Blueberry dump cake is a dessert for people who love homemade sweets, but don’t want to be bothered with anything too complicated. Mix fresh blueberries with sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, and cinnamon (just as you would for a homemade blueberry pie), then top with one box of store-bought cake mix. Pour melted butter on top, then bake until golden brown and the cake has puffed up.
It really is that simple! The blueberries turn jam-like, similar to the filling in a blueberry pie, while the cake puffs up into a crispy on the outside, soft in the middle dessert that is perfectly complemented by a big ol’ scoop of ice cream.
It takes about 10 minutes to prep, and within an hour you’ll have a semi-homemade dessert you’ll be proud to serve for any holiday, special occasion, or family gathering! It’s kind of got blueberry cobbler vibes, and we just love it. Blueberry dump cake is the dessert you never knew you needed. Until now!
Obsessed with blueberry desserts? Be sure to try our Blueberry Pie Milkshakes, Blueberry Crisp. or these Mini Blueberry Galettes next! Or check out all our easy dessert recipes for more inspiration!
Ingredients For Blueberry Dump Cake
- Fresh blueberries
- Granulated sugar
- Cornstarch
- Lemon zest and juice
- Ground cinnamon
- Kosher salt
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- Melted butter, unsalted
Essentially we’re making homemade blueberry pie filing — the exact same filling we use in our mini blueberry galettes!– then topping it with a store-bought vanilla cake mix. Pour melted butter on top, then bake. The combination of these three things is, well… divine! Seriously, if you’ve never made a fresh blueberry dump cake before, you’re in for such a treat!
How To Make Blueberry Dump Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Place a rack in the center of the oven.
- Make the filling. Combine 2-2 ½ cups fresh blueberries (enough to create an even layer on the base of the baking dish), ⅓ cup granulated sugar, 1 ½ Tbsp cornstarch, 1 tsp lemon zest, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, ¼ tsp cinnamon, and ¼ tsp Kosher salt in an 11″ tart pan or pie dish, stirring to evenly coat the berries.
- Add the cake mix. Pour 1 box of yellow cake mix on top. Spread into an even layer.
- Add melted butter. Melt ¾ cup unsalted butter, then pour directly on top of cake mix, trying to cover as much of the surface with butter as possible. Do not stir or mix.
- Bake the cake. Place the cake in a preheated oven and cook for 50-60 minutes, or until golden brown on top and the cake has puffed up.
- Cool, then serve. Allow the cake to cool slightly for 5 minutes, then serve immediately. We recommend serving with ice cream of fresh whipped cream!
Variations On Dump Cake
- I don’t have fresh blueberries. Can I use frozen? Yes! We always have Wild Maine blueberries in the freezer. No need to thaw or pat dry, just use in place of fresh berries.
- Can I use store-bought blueberry pie filing? You can, but we promise this dump cake is so much better when you make the filling from scratch!
- What other fruits or pie filling can I use for dump cake? Any fruits you like! Berries are a great choice (strawberries, blackberries, raspberries) — in fact, try using 2 cups of mixed berries! Alternatively, peaches, apricots, or other stone fruits would work great here. And oh my god, how amazing does a cinnamon apple dump cake sound?! Perfect for fall and cooler weather!
- Can I use other flavored box mixes? Yes! If you want to grab a box of funfetti cake mix or chocolate cake mix, you absolutely can. We haven’t tested this with brownie mix yet, but it’s next on our list!
- How do I make this in an 9×13 baking dish? Follow the instructions exactly as written, then bake for slightly less time, 45-55 minutes. Using a larger baking dish will result in a thinner cake, which will cook in less time than the pan seen here. The only note is to make sure you use enough berries to cover the entire surface of the pan or dish: add more as needed!
Tips For The Best Homemade Dump Cake
- Make the blueberry filling from scratch! Avoid using a store-bought pie filling, making it fresh is just so much tastier!
- If possible, use fresh blueberries! We haven’t been able to get our hands on wild Maine blueberries yet this season, but if you can find those, even better!
- Don’t skip the lemon juice and zest! The lemon juice helps to make a slurry with the cornstarch (and in turn thicken the filling), while bringing out the natural sweetness of the berries. Lemons and blueberries together forever!
- Resist the urge to stir the cake! No need to stir the blueberries, cake mix, and melted butter. Simply layer all ingredients in a tart pan, cake pan, or other baking dish, then pop in the oven. It’s hands off from there!
We can’t even begin to put into words how delicious this homemade dump cake is! It’s got all the best parts of a blueberry pie or cobbler, but is prepped and ready to bake in minutes! Amateur bakers and young children alike will have no problem making this, so definitely keep it in your summer dessert rotation! Best served with a big scoop of ice cream (coffee, chocolate, and vanilla are classics!) or homemade whipped cream.
Dreaming about making another cake already. If you make this Blueberry Dump Cake recipe, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below! We think you’ll agree it’s pretty irresistible!
Looking for more dump cake recipes? Be sure to try our Pumpkin Dump Cake as well as our Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake!
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Other easy dessert recipes to check out:
- Key lime cheesecake parfaits
- Cookie butter skillet cookie
- Cannoli cream parfaits
- No-bake chocolate mousse pie
- Rosemary shortbread recipe
Blueberry Dump Cake (with Yellow Cake Mix)
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 – 2 ½ cups fresh blueberries
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 lemon zested and 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp Kosher salt
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- ¾ cup unsalted butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Place a rack in the center of the oven.
- Make the filling. Combine 2-2 ½ cups fresh blueberries (enough to create an even layer on the base of the baking dish), ⅓ cup granulated sugar, 1 ½ Tbsp cornstarch, 1 tsp lemon zest, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, ¼ tsp cinnamon, and ¼ tsp Kosher salt in an 11" pie dish or tart pan, stirring to evenly coat the berries.
- Add the cake mix. Pour 1 box of yellow cake mix on top. Spread into an even layer.
- Add melted butter. Melt ¾ cup unsalted butter, then pour directly on top of cake mix, trying to cover as much of the surface with butter as possible. Do not stir or mix.
- Bake the cake. Place the cake in a preheated oven and cook for 45-55 minutes, or until golden brown on top and the cake has puffed up.
- Cool, then serve. Allow the cake to cool slightly for 5 minutes, then serve immediately. We recommend serving with ice cream of fresh whipped cream!
Notes
- Blueberry filling: you can use store-bought pie filling, but making it fresh is so much better!
- Fresh blueberries: if possible, use fresh berries. Frozen will work in a pinch! No need to defrost, thaw, or pat down.
- Don’t skip the lemon juice and zest!
- Resist the urge to stir the cake! Simply layer the ingredients and bake.
- How do I make this in an 9×13 baking dish? Follow the instructions exactly as written, then bake for slightly less time, 45 minutes. Using a larger baking dish will result in a thinner cake, which will cook in less time than the pan seen here. The only note is to make sure you use enough berries to cover the entire surface of the pan or dish: add more as needed!
I grew up making Peach Cobbler this way as a child. It wasn’t until my adult life that I learned that it was called Dump Cake. A friend of mine recently asked if I had a good recipe for cobbler and when I passed this along to him, he turned his nose up at the idea because it wasn’t “homemade”. His loss, BIG time, because it is so freaking easy and everyone loves it! Sometimes the simplest path IS actually the best one. Definitely give it a try if you’re a skeptic.
People don’t know what they’re missing out on!! Dump cakes are where it’s at. The peach version sounds fabulous! Thanks so much for the review! xo, Ari
Picking 4 lbs of blueberries means blueberry dump cake! Discovered this on vacation and the easiest, fastest crowd pleaser ever!!
Thanks so much, Susie!! We love how simple it is too, even the kids can make it themselves! xo, Ari
Can I make this a day ahead of when I need it? Also will GF cake mix work?
Hi Susie, I think this cake is best fresh. But it’s -really- simple to make, given that you simply dump the cake into a baking dish and pour the wet mixture on top. If you wanted, you could prep the blueberries + cake mix the night before, then wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate. When ready, melt the butter and pour it on top before baking. Hope this helps! xo, Ari