What Is A Dump Cake And How Do You Make One?

What if there were an easy way to enjoy a moist, delicious helping of homemade cake without spending all day in the kitchen? Handcrafted cakes are often reserved for birthday parties and special celebrations, due to their associated list of required ingredients and tedious baking and decorating instructions. Yet many at-home chefs who relish homemade desserts welcome the occasional shortcut. If you've been after a confection that fits into the category of easy dessert recipes you can make with 5 ingredients or fewer, a classic dump cake may fit the bill.

Dump cakes require only a handful of ingredients, one of which is a box of cake mix. The best part about these easily assembled confections is in their name. When making a dump cake, you do, in fact, dump the suggested ingredients in a 9 x 13 baking pan. And in just a matter of minutes, you're ready to pop your quickly prepared cake in the oven. 

You don't need to worry about cleaning leftover measuring cups or spoons; the dry ingredients required are solely found in that convenient box of white or yellow cake mix. As long as you have a can or two of fruit pie filling and some butter on hand, you're just one hour away from enjoying this convenient treat in no time.

If quick and satisfying desserts are your forte, a classic dump cake might be your new favorite go-to treat. To make a traditional dump cake, all you need is a box of vanilla-flavored cake mix, a can of your favorite pie filling, and 1 to 2 sticks of butter. If you're looking to make tart cherry dump cake, for example, all you need are 2 cans of cherry pie filling, a box of yellow or white cake mix, and a stick of butter.

What makes dump cakes so peculiar is the fact that they don't require any mixing. To assemble a dump cake, pour pie filling into a baking dish, followed by a bag of cake mix. To finish the process, drizzle melted butter on top of the entire dish. Because you don't need to mix these ingredients together with a spoon, it's important to use a spatula to spread out your pie filling before evenly sprinkling the cake mix and adding melted butter. 

In making sure your dump cake is evenly covered, you may want to cut the suggested butter into thin slices and place them strategically along the top of your cake mix. Lastly, dump cakes typically require 30 to 50 minutes of baking time. 

While making a traditional dump cake is fairly simple, there are many ways to tailor this classic dessert to your taste buds and dietary needs. Even though dump cakes are traditionally made with canned pie filling, you can't go wrong with any number of your favorite fillers. 

For example, besides dry cake mix, pumpkin pudding dump cake incorporates mashed pumpkin, instant pudding mix, and evaporated milk. You can also make a rich chocolate dump cake with chocolate cake mix, milk, instant chocolate pudding, and a generous helping of chocolate chips. What makes these classic dump cakes convenient is their reliance on packaged mixes. If you want to enjoy a delicious dump cake without the added sugary syrup found in pie filling and any potential additives in dry cake mix, you can make a simple homemade dump cake with a few alternative ingredients, such as using fresh fruit instead of canned or homemade cake mix instead of boxed.You can also add toppings, such as chopped nuts, more fruit, or whipped cream. 

Whether you rely on store-bought staples to make this tasty treat or take the extra steps to create a simplified version, dump cakes are a delicious and convenient dessert.