This is a simple cobbler-like recipe with juicy blackberries and a buttery, cakey topping made from cake mix. An effortless dessert that is indulgent and delicious, making it a popular choice for potlucks, family gatherings, and other casual events. You might also know it as a blackberry dump cobbler.
Dump cakes are family favorites around here and a growing category on this blog, and with good reason: they're a delicious easy dessert recipe option that uses simple ingredients.
Also called cobbler with cake mix, they're like a sweet casserole dish, a straightforward recipe to make with most seasonal fruits. And who doesn't love them served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream?
This is the sibling of the blueberry dump cake recipe, and it's one of our favorites to make year-round, together with the apple dump cake.
We're also fans of berries in general but take advantage when fresh blackberries appear. From blackberry cakes to blackberry muffins, they often appear in our kitchen during their short season.
Why is it called a dump cake?
The original recipe uses cans of fruit pie filling, a box of cake mix, and thinly sliced cold butter pieces.
The first two are literally opened and dumped into the baking dish, hence the name.
Then the butter slices are arranged (or melted butter poured) on top of the cake mix, covering it. A simple dessert recipe that became very popular among busy moms decades ago.
Why make this recipe
- Quick and easy. I can't emphasize enough how simple it is to make a dump cake. It comes together quickly and can be on the table in under an hour. A fast and convenient dessert with minimal effort. Make a 3-ingredient blackberry dump cake using canned filling.
- Make-ahead. You can make it up to 2 days before and have it in the refrigerator. Or freeze it for several weeks.
- Crowd-pleasing flavors: the caramelization of the butter and pineapple add a rich, indulgent taste to this dessert, with a burst of tropical flavor and a tangy sweetness that balances the overall flavor. It's especially good for picnics, potlucks, and other outdoor gatherings where you must feed many. In the summer, the fresh peach dump cake and cherry dump cake are huge hits wherever I take them.
Ingredient list
For the topping:
- Dry cake mix: the type you find in the supermarket or grocery store, whatever brand you want. I like yellow cake mix, but white cake works well too.
- Unsalted butter.
For the filling: store-bought or homemade.
- Blackberry canned pie filling. Any brand you like.
- OR - - Blackberries: fresh or frozen.
- Brown sugar: light or dark.
- Lemon juice: to add some acidity and balance the sweetness.
- Cornstarch: it’s used as a thickener. Argo 100% pure cornstarch is a popular one.
See the recipe card at the end of this post for quantities.
How to assemble a blackberry dump cake
As the name implies, this is a dump-and-bake recipe.
The original topping calls for sprinkling the cake mix evenly over the fruit and then covering it with thin slices of cold butter (as shown in the 3-ingredient dump cake).
I had some issues with too floury topping because the cake didn't mix well with the butter during baking. Eating dry parts of cake mix is not part of the deal.
So I changed how I make the topping and now combine the melted butter with the cake mix before sprinkling it on top of the blackberry filling.
The result is crunchier and bakes better.
The filling ingredients are mixed in a bowl and dumped into the baking dish.
The topping is made by stirring melted butter into the cake mix. The result has dry spots and that is fine.
Baking
The topping will not cover the fruit completely and that is fine, as the juices need space to bubble as the dessert bakes.
Vintage Kitchen tip: make sure the topping is fully baked. It may be golden brown and the juices bubbling, but lift some of the dough here and there to check that it's not still wet inside.
Family style desserts
Dump cakes are baked in ceramic or glass dishes and then taken to the table. They are not removed from the pan. Similar to fruit cobblers.
What type of dish to use
Choose a nice baking dish you like to showcase on the table. For me, ceramic ones are the best.
I served the blackberry dump cake in my favorite Emile Henry small ceramic rectangular dish. But they can be pricey.
There are several others, from rectangular ceramic dishes, and porcelain bakeware sets, to glass baking dishes or round ceramic baking dishes that work just fine.
Also, a cast-iron skillet fits this type of dessert if you like a Southern style.
Do dump cakes need to be refrigerated?
You can leave it at room temperature for a day. After that, it's best to refrigerate it. Fruit desserts are best kept chilled to prevent fermenting too quickly and going bad.
Can you make a dump cake ahead of time?
Yes, you can! And it's a great way to plan a dessert for a gathering. The baked dump cake keeps for 4-5 days in the refrigerator, well wrapped or in an airtight container. Let it come to room temperature before serving, or slightly warm it in a medium oven and serve it with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream. I don't recommend serving it straight from the fridge.
Can you freeze a blackberry dump cake?
Absolutely! And it keeps for a month. Cover it well, first in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil, and label it. Thaw at room temperature and warm slightly in a medium oven before serving.
Is dump cake supposed to be gooey?
The filling can be gooey as it forms a syrup when it bakes. A dump cake has a soft, syrupy, and juicy fruit layer topped by a buttery and somewhat floury topping.
Is it better to melt butter for dump cake?
It's not the traditional way; it depends if you like the topping crunchier or more floury. I favor melting it, and that's how I use it for most dump cake recipes. The topping integrates better as it bakes. Sometimes, the cake doesn't mix well with the butter in the oven. Eating dry parts of cake mix is not what I aim for. But if you like floury toppings, make the topping the old-fashioned way with thin slices of cold butter placed over the cake mix.
Kitchen notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time: keep in mind that ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer(like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Topping: after making many dump cakes, I tried several ways of mixing the cake mix with butter, and my favorite is by far the one explained here using melted butter. You can also do it the old-fashioned way, or the original one, as I do with the chocolate cherry dump cake.
- Filling: I like making the blackberry filling from scratch, but store-bought works like a charm if you usually use it. Just open a can! Doesn't get much simpler than that.
- Ratio: I find that a lower topping ratio to filling is ideal because it's crisper and tastes amazing without being over-buttery. But, as with most desserts, find your own ideal combination of filling, topping, and sweetness.
- Storing: treat it as you would a crumble or crisp, keeping leftovers in the refrigerator. You can freeze it for a month, sometimes more. Let it thaw at room temperature and warm it slightly in the oven before eating.
Related recipes you might like:
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Blackberry Cobbler with Cake Mix
This is a simple cobbler-like recipe with juicy blackberries and a buttery, cakey topping made from cake mix. An effortless dessert that is indulgent and delicious, making it a popular choice for potlucks, family gatherings, and other casual events.
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
For the filling:
- 1 can (21-0z) of blackberry pie filling
OR
Make it from scratch:
- 1.3 pounds (4 cups) of fresh or frozen blackberries
- 3 tablespoons (35g) brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup water
For the topping:
- ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 cups (370g) yellow cake mix (white cake also works)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C.
- Have ready a 9-inch round oven dish (ceramic or glass) or an 8x11 rectangular baking dish.
- If using store-bought blackberry pie filling, you only have to open the can and dump it in the dish, spreading it to cover the bottom.
Filling from scratch:
- Mix blackberries with sugar and lemon juice in the baking dish or in a separate medium bowl and then transfer to the dish.
- Stir the cornstarch with the water in a small bowl or cup until completely dissolved.
- Drizzle into the berry mixture and stir to integrate.
For the topping:
- Pour the melted butter over the cake mix in a medium bowl and stir until you have a crumbly mixture. It might be floury in parts, and that is fine.
- Sprinkle over the blackberries. It will not cover it completely, and that is fine. Don't stir it and mix it with the berries.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, until golden and dry and the filling bubbles around the edges, checking close to the end of the baking time by lifting here and there and making sure the topping is fully baked. If necessary, bake it longer.
- Serve warm plain, with a scoop of ice cream or dollop of whipped cream. And fresh blackberries if you want to.
Notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time: keep in mind that ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer(like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Topping: after making many dump cakes, I tried several ways of mixing the cake mix with butter, and my favorite is by far the one explained here using melted butter. You can also do it the old-fashioned way, or the original one, as I do with the chocolate cherry dump cake.
- Filling: I like making the blackberry filling from scratch, but store-bought works like a charm if you usually use it. Just open a can! Doesn't get much simpler than that.
- Ratio: for a crisper crust, a lower topping ratio to filling is ideal and tastes amazing without being over-buttery. But, as with most desserts, find your own ideal combination of filling, topping, and sweetness.
- Storing: treat it as you would a crumble or crisp, keeping leftovers in the refrigerator. You can freeze it for a month, sometimes more. Let it thaw at room temperature and warm it slightly in the oven before eating.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: â…™
- Calories: 570
- Sugar: 64.5 g
- Sodium: 428.4 mg
- Fat: 20.5 g
- Trans Fat:
- Carbohydrates: 94.2 g
- Fiber: 2.6 g
- Protein: 2.9 g
- Cholesterol: 40.7 mg
Keywords: blackberry dump cake
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