Strawberry Cheesecake Dump Cake

If you thought making boxed cake couldn’t get any easier, you may want to think again. Dump cakes, made by essentially dumping ingredients—hence the clever name—into a pan (without mixing them) and baking them to form a cobbler-like dessert, are arguably as fuss-free as baking gets. This strawberry cheesecake dump cake is a shining strawberry dessert that takes minutes to get in the oven but tastes like the best of summer.

This easy dump cake recipe calls for just five simple ingredients, four of which are layered in a pan before going into the oven to get nice and bubbly. Canned strawberry pie filling, yellow cake mix, cream cheese cubes and melted butter come together to form a sweet, vibrantly colored dessert. Cool it just enough to eat, and add a few dollops of whipped cream to seal the deal. It’s really almost too easy to be true.

Ingredients for Strawberry Cheesecake Dump Cake

• Strawberry pie filling: This dump cake uses strawberry pie filling for fruity flavor and sweetness. Canned pie filling is already thickened, so it won’t become too runny in the oven.
• Yellow cake mix: When baked, the dry yellow cake mix will clump together in bits and pieces to give the dump cake its cobbler-like texture.
• Cream cheese: Cubing the cream cheese ahead of time helps it evenly disperse throughout the dump cake, creating small pockets throughout the dessert.
• Butter: Melted butter moistens the dry cake mix and helps the ingredients bind together.
• Whipped cream: Serve the warm cake with whipped cream for a light, creamy touch. This is the perfect reason to make homemade whipped cream.

Directions

Step 1: Prepare the dump cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the pie filling into a greased 13×9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with one box of cake mix, then dot with the cream cheese. Cover with the remaining box of cake mix.

Pour the melted butter over the cake mix.

Step 2: Bake the cake

Bake until the top is set and the filling is bubbly, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then serve it warm with whipped cream.

Strawberry Cheesecake Dump Cake Variations

• Use a different pie filling: If you prefer a different fruit, replace the strawberry pie filling with another tasty option, like blueberry, cherry or peach.
• Change up the topping: Whipped cream is delicious, but I would also gladly serve this with a scoop of vanilla, strawberry, pistachio or butter pecan ice cream. To hammer home the berry taste, top the whipped cream or ice cream with fresh berries tossed in a pinch of sugar until juicy—it’ll taste like cheesecake meets strawberry shortcake.
• Try another cake mix flavor: Swap in another flavor cake mix you prefer, such as vanilla or chocolate, for the yellow cake mix in this easy strawberry cheesecake dump cake. To keep it really fruity, try a lemon or strawberry cake mix.
• Make homemade pie filling: If you have a berry bounty from a day of strawberry picking, follow the steps in our homemade cherry pie filling recipe using fresh strawberries. Strawberries have a lot of natural pectin, which helps them gel when cooked. If your homemade pie filling is a little too thick, add a bit more water so it spreads in the cake pan.

How to Store Strawberry Cheesecake Dump Cake

Store strawberry cheesecake dump cake in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to seven days. You can reheat individual servings in the microwave or put the baking dish, covered, back in the oven at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes.

Can you make strawberry cheesecake dump cake ahead of time?

It’s best to prepare this strawberry cheesecake dump cake recipe only a few minutes before baking so the cake mix hydrates and bakes properly. If you bake the whole cake ahead of time, you can rewarm it in the oven, but it won’t be as saucy or crisp on top as when it’s freshly baked.

Strawberry Cheesecake Dump Cake Tips

What is the biggest mistake to avoid when making a dump cake?

We know it’s tempting, but don’t mix the ingredients! As the name implies, the dessert relies on layering rather than mixing the ingredients. This unique method helps form a crumble-like topping over a rich, jammy strawberry base.

Is dump cake supposed to be gooey?

Unlike traditional cake with a firmer, sponge-like consistency, a dump cake should be slightly gooey, like a fruit pie. The topping bakes over bubbling fruit, giving the interior an almost custardy texture.

How do you know when a dump cake is done?

To tell when this dump cake is done, look and carefully press the cake topping to see if the surface has set and check for bubbling fruit around all sides of the pan. Also, it should be lightly browned on top with bits of strawberry pie filling rising through the cracks. A dump cake’s unique layering method means traditional cake doneness tests won’t work very well here.