Fruit Cocktail Dump Cake
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Dump Cake is one of the easiest desserts out there! Simply combine fruit (in this case fruit cocktail!) and cake mix and butter for a delicious dessert with just minutes prep!
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How to make Dump Cake
Dump cake is one of those desserts that is SUPER easy and fun to try with different flavors. In the past, I’ve shared Apple Dump Cake, Sweet Potato Dump Cake, Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake, and Lemon Lime Dump Cake but today’s version with fruit cocktail is the actual base recipe I grew up making.
What is a dump cake?
Dump cake is often confused for a cobbler or crisp because all consist of fruit under a crust of some sort. Luckily, dump cake is much easier to make and every bit as tasty!
It’s a simple dessert combining fruit, cake mix, and butter. The fruit base is put in a casserole dish and topped with dry cake mix. Melted butter is then poured over the cake mix and it is baked. The butter and cake mix for a delicious crust over the fruit that is totally addictive!
What fruit can you use with dump cake?
Like I mentioned, in my family while I was growing up the dump cake was always made with fruit cocktail. Extra cherry fruit cocktail to be exact! But you can make dump cake with pie filling as well. I have seen apple, cherry, strawberry, blueberry, etc. Any pie filling would work as does the fruit cocktail.
How to serve and store dump cake
I prefer my dump cake served warm but many people like it chilled. Either way is fine! If you like it chilled, allow the container to cool before wrapping and placing in the refrigerator.
To freeze dump cake, wrap it securely with plastic wrap and store up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw overnight before serving.
Doesn’t that crisp, butter crust look absolutely delicious??
Dump Cake Tips
- the melted butter won’t fully cover the dry cake mix, pats of butter placed over any dry spots will melt while baking to ensure the entire topping cooks properly
- you can customize dump cake by not only changing the fruit layer but also by using different flavors of cake mix. some popular combinations are cherry pie filling and chocolate cake mix, blueberry pie filling and lemon cake mix, apple pie filling and spice or butter pecan cake mix, or peach pie filling and yellow cake mix
If you try this recipe, please comment and rate it below, I love hearing from you!
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Dump Cake with Fruit Cocktail
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
Description
Dump Cake is one of the easiest desserts out there! Simply combine fruit (in this case fruit cocktail!) and cake mix and butter for a delicious dessert with just minutes prep!
Ingredients
- 3 cans fruit cocktail with cherries
- 1 box butter golden or yellow cake mix
- 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Drain the fruit cocktail mix and pour into a 8 inch square baking dish.
- Sprinkle dry cake mix over the top of the fruit, covering it completely.
- Melt one stick of butter and pour over the cake, trying to cover as much of the cake mix as possible, it will not cover it all. Take the half stick of butter remaining and cut into pats (single serving size) and place pats on any dry spots remaining.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until crust is a golden brown.
- Serve warm or chilled.
Notes
- Store in the refrigerator up to 5 days.
- Freeze in an airtight container up to 3 months. Allow to thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: dessert
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 115
- Sugar: 9.2 g
- Sodium: 19.8 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Carbohydrates: 11.9 g
- Protein: 0.4 g
- Cholesterol: 20.3 mg
What size tins of fruit cocktail is used in dump cake recipe
My tins were 15 oz each.
Like you, this was the dump cake of my youth! Mother was a wonderful country cook and this brings back great memories. Making it tonight as a sister is coming for dinner. I can’t wait to share some memories with her. Thanks for posting!
You’re welcome, I’m so glad I’m not the only one this recipe makes nostalgic!
My Mom made this
And put brown sugar on the top when it came out of the oven delicious
yum! I’ll try that next time!
So good, the entire family loved it!!
So glad it was a hit!
Do you discard the juice from the fruit cocktail?
No, dump the entire can in!
Why do you drain the fruit?
3 cans fruit cocktail with cherries
Drain the fruit cocktail mix and pour into a 8 inch square baking dish.
just drain off the excess liquid so it’s not soggy after you bake it
I have no clue how to say in “my” world you Melissa with this recipe are now the official baker for the heroes of Valhalla and shall be worshipped by all who eat it so I just said it like that, so good so so good, I have been transformed into the ravager of mixed fruit dump cake, I am literally eating some warm right now as I figure out how to post this, I made it in a 9×13, I have devoured half of it during this posting quest and I fear the other half shall not survive til morning. Thank you for this recipe.
Update, I have exercised some self control I am now holding the other half hostage until noon tomorrow if it does not give me the information I seek ( like how to stop eating them) it shall be eaten at 12:01
Can I use a spice cake or pineapple cake?
yes, I would think the pineapple cake would be a better fit for the flavors than the spice however
I made this today for my family and they loved it. Both my husband and daughter are diabetic so the carbs per serving are perfect!