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strawberry dump cake serving.
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5 from 5 votes

How to Make a Dump Cake

Learn how to make a dump cake with any cake mix and filling, then pick from 12 easy dump cake recipes — lemon cream cheese, chocolate cherry, pumpkin and more.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: how to make a dump cake
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 196kcal

Equipment

  • 1 9x13 baking dish

Ingredients

  • 2 cans fruit filling
  • 1 box (~15.25 ounces) cake mix
  • 1 stick unsalted butter

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9x13 baking dish, and set aside.
  • Spread the fruit filling in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly on top. Cut the butter into cubes, and arrange it on top of the cake mix. Add any additional toppings, if desired.
    2 cans fruit filling, 1 box (~15.25 ounces) cake mix, 1 stick unsalted butter
  • Bake 45-60 minutes or until the top of the cake is golden and the fruit filling is bubbly.

Notes

  • Saturate the cake mix with butter. Powdery, floury spots on top are the number-one dump cake mistake. Melted butter poured evenly gives the most even top; if you slice cold butter, lay it edge to edge and dot extra on any dry patches.
  • Don't stir the layers. Filling on the bottom, dry cake mix on top, butter over everything. The separate layers are what make a dump cake work.
  • Use canned pie filling or canned fruit, not fresh. Fresh fruit isn't as soft or sweet and doesn't give off enough liquid to soften the mix.
  • Doneness: the top is golden brown and the filling bubbles around the edges, usually 45-60 minutes. Let it rest about 10 minutes so the center sets before scooping.
  • Slow cooker: layer the same way in a greased crock and cook on high for 2-3 hours, until the topping is firm and lightly golden.
  • Storage: once cooled, cover and refrigerate for up to 4-5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Versions made with eggs or cream cheese should not sit out for more than a couple of hours.
  • Want a specific flavor? All 12 of my dump cake recipes are listed above, from lemon cream cheese to pumpkin.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 196kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 25mg | Potassium: 2mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 235IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 0.4mg