Easy 3 Ingredient Dump Cake Recipe

You won’t believe how easy it is to make this 3 ingredient dump cake recipe for a last minute dessert. All you need are the simplest ingredients in your pantry for a bubbly, warm, fruit filled cobbler that tastes like you spent hours making it. No measuring flour, sugar, or complicated pastry dough here.

If you are in need of a quick dessert to take you through those evenings where you don’t have the energy to actually bake, this recipe is perfect for you. The dry cake mix soaks up the rich butter and sweet fruit juices and creates a buttery crispy crust when baked in the oven. This is the ultimate comfort food.

It’s great for the holidays, or a nice treat for your family on a Sunday evening. All you do is pour the ingredients into the baking dish and pop them into the hot oven. You will love how quickly this dessert will be gone.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

My favorite thing about this amazing dessert is the amazing texture you get with very little actual baking skill needed. The bottom is a gooey, fruity layer and the cake mix on top of it becomes a delicious crumbly crust, like a traditional cobbler. You have all the warmth and cozy-ness of a homemade fruit pie but none of the mess or technique required to make it.

Another huge factor for this dessert being a regular on our dinner table is how little mess there is to clean up. All you have to do is dump the ingredients directly into your 9×13 baking dish and no extra dishes need to be used. Your kitchen stays relatively clean and you only have one dish to wash once everyone is done eating.

The Ingredients

These are all pantry ingredients to create your new favorite effortless dessert:

Cherry Pie Filling

Canned cherry pie filling takes the work out of making this dessert, giving you a sweet, thick fruit layer without any chopping or cooking. The filling bubbles up between the cake mix layers to give you those sticky pockets of sweetness. If you don’t like cherries, canned peach, apple, or even blueberry pie filling also work well in this recipe as a 1:1 swap.

Yellow Cake Mix

A box of yellow cake mix is the easiest way to get a buttery, tender crust to bake in minutes. The cake mix is sprinkled over the fruit, completely dry, and allows the butter and juice to meld together and make a crumbly cobbler-style topping. You can also try a white or French vanilla cake mix if you’re looking for a slightly different flavor for the sweet crust.

Unsalted Butter

The key ingredient in making this dessert is unsalted butter. Without it, the dry cake mix would never turn into a golden, crispy topping. Slicing your butter very thinly and covering the whole cake mix layer ensures that none of the dry mix remains unbuttered after baking. You could also melt the butter completely and drizzle it over the top, but this creates a crust that has a more cake-like texture.

How to Make It

Here’s how to easily assemble this incredibly easy, fuss-free dessert. 

Prep the Pan

Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish. A quick spritz of non-stick cooking spray will ensure the fruit doesn’t stick to the bottom of the glass pan after baking.

Pour the Fruit

Lay both cans of cherry pie filling in a single, even layer on the bottom of the baking dish. Use a spatula to spread out the fruit so there are no open spaces or heaps of cherries.

Add the Cake Mix

Sprinkle the entire box of yellow cake mix directly over the cherry pie filling, trying to distribute the powder evenly and completely covering the fruit. Do not stir the mixture at all.

Top with Butter

Slice your sticks of cold butter very thinly and lay them evenly across the entire top of the cake mix. Try to cover as much cake mix as possible to ensure the crust bakes up a golden color.

Bake and Serve

Bake for 45-50 minutes without covering, until the fruit bubbles around the edges and the top crust is golden brown. Let the cake sit for about 10 minutes before dishing it up and serving warm.

My Top Tips for Success

The biggest mistake people make when making this dessert is to stir the ingredients together in the pan. Leaving the distinct layers separate is the only way the magic happens in the oven. The butter melts and sinks into the dry mix and makes the perfect crispy crust.

If you see any dry cake mix still sitting on top halfway through baking, don’t worry. Pull the pan out of the oven slightly, add a very thin pat of extra butter on top of the dry spots, and put it back in the oven to crisp up. 

For a delicious, bakery-like crunch, sprinkle a handful of chopped pecans or walnuts over the cake mix before dotting it with the butter. The nuts will get toasted in the butter while the cake bakes, making an amazing, crunchy addition to the sweet cobbler.

Storage and Reheating

• Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• To freeze, tightly wrap the cooled baking dish in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
• To reheat, microwave individual portions for 1 minute, or bake larger amounts at 350°F until the fruit filling is bubbling.

What to Serve it With

• Serve warm with a large scoop of creamy vanilla bean ice cream.
• Serve with a large scoop of freshly made whipped cream.
• Serve with a cup of coffee or tea.
• Serve with a drizzle of warm caramel sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use fresh fruit instead of canned pie filling?

It’s possible to make dump cake with fresh fruit, but you’ll need to add sugar and cornstarch to make a sauce, so you lose the “dump and bake” ease. Canned pie filling is highly recommended.

Why is my dump cake powdery on top?

If the butter isn’t spread out well enough to cover the cake mix, it will be powdery. Try to cover as much surface area as possible, or drizzle melted butter over the entire surface.