Blueberry Dump Cake
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With only 4 ingredients, it’s easy to put a delicious summer spin on an old-fashioned dessert, with this Blueberry Dump Cake recipe! Named for the fact that all of the ingredients are simply dumped into a baking dish, there’s not an easier dessert recipe out there. A combination of blueberry pie filling, cake mix, butter, and frozen blueberries, makes this recipe simple and tasty!
Table of contents
I grew up with my Grandma Meme’s recipe for cherry dump cake, but she simply called it cherry cake. It included a can of cherry pie filling, a can of crushed pineapple, white cake mix and butter. The exact origins of dump cake are unknown, but it’s speculated to have come about after prepared cake mixes went on the market in the 1950s.
This dish is similar to a crumble or cobbler, because it does not have a bottom crust, and starts with a layer of fruit or pie filling. Instead of being topped with pie crust, biscuit dough, or a streusel topping, it’s topped with cake mix to form a cake-like topping.
When it comes to throwing parties in the summer, I’m always looking for easy dessert recipes that I can take to a bbq, or serve at our annual 4th of July party. If you’re looking for the same thing, there’s nothing easier than this blueberry dump cake recipe!
This summer spin on my Grandma Meme’s original recipe also uses only 4 ingredients. Blueberry pie filling creates the bottom layer, while lemon cake mix, butter, and fresh or frozen blueberries create the topping. Everything is literally dumped into a baking dish, for the easiest 5 minute prep ever!
Serve the blueberry version of this cake hot out of the oven with a scoop of ice cream, or dollop of whipped cream on top. The next time you’re in charge of dessert, whip up this easy dump cake recipe and impress all of your friends and family!
Ingredients
- Blueberry pie filling – to make this recipe quick and easy, use canned pie filling. If you have fresh blueberries, use my homemade blueberry pie filling recipe. One batch of the recipe is equal to two cans of store-bought pie filling. The recipe is easy to make in 30 minutes, and you can make it up to a week in advance of making this cake recipe.
- Lemon cake mix – you can also use white cake mix or yellow cake mix, but I love the pairing of lemon and blueberries, and I think you will too!
- Unsalted butter – I prefer unsalted butter in baking recipes because it gives you more control of the end flavor. Different brands of salted butter contain varying amounts of salt, so it’s hard to be consistent.
- Blueberries (optional) – fresh or frozen blueberries can be used to top this dump cake recipe. They add an extra layer of juicy blueberry flavor on top, but definitely aren’t necessary to make this recipe. If you have some laying around in your fridge or freezer, sprinkle them on top for another pop of flavor and color.
Instructions
I’ve included step by step photos below to make this recipe super easy to follow at home. For the full detailed recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Grease a 9″ x 13″ baking dish. Pour blueberry pie filling in an even layer in the bottom of the baking dish.
- Sprinkle cake mix evenly over the blueberry filling. You can use a spatula to lightly spread it into an even layer, but do not mix it with the blueberry pie filling.
- Pour melted butter evenly on top of the cake mix. You want to cover as much of the cake mix as possible. But if it’s not completely covered, that’s okay. If you want to add the optional fresh or frozen blueberries, sprinkle them on top at this time.
- Bake the dump cake, uncovered, in a 350°F preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until it’s golden brown and the blueberries are bubbling on top.
Additions and variations
- Add a scoop of ice cream – when the cake is still warm from the oven, scoop it out of the pan and serve it on plates, or in bowls. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or homemade blueberry ice cream, on top and a sprinkling of lemon zest.
- Add whipped cream – a dollop of whipped cream on top of the warm blueberry dump cake also tastes delicious!
- Add nuts – my grandma’s original dump cake recipe called for nuts on top. As kids, my brother and I didn’t like nuts, so we’d make her recipe without them. If you’d like to, you can sprinkle a 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or chopped pecans on top before baking. Or for even more flavor, use chopped candied pecans.
- Add apple pie filling – to make an apple blueberry dump cake, use one 21 ounce can of apple pie filling and one 21 ounce can of blueberry pie filling.
- Add strawberry pie filling – to make a mixed berry dump cake, use one 21 ounce can of strawberry pie filling and one 21 ounce can of blueberry pie filling.
Storage and reheating
Store any leftover blueberry dump cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Or let the cake cool completely, then cover it tightly with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator. Do not store the cake at room temperature.
Reheat the cake in individual portions on a plate in the microwave for 60 seconds. Or reheat the entire cake in the oven. Cover with foil and place the cake in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes, or until heated throughout.
Recipe notes
- Do not stir the dump cake! This is one of the beautiful things about dump cake. You don’t even need a spoon to stir it. This recipe only works if you layer the ingredients. This way the cake mix covered with butter browns perfectly on top.
- You’ll know when the cake is done, when the top layer is brown and you see the blueberry pie filling bubbling up from below.
- The top texture of the dump cake should be buttery, crumbly and crisp. The filling should be gooey, but not runny.
- Do not follow the instructions on the box of cake mix to make dump cake. Simply sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the pie filling, then top with the melted butter and bake.
- To make it more like a cobbler, or crumble, combine the cake mix and melted butter. Crumble it over the blueberry pie filling before baking.
More dessert recipes
After making this blueberry dump cake, try these other tasty dessert recipes. And of course, save my Caramel Apple Dump Cake recipe for fall!
Blueberry Dump Cake
Ingredients
- 5 cups blueberry pie filling, or two 21 ounce cans
- 15.25 ounces lemon cake mix, or yellow or white cake mix
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Grease a 9 inch x 13 inch baking dish.
- Pour the blueberry pie filling into the baking dish in an even layer.
- Sprinkle the lemon cake mix evenly over the blueberry pie filling. Do not mix the cake mix into the filling.
- Pour the melted butter evenly over the cake mix. You want to cover as much of the cake mix as possible. But if it’s not completely covered, that’s okay.
- Sprinkle the blueberries on top.
- Place in the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes.
- Let cool for at least 10-15 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Do not stir the dump cake! This is one of the beautiful things about dump cake. You don’t even need a spoon to stir it. This recipe only works if you layer the ingredients. This way the cake mix covered with butter browns perfectly on top.
- You’ll know when the cake is done, when the top layer is brown and you see the blueberry pie filling bubbling up from below.
- Store any leftover blueberry dump cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Or let the cake cool completely in the baking dish, then cover it tightly with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator. Do not store the cake at room temperature.
- Reheat the cake in individual portions on a plate in the microwave for 60 seconds. Or reheat the entire cake in the oven. Cover with foil and place the cake in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes, or until heated throughout.
Nutrition Facts
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