and spices in an incredible way.

Lemon Dump Cake with 3 Ingredients Recipe

YouTube Video:

Be sure to watch my YouTube video tutorial:

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My strawberry cobbler with pie crust is an old fashioned dessert that is easy to make and delicious to eat. The recipe calls for making the filling with frozen strawberries, so you can enjoy this cobbler at any time of the year. Although you could use a homemade pie crust like I did, a storebought crust like Pillsbury would make this cobbler even easier. Instead of doing a double crust strawberry cobbler, I used a lattice for the top and added crust dumplings to the filling, giving this dessert a lot of texture. This was not only delicious but also turned out a beautiful red color, so if you want to learn how to make this southern style cobbler, keep reading!

Old Fashioned Strawberry Cobbler with Pie Crust

Most strawberry cobbler recipes on the Internet are a type of strawberry cobbler dump cake in which you put strawberries in a baking dish, then pour in a batter–without stirring the fruit and batter together–then bake.

Although those cobblers are definitely easy, there’s nothing like an old fashioned cobbler like a southern peach cobbler. The pie crust is crispy and the filling is juicy, the contrast in textures making the dessert more interesting than a dump cake.

Also, instead of a cakey top, my old fashioned strawberry cobbler has a lattice top that lets you see the colorful fruit filling inside. Even though a dump cake style cobbler with a bit less work, there’s nothing like a classic cobbler.

Strawberry Filling with Frozen Strawberries

One of the best things about this cobbler recipe is that it calls for making the strawberry filling with frozen strawberries. If you have access to fresh, preferably locally or homegrown berries, then by all means use those. However, using frozen strawberries has its advantages because:

You can make the cobbler at any time of the year – Instead of waiting until spring or summer when strawberries are in season, using frozen berries means that you can make this cobbler whenever you want. Since the strawberry filling is a bright, beautiful red color, it would be perfect for Christmas!

Frozen fruit is often superior – According to a health.com article, a study at the University of Chester found that in two out of three cases, frozen fruits and vegetables had more antioxidants than fresh did. In addition to having more nutrients, frozen fruit often has more taste since it is allowed to fully ripen before being picked. If you have to choose between good frozen fruit or mediocre fresh, go with frozen.

There is no prep work – Instead of washing, hulling, and chopping the fresh berries, all you have to do is open a bag of frozen strawberries, pour them into a pot, and start making the filling. It’s doesn’t get any easier than that.

How to Make Strawberry Cobbler with Pie Crust

My strawberry cobbler with pie crust is easy to make! Let’s go over the steps.

Making the Filling

The first step is making the filling. As I said earlier in this article, the filling is made with frozen strawberries, so you can make this cobbler at any time of the year without doing any prep work.

Just like my strawberry pie with frozen strawberries recipe, all you have to do is thaw the frozen berries, add sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch, mix everything together, then pour the filling into an 8×8 casserole dish.

This cobbler was definitely good, but after making this cobbler, I decided to start cooking the filling on the stovetop first before putting the cobbler together. Many southern recipes call for cooking the fruit first, and after trying it, I prefer it. The next time I make this recipe, I will definitely cook the fruit filling a bit first.

Homemade vs. Storebought Pie Crust

Although the filling is important, I think that the crust is what really takes a cobbler from good to great. Using frozen strawberries to make the filling is a great time-saver, so you might be wondering if you can press the “Easy” button and use storebought pie crust as well.

You definitely can! Storebought pie crusts such as Pillsbury are a great way to make cobblers and pie quickly and easily. However, there isn’t quite anything like homemade, so if you can, I highly recommend making your own crust.

Adding the Dumplings

Even though it might sound off to some people, many old fashioned southern cobblers have dumplings, or small pieces of pie crust, in the fruit filling. These dumplings not only help to thicken the filling but also add to the texture contrast.

These dumplings soak up juice as the cobbler bakes, making them soft and pillowy. The combination of juicy filling, soft dumplings, and crispy crust is surprisingly delicious, so even if adding pits of raw pie dough to the fruit filling sounds odd, I highly recommend it.

However, I think that you should add fewer dumplings that I did in the video because, in all honestly, I think I went a bit overboard. About 1/4 to maybe 1/3 cup of dumplings max would be plenty.

Putting on the Lattice Top

Although you can certainly do a double crust strawberry cobbler, I decided to leave out the bottom crust and use a lattice on the top instead of a full crust. A bottom crust plus dumplings is a lot of crust, so I recommend using one or the other.

To make the lattice top, I cut one of the 9-inch pie crusts into strips laid the strips over the filling. Some people like to weave the lattice strips, but the filling is so juicy that I think it would be very difficult: my recommendation is to just lay the strips on top of each other.

If you decide to add a full top crust instead of a lattice, be sure to cut slits in the crust so that the steam can escape.

Baking in the Oven

Before I put the strawberry cobbler in the oven, I sprinkled it with 2 tablespoons of white sugar. The little bit of sugar on top gives the cobbler a nice bit of crunch and some extra sweetness, so I highly recommend adding a bit before baking.

Variations of the Recipe

Although I think this strawberry cobbler with pie crust recipe is fairly straightforward, there are a few ways you could switch things up:

• Double Crust
• No Dumplings
• Chocolate Pie Crust

Possible Changes to the Recipe

As I said earlier, I would like to change at least one thing in the future:

• Cooking the filling on the stove – I cook the filling in my other southern style cobblers, and I think that doing so would concentrate the flavors in this strawberry cobbler even more. It’s definitely worth a try.
• Add fewer dumplings – Dumplings are good, but I think I might have added too many. I think about half as many would have been just fine.

• Brown Sugar – Although brown sugar would negatively affect the bright red color of the filling, I wonder how it would affect the taste.
• Cinnamon – Some strawberry pie recipes on the Internet call for a bit of cinnamon. I think it would be interesting to try.

• Strawberry Extract – People lemon extract to lemon desserts, so why not add strawberry extract to a strawberry cobbler. Honestly, I am really curious how adding extract would affect this recipe.

More Cobblers with Pie Crust

If you love the combination of sweet fruit and crispy crust, then be sure to take a look at:

Seedless Blackberry Cobbler – If you’re tired of seeds getting stuck in your teeth, this

Strawberry Cobbler with Pie Crust Recipe

YouTube Video

Be sure to watch my YouTube video tutorial:

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