Dump Cake Basics | Dump Meals

A dump cake is a dessert you can make in about ten minutes of work. Fruit goes in a pan, a dry cake mix goes over it, and butter goes over that. You do not mix the batter and you do not stir the layers. In the oven the butter melts into the cake mix, the mix turns into a crisp, cobbler-like topping, and the fruit underneath bubbles into a sauce. This guide explains the formula, so that you can make any of the cakes on this site or invent your own.

The formula

Fruit. About 40 ounces of fruit: two cans of pie filling, or the same weight of canned fruit with its juice. Fruit packed in juice or syrup supplies the wet layer. Without enough moisture, the cake mix stays dry.
One box of dry cake mix. The box is about 15 ounces. Yellow is the standard. White and chocolate work too.
Butter. One to two sticks, which is a half cup to a cup. Butter is what turns the dry mix into a topping.
Heat. 350°F in the oven for 45 to 55 minutes in a 9-by-13-inch pan.

Examples: Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake, Peach Cobbler Dump Cake, Apple Pie Dump Cake, Blueberry Dump Cake and Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake.

The pan

A 9-by-13-inch baking dish is the standard size, and the recipes here are written for it. Glass and ceramic dishes hold heat evenly. A metal pan browns the edges sooner, so check it five minutes early. Spray the dish with nonstick cooking spray before you add the fruit, because the fruit sugar sticks as it bakes. Use a dish with sides at least two inches high, because the fruit bubbles up. Set the dish on a baking sheet if you worry about drips in your oven.

A slower version uses a 4-quart slow cooker. Slow Cooker Strawberry Dump Cake lays a paper towel under the lid to catch steam. The topping is softer than from the oven, more like a pudding cake. Fill the cooker only to half or two-thirds, as for any slow cooker recipe.

Why the butter pattern matters

The butter is the whole trick, and the way you place it decides the result. Dry cake mix only turns into a topping where butter touches it. Any spot with no butter stays powdery and pale.

Thin slices, close together. Cut each stick into thin slices, about 1/8 inch, and lay them over the surface like shingles, with small gaps. The butter melts and spreads sideways.
Melted butter, drizzled. Melt the butter and drizzle it over the mix in a slow zigzag. This is faster and covers more evenly, but be careful not to pool it in one spot, which makes a greasy patch.
Cold butter, grated or cut up. Coarsely grated cold butter sprinkled over the mix gives a streusel-like crumb.
Patch the dry spots. After the butter is on, look at the surface. Any visible dry mix gets a small piece of butter or a few drops of melted butter.

Do not stir. If you stir the mix into the fruit you get a gummy mass and lose the crisp layer.

The amount of butter is a choice. One stick, a half cup, gives a lighter topping and leaves more dry spots to patch. Two sticks, a full cup, gives a richer, more cobbler-like top. Most recipes here use 1.5 to 2 sticks.

How to tell when it is done

Do not rely on the clock alone. The recipes give a range, 45 to 55 minutes, because ovens, pans and fruit differ. Look for these signs:

The topping is golden brown all over, with no pale, powdery patches.
The fruit is bubbling at the edges and in the gaps in the topping.
The topping feels firm when you press it lightly with a spoon.

With chocolate cake mix you cannot judge by color, so look at the bubbling and the firmness. If the top is browned but the fruit is not bubbling, cover the dish loosely with foil and bake 10 minutes more. If the edges are darkening early, cover loosely with foil.

One cake on this site has a different test. Pumpkin Dump Cake has a bottom layer of pumpkin, evaporated milk and eggs, which is a custard. Egg dishes should reach 160°F, according to the USDA temperature chart as restated by University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension. Check the center with a thermometer.

The dish will be very hot when it comes out. Let it cool for 15 minutes. The fruit thickens as it cools, and the first scoop will be easier.

Swaps

Fruit. Canned peaches, pears, pineapple, apple pie filling, cherry pie filling, blueberry pie filling, strawberry pie filling and mixed fruit all work. Use about 40 ounces. Keep the juice, because it provides moisture; only very watery fruit needs a little drained. Fresh or frozen fruit is drier and less sweet, so the recipes here stay with canned fruit.
Cake mix. Yellow goes with almost everything. White works with berries and pineapple. Chocolate goes with cherries. Spice cake goes with apple and pumpkin.
Spices. A teaspoon of cinnamon stirred into apples, peaches or pears adds a pie flavor. Pumpkin pie spice does the same for pumpkin.
Nuts. A half cup of chopped pecans or walnuts on top adds crunch. Leave them out if anyone has an allergy.
Toppings. Vanilla ice cream, whipped topping or a spoonful of plain yogurt.
Soda. Some cooks pour a can of lemon-lime soda over the cake mix instead of butter. That is a different recipe that is not covered here.

Common problems

Dry, powdery patches. Not enough butter, or gaps in the pattern. Patch them with butter before baking.
A soggy, pasty layer. The mix was stirred in, or too much liquid. Do not stir, and drain very watery fruit slightly.
Burnt edges. The pan was too small and the fruit boiled over. Use a deeper dish, or put a baking sheet underneath.
Sticking. The pan was not sprayed.

Leftovers and serving

Cover leftover cake and keep it in the refrigerator. Warm single portions in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds. Serve with vanilla ice cream. Dump cakes also travel well in the pan they were baked in, which makes them a reliable choice for a potluck or a church supper. Like any cooked food, they shouldn't sit out more than 2 hours; that matters most for the pumpkin cake, which is made with eggs and milk.

If you are new to the idea of dump meals in general, start with What Is a Dump Meal?. For the savory side, see Slow Cooker Safety.

Sources

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, Safe Cooking Temperatures (eggs 160°F). Clemson Cooperative Extension, Slow Cooker Food Safety (fill level for the slow cooker version). The baking method and swaps are general cooking guidance.