You Only Need Boxed Cake Mix, Butter, And One Canned Ingredient For Dessert Tonight

"Dump cake" may not sound like an iconic dessert. Maybe it's even left you wondering how dump cakes got their weird name. Name aside, this yummy treat is simple, easy to make, and super delicious. All you need to create a flavorful dump cake is boxed cake mix, cubed butter, and various canned (like pie filling) or fresh fruits. The base of a good dump cake is always the same. You start by placing your fruits of choice — think cherry pie filling and crushed pineapple for the classic take — onto the bottom of a baking dish. 

Once these sweet, tart fruits are spread throughout the pan, you literally (evenly) dump one box of cake mix directly over the fruit. After that, top it off with slices of butter, ensuring a thin slice covers every nook and cranny of the surface. Stick this concoction in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for around 35 to 50 minutes. You mainly want to ensure the top has a slight brown and golden look to it to give the dump cake that yummy, crackle-top-like texture. 

Take inspiration from the flavors of chocolate and cherry cranked to 11 in these black forest bars by using a chocolate cake mix. Pair the chocolatey cake mix with cherry pie filling to bring out complementary tastes. For an extra boost of bittersweet cocoa flavor, sprinkle on some chocolate chips for a gooey bite. Swapping out other fruits to curate a unique flavor is another way to switch up the traditional cherry and pineapple dump cake. Try making a version of a simplified peach cobbler by using canned peaches. The vibrant, creamy, slightly tart peaches pair perfectly with the buttery vanilla cake and butter. 

Another delicious idea — use lemon cake mix and blueberry pie filling to curate a fresh, springy lemon dump cake cobbler. The zesty lemon and juicy blueberries refresh the classic dessert. Want to double down on berry flavors? Make a base layer of blueberries, raspberries, and strawberry pie filling with a strawberry cake mix on top. The mixture of tangy raspberries, floral blueberries, sugary strawberry filling, and scented berry cake make for a one-of-a-kind dump cake dessert. Don't forget to top the treat with a simple vanilla ice cream for a decadent bite of altering temperatures of warm, fruity cake and creamy, cool ice cream.