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.

Dump Cake: Easy Pumpkin Recipe with Few Ingredients

What Is a Dump Cake?

Originally created in the mid 20th century, dump cakes are a retro recipe that’s making a comeback. The first recipes called for pouring, or literally “dumping” canned cherry pie filling or crushed pineapple into a baking dish, sprinkling raw cake mix on top, laying pads of butter on top, and then baking. As the cobbler baked in the oven, the butter would melt into the cake mix, turning it into a sweet, crunchy crumble.

Can You Make a Pumpkin Dump Cake?

Although the original dump cake recipe had canned cherry and pineapple, since then professional chefs and home cooks have experimented with other types of canned pie filling, creating new versions. Given the availability of canned pumpkin, I was curious if a pumpkin dump cake would be possible.

Easy Pumpkin Dessert with Few Ingredients

I’m really glad I decided to be a bit adventurous because this pumpkin dump cake was a big success because it was delicious to eat and easy to make. Instead of rolling our pie crust or making pumpkin filling, all I had to do was open a few cans and boxes, pour them into a 9×13 dish, top with butter, and bake. If you’re looking for an easy fall dessert with just a few ingredients, this is it.

Pumpkin Dump Cake Ingredients

Like I said, this recipe is really easy because there are so few ingredients:

Spice Cake Mix – In my opinion, spice cake mix is what really makes this dump cake delicious. The flavors are very similar to the spices in a traditional pumpkin pie, so it works perfectly with the pie filling.

Pumpkin Pie Filling – Just like other kinds of canned pie filling, pumpkin pie filling already has spices and sugar, so you don’t have to add anything else.

Butter – Butter makes everything better, lol

Can You Use Canned Pumpkin?

Yes! Although I used pumpkin pie filling in this recipe, I think you could use 100% pure canned pumpkin as well, provided that you make some changes to the recipe. First, empty the pure pumpkin cans into a bowl, and then add:

1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice – Or, 1 Tablespoon of a combination of spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg.

1 cup light brown sugar – I think 1 cup of sugar would be enough for a 9×13 pan, especially since the spice cake mix already has sugar.

Can You Use A Different Type of Cake Mix?

Yes! As previously stated, I think that using spice cake mix is best since it’s so flavorful. However, if all you have is white or yellow cake mix, you can still make this recipe. Just add:

1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice – You could also had 1 Tablespoon of a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, and other pumpkin pie spices.

How to Make Pumpkin Dump Cake with 3 Ingredients

Although learning how to make pumpkin dump cake with 3 ingredients is easy, it’s still good to go through the steps in detail. This recipe is for a 9×13 dish:

Dump in the Pumpkin Pie Filling

After greasing the 9×13 pan with butter, the first step in the recipe is very straightforward. Hence the name, all you have to do is “dump” the 2 cans of pumpkin pie filling into the baking dish. If using 100% pure pumpkin, pour the contents into a bowl and add the spices and sugar before pouring the soon-to-be cobbler filling into a bowl.

Once the filling is in the baking dish, use a spatula or spoon to smooth it out. You don’t have to be perfect: this is supposed to be an easy, homemade dessert.

Add Extra Cinnamon?

Although both the cake mix and pie filling already have spices, I thought back to similar recipes I had done in the past such as apple dump cake. In those recipes an extra ingredient or two helped make them good, so I decided to add an extra 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon by simply sprinkling it on top of the filling.

Looking back, I don’t think the extra cinnamon made a huge difference, but if you want to add some more spice(s), go ahead. I just wouldn’t add more than an extra teaspoon.

Sprinkle on the Spice Cake Mix

After pouring in the filling, smoothing it out, and adding any extra spices, it’s time for the cake mix. Once again, this recipe lives up to its name: all you have to do is “dump” the cake mix into the baking dish by sprinkling it on top of the filling. You do not have to mix: just make sure the raw cake mix is sitting on top of the filling.

Smooth Out the Cake Mix

Without mixing it in or packing it down, take a fork or spoon and smooth out the cake mix, breaking up any lumps as you go. Just like with the pumpkin pie filling underneath, try to spread out the cake mix as evenly as possible–but don’t worry about being perfect.

Add the Butter

The hardest, most time-consuming step in making a dump cake cobbler is the last one: adding the butter. Although this steps takes a bit of time, it’s worth it. To make this as easy as possible:

Make sure your butter is cold – Be sure to keep it in the refrigerator until you’re ready for the last step; in fact, you might want to put it in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes to make sure it’s cold.

Slice the butter into thin pads – Use a sharp knife to cut the butter into thin slices. In each tablespoon of butter, you should be able to make 4-6 pads of butter.

Lay the pads of butter on top of the cake mix – Place them at most 1/4 inch apart, if not closer. That way, there won’t be any dry spots in the cake mix.

By placing pads of butter on top of the cake mix, the butter will melt down into the raw cake mix as the dump cake bakes, creating a crunchy crumble. Like I said–this step is time-consuming, but worth it.

Can You Pour Melted Butter on Top Instead?

I have seen some dump cake recipes online in which people pour melted butter on top of the cobbler and then bake. Although this is easier and faster, I think it would be hard to make sure some of the melted butter touched all of the cake mix: you would be guaranteed to have many dry spots.

However, a YouTube subscriber suggested freezing the butter, grating it on a cheese grater or in a food processor, and then sprinkling the grated butter on top of the cake mix. I haven’t tried that, but I think it would work, so if you give that a try, let me know!

Time to Bake!

After adding the butter, it’s time to bake. Get ready for something good!

What Can You Serve with 3 Ingredient Pumpkin Dump Cake?

Honestly, I think this pumpkin dump cake is flavorful enough to eat plain. However, whipped cream or Cool Whip and pumpkin pie is a classic combination, and I think either would be good with this cobbler, too–especially with a sprinkle of cinnamon as in my YouTube thumbnail. I’m sure some vanilla ice cream would be good, too.

Should Dump Cake Be Refrigerated?

Yes, it is recommended to store your dump cake cobblers in the refrigerator. I don’t cover them because the trapped moisture might make the crumble soggy.

How Long Does Pumpkin Dump Cake Last?

Your 3 ingredient pumpkin dump cake, like most other cake mix cobblers, should last 2-3 days in the refrigerator. Beyond 3 days, the moisture in the refrigerator will likely start making the crumble topping less crunchy, taking away from one of the things that makes this dessert so good.

Can You Freeze Dump Cake?

Yes, you can freeze dump cake. Simply place individual portions on disposable plates, wrap them tightly, and place them in the freezer. They should maintain their quality for a few months.

A Chef’s Review

Although I wasn’t sure how this was going to turn out, I really liked this easy pumpkin dump cake with 3 ingredients. Honestly, I don’t really care for pumpkin pie (I think my butternut squash pie recipe is a much better “pumpkin” pie), but I liked this a lot more than I thought I would because the spice cake mix crumble was so flavorful.

If you really like pumpkin pie, I think you’ll love this. For something with so ingredients, this is very full of flavor. It was definitely one of the best dump cakes I’ve ever made. If you’re looking for a fall dessert, this would be perfect for Thanksgiving.

Possible Changes to the Recipe

Although I think this recipe turned out perfectly, some ways in which you could switch up the recipe include:

A Different Cake Mix – I have heard of people adding pumpkin puree to chocolate cake, so I wonder how this would be with chocolate cake mix.

Chocolate Chips – Along those same lines, sprinkling chocolate chips on top of the pumpkin pie filling before adding the cake mix might be good, too.

Other Dump Cake Recipes

If this 3 ingredient pumpkin dump cake sounds like something you would like, be sure to check out my some of my other cake mix cobbler recipes.

Cherry Dump Cake

Blueberry Dump Cake

Strawberry Dump Cake

These dump cakes are not only easy to make but also good for crowds, so be sure to give them a try.

Other Pumpkin Recipes

If you can’t get enough of this classic Thanksgiving ingredients, be sure to take a look at:

Crustless Pumpkin Pie – This light, airy soufflé-like dessert has all the great flavor of the traditional recipe but with a lot fewer calories.

Pumpkin Dump Cake with 3 Ingredients Recipe

YouTube Video:

Be sure to watch my YouTube video tutorial:

The post Pumpkin Dump Cake with 3 Ingredients appeared first on ParnellTheChef.

Strawberry dump cake with cake mix is a super easy 3-ingredient recipe that’s perfect for summer! With just 2 cans of pie filling, a box of white or yellow cake mix, and 2 sticks of butter, you can make a delicious cobbler that’s perfect for beginner cooks. This dump cake has not just a fantastic flavor but also a beautiful color, the bright red filling making it the perfect eye-catching dessert for the 4th of July, Canada Day, or any other summer holiday. If you want to learn how to make strawberry dump cake, this article is for you!

What is A Strawberry Dump Cake Cobbler?

According to a QuaintCooking.com article, dump cakes are a type of cobbler dating back at least to the 1980’s, if not the 1960’s. Known for their simplicity, all you have to do is literally “dump” cake mix, some sort of canned fruit, and butter into a 9×13 dish and then bake.

For people who want a cobbler but don’t want to prep fruit or roll out pie crust, dump cakes are a lifesaver. Since all but the butter is shelf-stable, dump cake cobblers are great for when you want to make an easy and delicious dessert for a crowd at the last minute.

Dump cake recipes are very versatile, so you can change the flavor by using different types of cake mix and canned fruit, such as my apple dump cake with pie filling and cake mix recipe. In this article I’m going to show you how to make a strawberry version that is sure to be a hit with you, your family, and friends.

Strawberry Dump Cake with 3 Ingredients

As stated in the previous section, the basic dump cake recipe has 3 ingredients: cake mix, canned fruit, and butter. My strawberry dump cake recipe uses the same basic ingredients:

1. White or Yellow Cake Mix

When I make dump cake cobblers, I usually use white cake mix because of its neutral flavor. For this recipe, I recommend either white or yellow cake mix because of their neutral flavors, but I think that other flavors such as chocolate would be good, too.

2. Pie Filling

Although some dump cakes use canned sliced fruit, most recipes use storebought pie filling. Pie filling is already sweetened and thickened, so you don’t have to add anything other ingredients.

However, as in my cherry dump cake recipe, one or two extra ingredients can take the storebought filling to the next level. Your cobbler will be perfectly fine if you all you do is open the pie filling and pour it into the pan, but going beyond the basic 3 ingredients for dump cake will make a big difference.

3. Butter

The final of the 3 basic dump cake ingredients, butter is what turns the raw cake mix into a crumble-like crust. Most recipes call for slicing the butter into small pieces and then laying those pieces on top of the raw cake mix.

The small pads of butter melt down into the cake mix as the cobbler bakes, turning the raw flour and sugar into a crispy, crunchy crumble topping.

As you can see, the three ingredients in strawberry dump cake all have an important role in creating the amazing combination of tastes and textures. Later on this article, I’ll give you some ideas on how you can switch up the basic recipe to create new flavor combinations.

How To Make Strawberry Dump Cake with Cake Mix and Pie Filling

Although learning how to make a strawberry dump cake with cake mix and pie filling is easy, I think it’s a good idea to go over each step in a bit of detail. The steps are as follows:

Pouring the Pie Filling

After greasing a 9×13 pan with butter, the first step in making a strawberry dump cake is pouring in the pie filling. All I did was simply open the cans, pour the filling into the dish, and then use a spatula to spread out the filling.

Adding a Bit of Lemon Juice

Although using just the 3 basic dump cake ingredients would be fine, adding a bit more flavor to the pie filling will help elevate your dessert from good to great. So, I added:

• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice – As I explain in my strawberry pie with frozen strawberries recipe, lemon really helps to bring out berry flavor.
• 1 teaspoon strawberry extract – Feel free to leave this out if you don’t have it, but a bit of concentrated flavor always helps. Honestly, I would NOT replace this with vanilla–I think vanilla extract might actually take away from the strawberry flavor.

Dumping on the Cake Mix

Hence the name, the second step is “dumping” the raw cake mix on top of the filling. I literally just opened the bag and shook it while moving slowly over the dish so I could distribute the cake mix evenly.

I then took a large spoon to smooth out the cake mix, breaking up any lumps along the way. It’s important to remember to NOT pack it down or mix it in with the pie filling–just leave it as is.

Adding the Butter

The third and final step in my strawberry dump cake recipe is adding the butter. Most dump cake recipes call for first slicing the butter as thinly as possible so you can place pads of butter on top of the cobbler.

When laying the butter on top, it’s important to put them fairly close together, roughly 1/4″ apart, if not closer. At the same time, you have to make sure that they are distributed as evenly as possible.

Although this step may seem odd, it allows the butter to melt down and spread out as the dump cake bakes, moistening the cake mix and turning it into a crumble topping. If you’ve never made a strawberry dump cake before, you’ll be surprised by just how well this works out–it’s almost like magic.

Cold Butter

Whenever you’re working with butter, it’s easier if the butter is cold. Even though I have the butter off to the side at the beginning of the video tutorial, I put it back into the refrigerator to keep it cold.

It is much easier to slice cold butter, so be sure to keep your butter in the refrigerator until you’re ready to slice it. You might even want to put it in the freezer for a few minutes–just make sure it isn’t frozen.

Grating Frozen Butter

A YouTube subscriber commented on one of my dump cake recipes and suggested perhaps freezing the butter, grating it on a cheese grater, then sprinkling the grated butter on top of the cobbler. I’ve never tried that, but I think it would be easier than cutting the butter into thin slices.

Can You Melt The Butter and Pour It Over The Dump Cake?

Although pouring melted butter over the top would be faster, I don’t recommend doing that. I think it would be hard to pour the butter over the top evenly, so there’d probably be a few dry spots.

As with many things, slowing down and taking a bit of time to put in some extra effort pays off. However, if you do melt the butter first, please let me know how your cobbler turns out!

How Long to Bake Strawberry Dump Cake?

I baked my strawberry dump cake at 350F, uncovered, for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Ovens vary, so I would check on your cobbler at around the one hour mark to make sure it doesn’t burn.

How Do You Know It’s Done?

You know dump cake is done when the top is fully moistened from the melted butter and has turned a beautiful golden brown. The filling will likely be bubbling up through the cake mix crust in a few places, too.

Should Dump Cake Be Refrigerated?

Food safety experts recommend refrigerating most foods, and dump cakes are no exception. Even though I normally don’t refrigerate my pies or cobblers (most food safety experts recommend refrigerating all baked goods, but I’ve never a problem), I did this time.

Once fully cooled, refrigerated your dump cake, uncovered, to keep it fresh.

How Long does Strawberry Dump Cake Keep?

I had small pieces over the course of a few days, and I think the strawberry dump cake maintained its freshness for about 2 days. After 48 hours, the humidity in the refrigerator made the cake mix crumble soggy.

Although a soggy crust probably isn’t dangerous to your health, the loss of the crispy texture affects the overall experience. So, I recommend finishing your cobbler with 48 hours of putting it in the refrigerator.

Can Dump Cake Be Reheated?

After eating the first piece of my strawberry dump cake warm, I ate all the others cold. However, if you want to reheat your dump cake, I recommend putting individual slices in the microwave for 30-second ingredients on high, checking after each increment to see if it’s warmed through.

Can You Freeze Strawberry Dump Cake?

Even though I’ve never done it, yes, you can freeze strawberry dump cake. Cut the cobbler into individual slices, place on paper or plastic plates, wrap in plastic wrap or foil, and then freeze.

When ready to serve, simply remove from the freezer and microwave or bake until reheated–no need to thaw first. Your cobbler slices should keep in the freezer for about 3 months.

A Chef’s Review

Honestly, I was surprised by how much I liked this strawberry dump cake with cake mix and pie filling. Like I said earlier, dump cakes don’t have as much flavor as old fashioned cobblers do, but the strawberry flavor was strong than I was expecting. Together with the texture and color, this was a big success.

Serving Suggestions

Although this strawberry dump cake was delicious on its own, it would also be good with ice cream, Cool Whip, or whipped cream. A strong cup of coffee would be good as well if you want something to cut the sweetness a bit.

Possible Changes to the Recipe

Although this strawberry dump cake cobblers was a success, here are ways you could switch things up:

Additions to Filling

• Orange or Lime Juice – Although I think lemon is best, experimenting with other citrus could be interesting.
• Cinnamon – Once again, less is more, but a bit of cinnamon would be a good way to “spice things up.”

Other Types of Cake Mix

Besides white or yellow cake mix, you might want to try:

• Chocolate Cake Mix
• Strawberry Cake Mix
• Lemon Cake Mix
• Spice Cake Mix

More Strawberry Desserts

If you love strawberries, then you’ll want to try some of my other recipes:

Easy Strawberry Fudge Recipe – With just 2 minutes in the microwave, you can make homemade candy!

Strawberry Pie with Frozen Strawberries – Using frozen berries allows you to make pie anywhere, anytime.

Easy 3-Ingredient Dump Cake Recipes

If you liked the easy of this 3-ingredient strawberry dump cake, be sure to try similar recipes on my site:

3-Ingredient Blackberry Dump Cake – The golden brown top and deep purple filling look great together.

Strawberry Dump Cake with Cake Mix Recipe

YouTube Video

Be sure to watch my YouTube video tutorial:

The post Strawberry Dump Cake with Cake Mix appeared first on ParnellTheChef.