This berry dump cake is proof that the easiest desserts are often the best ones, since it takes just a handful of ingredients and almost no effort to turn out a warm, bubbling dessert everyone reaches for seconds of. A layer of juicy mixed berries goes on the bottom, a box of cake mix gets scattered right on top, and a drizzle of melted butter is all it takes to bake up a golden, buttery crumble that turns the whole thing into something between a cobbler and a cake. One of my favorite things about this recipe is that it works equally well with fresh berries in the summer or a bag of frozen mixed berries any other time of year, so you never have to wait for berry season to make it. There is no mixing bowl to wash and no fussy layering technique to master, just dump, bake, and let your oven do the rest. Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream for a dessert that disappears fast at potlucks, barbecues, and weeknight dinners alike.
Why this is the best Berry Dump Cake recipe
It's incredibly easy to make. Berry dump cake is one of those desserts that gives you a lot of flavor without a lot of work. Layer the berries in the baking dish, sprinkle the dry cake mix over the top, add the butter, and let the oven do the rest.
Mixed berry dump cake uses simple ingredients. Chances are, you have most of these ingredients already in your pantry and the remaining ones just require a quick trip to the grocery store or farmer's market.
Mixed berry dump cake is packed with sweet, juicy berry flavor. As the cake bakes, the berries soften and release their juices, creating a warm, jammy fruit layer underneath the buttery cake topping.
The texture of this berry dump cake is amazing. The top bakes up golden and slightly crisp while the berry filling underneath stays soft and juicy. It's somewhere between a fruit cobbler, crisp, and cake, which is exactly what makes a dump cake so good.
Berry dump cake is an easy dessert for potlucks, family dinners, birthday dinners, summer cookouts, and casual get-togethers. Serve it warm on its own or add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
What you'll need to make the best Mixed Berry Dump Cake
Equipment
- Deep 9x13 pan
- Citrus juicer - Fresh lemon juice will make a difference in your finished recipe. If you don't have a citrus press like this one, you can find instructions on YouTube for juicing a lemon with a fork. I've never done it myself, but I've heard it works pretty well.
See the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for all measurements and nutritional information.
Ingredients
- Berries - The beauty of this recipe is that it works as well with fresh berries as with frozen berries (no need to thaw). You can buy a bag of frozen mixed berries and have a delicious dump cake in less than an hour. Of course, if berries are in season, your dump cake will taste its best with mounds of fresh raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries. Chop the strawberries if you're using those.
- Sugar - For the best dump cake, you will want to sweeten the berries. This is what makes the berries make a lovely sauce. I know they're sweet the way they are, and if you want to leave out the sugar, leave it out, but don't say I didn't warn you. You can also use whatever sugar substitute you prefer with good results. I've used granulated monk fruit, and that worked great.
- Fresh lemon juice - Fresh matters. You will not get the same flavors from a jar or bottle of lemon juice.
- Yellow cake mix - You will use dry mix only, do not prepare the batter! The beauty of a dump cake is that you pour (or dump) everything in the pan in layers, and the oven magics it into a delicious cake. Trust the process.
- Melted butter plus more butter (or cooking spray) to grease the pan - Most bakers will tell you that they prefer unsalted butter, but I don't think it makes a bit of difference. BUT, in order for a dump cake to work, you have to pour some kind of melted butter over the dry cake mix. I don't make the rules.
- Vanilla ice cream for serving
How to make easy Mixed Berry Dump Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish with butter on the bottom and sides.
- Spread the berries evenly in the prepared baking dish.
Sprinkle the sugar
and lemon juice evenly over the berries. - Evenly sprinkle the dry cake mix over the top of the berries, breaking up any big clumps,
then drizzle the melted butter evenly over the cake mix. - Bake for 40-45 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly.
- Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Substitutions & variations
You can change the berries depending on what you have available. Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries all work well, either on their own or combined into a mixed berry dump cake.
Try a different cake mix to change the flavor. Yellow or white cake mix keeps the berry flavor front and center, while lemon cake mix adds a bright citrus flavor that pairs especially well with blueberries and raspberries. An orange cake would be similar to lemon.
Add chopped pecans, walnuts, or sliced almonds over the cake mix before baking for a little crunch. You can also sprinkle shredded coconut over the top.
For a lemon berry version, add some fresh lemon zest to the berries before adding a lemon cake mix. Orange zest is another good option, especially with blueberries or cranberries, and an orange cake mix.
Serve warm berry dump cake with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or a spoonful of vanilla Greek yogurt.
FAQ
Do I need fresh or frozen berries?
Either is fine. Frozen berries work well and do not need to be thawed first. Fresh berries work great, too.
Do I mix the cake batter?
No! The dry cake mix is sprinkled directly over the fruit. That's the magic of a dump cake recipe!
Can I use other fruit?
Yes. This recipe also works well with fresh or frozen peaches, cherries, or apples. We have a recipe for cherry pineapple dump cake that uses cherry pie filling, and we're working on a few more to share soon.
Storing leftover mixed berry dump cake
Cover completely cooled cake leftovers with aluminum foil or transfer to an airtight container and store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or oven before serving.
Check out more delicious Cake recipes
- Oreo Dump Cake
- Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake
- Pumpkin Dump Cake
- Easy Homemade Raspberry Pie
- Cranberry Crumble Bars
- Pineapple Angel Food Cake Squares
- Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Lemon Poppyseed Cake Recipe with Cream Cheese Frosting
Recipe
Mixed Berry Dump Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups mixed berries fresh or frozen
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 box yellow cake mix dry mix only, do not prepare
- ¾ cup butter melted
- butter to grease the pan
- vanilla ice cream for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish with butter on the bottom and sides.
- Spread the berries evenly in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the sugar and lemon juice evenly over the berries.
- Evenly sprinkle the dry cake mix over the top of the berries, then drizzle the melted butter evenly over the cake mix.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, until golden and bubbly.
- Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Heather S says
I love dump cakes, but I've never thought to make one with a bag of frozen berries before. It was so easy, and the cake came out so good. I'll be making another one soon.