How to Make a Dump Cake

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: October 11, 2022 References Tested

A dump cake typically refers to a simple cake baked in a pan, consisting of fresh, frozen, or canned fruit, dry cake mix, and butter. The ingredients are not stirred, which gives you a cobbler-like dessert. It can also refer to a simple cake, where all of the ingredients are mixed together in a bowl, and then dumped into a cake pan. They take almost no time to prepare, and once you get the knack of making them, the possibilities and variations are endless.

Ingredients

Blueberry Dump Cake^{[1]
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4 cups (400 grams) blueberries
½ cup (115 grams) granulated sugar
½ cup (113 grams) butter, melted (1 stick)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 box (18.25 ounces/517 grams) yellow cake mix
Whipped cream, to serve (optional)

Cherry-Pineapple Dump Cake^{[2]
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21 ounces (595 grams) canned cherry pie filling
15 ounces (425 grams) canned crushed pineapple
1 box (18.25 ounces/517 grams) white cake mix
¾ cup (169.5 grams) butter (1½ sticks)
Whipped cream, to serve (optional)

Slow-Cooker Dump Cake^{[3]
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4 cups (700 grams) sliced apples (4 medium)
1 cup (100 grams) fresh or frozen cranberries (do not thaw)
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup (100 grams) packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 box (18.25 ounces/517 grams) yellow cake mix
½ cup (113 grams) butter, melted (1 stick)
Whipped cream, to serve (optional)

Chocolate Dump Cake^{[4]
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1 package (5 ounces/cc grams) package non-instant chocolate pudding mix
2⅓ cups (cc milliliters) milk
1 box (18.25 ounces/517 grams) chocolate cake mix
2 cups (gg grams) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Vanilla Dump Cake from Scratch^{[5]
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2 cups (200 grams) all-purpose flour
1¼ cup (280 grams) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup (113 grams) butter, softened (1 stick)
1 cup (240 milliliters) milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs

Whipped Cream Frosting

1 cup (240 milliliters) heavy whipping cream
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon sugar

Method 1

Method 1 of 5:

Making a Blueberry Dump Cake

1
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2
Dump the blueberries, sugar, and cinnamon into the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch (22.86 by 33.02 centimeters) baking pan. Give the ingredients a stir with a rubber spatula to combine them evenly.^{[6]
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- You can also use a different type of berry instead, such as sliced strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries. If you are using raspberries or blackberries, however, you might want to omit the cinnamon.
- You can easily turn this into a lemon-blueberry dump cake. Omit the ground cinnamon, and consider adding the juice and zest of half a lemon instead.^{[7]
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3
Pour the cake mix evenly over the blueberries. Use the cake mix dry and do not stir it. After you bake it, the cake mix will form a crusty, cobbler-like crust on top of the blueberries.
- If you wish to make a lemon-blueberry dump cake, use lemon-flavored cake mix instead of yellow cake mix.^{[8]
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4
Pour the melted butter over the cake mix, but don't stir it. Cut the butter into cubes, and melt it either in the microwave or in a small saucepan over the stove. Pour it evenly over the cake mix. Again, do not stir. The butter will soak into the cake mix and make it moist.
5
Bake the dump cake for 30 minutes. It is ready when the cake mix crust turns a light-brown color.
6
Let the dump cake cool for about 10 to 15 minutes before serving. You can also chill the cake afterwards, and serve it cold. If you'd like, serve it alongside some whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Method 2

Method 2 of 5:

Making a Cherry-Pineapple Dump Cake

1
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2
Dump the canned fruit into a 9 by 13-inch (22.86 by 33.02 centimeters) baking pan. Stir the ingredients together using a rubber spatula.
- For a twist, try it with canned peaches instead. You will need two 16-ounce (cc grams) cans.^{[9]
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3
Pour the cake mix evenly over the cherry and pineapple mixture. Use the cake mix dry and do not stir it. Once the dump cake is baked, the cake mix will form a cobbler-like crust on top.
- If you are making the peach version, try it with yellow cake mix instead, and sprinkle ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon on top.^{[10]
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4
Slice the butter, then arrange the slices on top of the cake mix.^{[11]
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5
Bake the dump cake for 45 to 60 minutes. It is ready when the cake mix turns brown and bubbly.^{[12]
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6
Allow the dump cake to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. You can serve it as it is, or add a dollop of whipped cream (or even vanilla ice cream) for extra moisture.

Method 3

Method 3 of 5:

Making a Slow-Cooker Dump Cake

1
Lightly grease the inside of your slow-cooker. You can use butter or cooking spray.
2
Add the sliced apples, cranberries, vanilla extract, brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Stir the ingredients together until they are evenly combined. Save the rest of the ground cinnamon for later.
- You can use either fresh or frozen cranberries. If you are using frozen cranberries, do not thaw them. Simply toss them into the pot.^{[13]
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- You can use just about any type of apple for this recipe, but Gala, Granny Smith, and Jonagold are especially tasty.^{[14]
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3
Combine the cake mix with the remaining teaspoon of ground cinnamon in a separate bowl. You are using just the dry cake mix. Do not add the other ingredients listed on the box, such as the eggs or water.
4
Pour the cake mix over the apple mixture. Do not stir the cake mix into the apples. As the dump cake cooks, the cake mix will form a cobbler-like crust on top.
5
Pour the melted butter over the cake mix, but don't stir it. Cut the butter into cubes first, then melt it in the microwave or in a small saucepan over the stove. Once the butter is melted, pour it over the cake mix. Once again, do not stir the butter into the cake mix.
6
Cover the slow-cooker with a lid, and cook the dump cake on high for 3 hours. This slow-cooking process will give you an extra-moist, extra-flavorful cake. It is ready when the cake starts to bubble at the edges.
7
Let the dump cake cool a little before serving it. Once the cake is ready, turn off the slow-cooker and pull off the lid. Let the cake cool for about 10 to 15 minutes before serving it. For an extra flavor, serve it with a dollop of whipped cream; you can also use vanilla ice cream instead.

Method 4

Method 4 of 5:

Making a Chocolate Dump Cake

1
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2
Grease a 9 by 13-inch (22.86 by 33.02 centimeters) baking pan. You can do this using butter or cooking spray. Set the pan aside when you are done.
3
Cook the chocolate pudding mix and milk over medium heat until the pudding thickens. Set a medium-sized saucepan on the stove and pour in the milk. Tear open a packet of chocolate pudding mix, and add it into the milk. Whisk the two ingredients together to combine them, then turn the heat up to medium. Cook the pudding until it thickens, stirring often.^{[15]
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4
Take the saucepan off the stove, and stir in the cake mix. Stir everything together using a whisk; the batter will be very thick. Note that you are using just the dry cake mix, and not the additional ingredients listed on the box.^{[16]
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5
Pour the batter into the greased baking pan. Use a rubber spatula to help scrape everything out of the saucepan and spread it evenly across the bottom of the pan
6
Scatter the chocolate chips over the top of the cake. Do not stir them into the batter. They will help give the top of your cake an interesting design and texture.
7
Bake the dump cake for 40 to 45 minutes, then let it cool for about 10 to 15 minutes. You do not need to take it out of the baking pan. Instead, plan on serving it straight from the pan instead.
8
Serve the dump cake. Thanks to the pudding base, the cake will be very rich and moist. If you'd like it to be even more moist, however, you could add a dollop of whipped cream, or even a scoop of vanilla ice cream instead.

Method 5

Method 5 of 5:

Making a Vanilla Dump Cake from Scratch

1
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2
Grease a two 8-inch (20.32 centimeters) round cake pans. You can do this using butter or cooking spray. Set the pan aside when you are done.
3
Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl. This will help break up any lumps or clumps, and give you a smoother cake batter.
4
Add the butter, milk, and vanilla extract. Cut the butter into cubes first, before adding it into the bowl; this will make mixing easier. Also, make sure that the butter is soft, but not melted.
5
Beat the ingredients together using a hand mixer on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes.^{[17]
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Research source} You can also use an electric, stand mixer or even a food processor fitted with whisks. In a pinch, you can also use a plain old whisk, but it will take longer. Keep mixing until everything is evenly combined.
6
Add the eggs, and beat the batter for another 3 minutes.^{[18]
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Research source} Be sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl from time to time to ensure that you mix all of the ingredients. If you are doing this completely by hand, keep mixing until the eggs are completely blended in, and no streaks or swirls of egg yolk remain.
7
Pour the batter into the pans, then bake the cakes for 30 to 35 minutes.^{[19]
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8
Cool the cakes. Let the cakes cool in their pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes first. Then, remove the cakes from the pans and let them finish cooling completely before frosting them. The cakes must be completely cool, or else the frosting will melt.
9
Prepare the whipped cream frosting. In a mixing bowl, stir together the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and sugar; do not whisk the cream yet. Chill the cream in the fridge for 30 minutes, then beat it with an electric mixer on medium speed until you get stiff peaks.
- You can also use your own frosting instead. Buttercream frosting will taste delightful, but store-bought frosting will also do.
10
Assemble and frost the cake. Place one of the cakes onto a serving plate, and use a butter knife or an off-set cake decorating spatula to spread a thick layer of frosting on top. Place the second layer of cake on top of that. Use the rest of the frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake.
- Add some sliced strawberries between the cake layers for extra flavor.
- If you have any frosting left over, you can make little "stars" on top using a piping bag and a star-shaped decorator's tip.
- Garnish the cake with some sliced strawberries for more color.

Community Q&A

Question

Should dump cake be turned out of pan? Sliced? Spooned?

Community Answer

It's meant to be an informal dessert, so serve it however you wish.
Question

How long do I cook it before adding the melted butter?

Ann Hupe

Community Answer

You do not cook this dump cake at all until after all the ingredients have been used. The recipe indicates that after the dry ingredients have been "dumped," you immediately follow it up with the melted butter.