Our Ultimate Strawberry Cheesecake Dump Cake: The Easiest Dessert You’ll Ever Make

Have you ever craved a warm, sumptuous, cheesecake-inspired pudding but found yourself discouraged by complicated recipes requiring water baths and worrying about surface cracks? We’re thrilled to reveal that you can savour all the delightful flavours of strawberry cheesecake, reimagined as a cosy, cobbler-style bake, with just five minutes of preparation. Let us present what we believe will become your go-to dessert: the incredible Strawberry Cheesecake Dump Cake.

This recipe perfectly captures the essence of “simple luxury.” It’s a wonderfully uncomplicated, layered dessert where every ingredient is literally “dumped” into one baking dish and baked until gloriously golden and bubbling. The end result is a divine combination of juicy strawberries, creamy cheesecake swirls, and a buttery, crunchy cake layer. It’s the perfect choice for surprise guests, family celebrations, or whenever you’re craving something extraordinary during the week.

What Is a Dump Cake, Exactly?

If you’re encountering this term for the first time, “dump cake” might not sound terribly elegant, but we assure you it’s simply a practical description! A dump cake is an ingeniously easy American dessert that sits somewhere between a traditional cobbler and a standard cake. The fundamental principle involves placing fruit filling in a baking dish, topping it with dry cake mix, and crowning everything with melted butter. The key is that you never stir these layers. As it bakes, the butter trickles down through the cake mix whilst the fruit’s natural juices rise as steam, resulting in a glorious texture. Since no mixing bowls are required for the main elements, it’s truly a one-dish wonder.

Why We’re Confident You’ll Adore This Recipe

We’re certain this dessert will earn a regular spot in your recipe collection. Here’s why we treasure it, and why we believe you will as well:

• Incredibly Straightforward: This recipe is virtually impossible to mess up. If you can place ingredients in layers within a dish, you can create this cake successfully. It’s ideal for beginners or for enjoyable baking adventures with youngsters.
• Quick Preparation and Minimal Washing-Up: Without the need for multiple mixing bowls, preparation is remarkably quick, and cleaning up is refreshingly simple.
• Uses Pantry Essentials: The majority of ingredients for this easy strawberry dump cake are likely sitting in your cupboards and refrigerator right now.
• A Brilliant Dessert Fusion: It combines the homely appeal of a fruit cobbler with the indulgent creaminess of traditional cheesecake. Simply irresistible!
• Certain to Impress Everyone: We’ve yet to meet someone who hasn’t requested seconds after trying this. It’s always a hit at gatherings, outdoor parties, and Sunday dinners.

Ingredients for Your Strawberry Cheesecake Dump Cake

Here’s everything you’ll need to create this crowd-pleaser. The true beauty of this recipe lies in its straightforwardness and use of convenient ingredients that save you valuable time and effort.

• For the Cheesecake Layer:
  • 225g (1 block) full-fat cream cheese, brought to room temperature
  • 100g caster sugar
  • 2 large free-range eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
• For the Fruit Layer:
  • 1 tin (approximately 600g) strawberry pie filling
• For the Topping:
  • 1 box (approximately 430g) yellow or vanilla cake mix
  • 170g unsalted butter, melted

Important Ingredient Notes:

Cream Cheese: Having your cream cheese at room temperature is crucial. This ensures it blends smoothly with the sugar and eggs, creating a velvety, lump-free cheesecake mixture.

Cake Mix: A classic yellow or vanilla cake mix typically yields the best results, offering a delightful buttery taste that pairs wonderfully with the fruit and cheesecake. However, don’t hesitate to get creative! We’ll share some alternative ideas below.

Butter: We recommend unsalted butter to maintain control over the dish’s overall saltiness. Pre-melting the butter allows it to distribute uniformly across the cake mix, creating that coveted golden topping.

Step-by-Step Guide to Creating the Perfect Dump Cake

Ready to start? Simply follow these easy steps to produce a dessert that’s guaranteed to wow. There are no tricky methods here, just basic assembly.

1. Get Your Oven and Dish Ready: Begin by heating your oven to 175°C (160°C Fan / Gas Mark 4). Lightly coat a 9×13 inch (or equivalent 3-litre) baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
2. Prepare the Luscious Cheesecake Layer: In a medium bowl, combine the room-temperature cream cheese and caster sugar. With an electric mixer on medium speed, blend until the mixture becomes smooth and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl’s edges, then incorporate the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix just until combined, avoiding overbeating which can introduce excess air. This is the sole step requiring a mixing bowl!
3. Arrange the Fruit Base: Open your tin of strawberry pie filling and distribute it uniformly across the base of your greased baking dish.
4. Apply the Cheesecake Layer: Drop generous spoonfuls of your strawberry cheesecake filling dump cake mixture over the strawberry layer. Simply dot it around the surface—there’s no need for precise spreading as it will naturally settle whilst baking, forming delectable creamy pockets.
5. Add the Cake Mix: Take your box of dry cake mix and scatter it evenly across the cheesecake and strawberry layers. Try to achieve complete coverage. Remember, it’s vital that you don’t mix this layer.
6. Pour Over the Butter: Slowly and steadily, drizzle the melted butter across the entire surface of the cake mix. Try to saturate as much of the mix as possible—this creates that amazing, crispy, cobbler-like crust.
7. Bake Until Golden: Place the dish in your heated oven and bake for 45-55 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when the surface is gorgeously golden brown and the fruit filling bubbles enthusiastically around the edges. A toothpick inserted into the cake portion should come out mostly clean.
8. Rest and Enjoy: Carefully remove the cake from the oven and let it rest on a cooling rack for at least 15-20 minutes before serving. This cooling time allows it to firm up nicely. It’s absolutely divine served warm, especially with vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream.

Watch: A Visual Tutorial for Making Strawberry Cheesecake Dump Cake

Often, seeing the process in action makes everything clearer! For those who prefer visual learning, here’s an excellent video demonstration that walks you through each step, illustrating just how effortless this recipe truly is.

Our Essential Tips for Perfect Results

Whilst this recipe is wonderfully foolproof, these simple suggestions will ensure you achieve outstanding results every time.

• Don’t Stir the Layers: We really can’t emphasise this enough. The beauty of a dump cake comes from its separate layers. The golden rule is to resist any impulse to blend the cake mix with the filling.
• Ensure Even Coverage: Take a few extra seconds to distribute the cake mix and butter as evenly as you can. This prevents dry patches and guarantees every bite has that gorgeous buttery texture.
• Temperature Matters: When making the cheesecake layer, room temperature cream cheese and eggs are vital for a silky, smooth consistency. Cold ingredients often result in a lumpy mixture.
• Patience Pays Off: Giving the dump cake time to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving is essential. It emerges extremely hot from the oven, and this resting period helps the layers set properly, making portions easier to serve.

Creative Variations and Simple Swaps

What makes this dump cake with cream cheese so brilliant is its versatility. Consider this recipe your foundation and feel free to personalise it however you wish!

• Switch Up the Fruit: Not keen on strawberries? No problem! This recipe works beautifully with various pie fillings including cherry, blueberry, apple, or peach.
• Play with Cake Flavours: Whilst yellow or vanilla remains the traditional option, lemon cake mix creates a lovely combination with strawberry or blueberry fillings. For autumn comfort, try spice cake mix with apple or pumpkin pie filling.
• Include Extra Texture: To add another layer of interest, sprinkle chopped pecans, walnuts, or flaked almonds over the cake mix before adding the butter. A handful of oats can also create a delicious crumble-style topping.
• Use Fresh Fruit: Absolutely prefer fresh fruit? Go for it! For a 9×13 inch dish, use approximately 4-5 cups of sliced strawberries. Mix them with roughly 100g of sugar and a tablespoon of cornflour (to thicken the natural juices) before arranging them in the dish. For guidance on selecting perfect fruit, check out this useful article on how to choose and store strawberries from Good Housekeeping.

If you discover you enjoy the blueberry and cheesecake combination in dump cake form, we’re sure you’ll also adore our Tasty Blueberry Cheesecake Swirl Cookies Delicious Easy, which deliver similar flavours in a delightful, portable treat!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I substitute fresh or frozen strawberries for pie filling?

Absolutely! When using fresh strawberries, slice them and combine with roughly 100g of sugar and 1 tablespoon of cornflour. This creates a gorgeous, thickened sauce during baking. For frozen strawberries, let them partially defrost and drain away excess moisture before mixing with the sugar and cornflour.

There are dry, powdery patches on my topping. What went wrong?

This common issue usually indicates that the melted butter didn’t reach all areas of the dry cake mix. To prevent this, ensure you drizzle the butter as uniformly as possible. Some bakers prefer cutting cold butter into thin slices and placing them evenly across the cake mix. As it melts, the butter seeps through the powder. Either method produces excellent results!

Can I prepare this dump cake in advance?

Certainly! You can bake it the day before, let it cool thoroughly, then cover and refrigerate. Enjoy it chilled or reheat carefully in a 150°C oven for about 15-20 minutes until warmed through.

What’s the best way to store leftovers?

Store any remaining strawberry cheesecake dump cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The topping may soften slightly after refrigeration, but the flavour remains superb.

Our Closing Thoughts

The Strawberry Cheesecake Dump Cake represents more than just a recipe; it’s a wonderful discovery. It’s the ideal response when you’re yearning for something sweet but have limited time and refuse to compromise on taste. This dessert will have everyone thinking you’re a baking genius with minimal actual effort.

We sincerely hope you’ll try this remarkably easy yet absolutely scrumptious dessert. It’s the kind of warming, deeply gratifying pudding that brings joy to everyone and transforms any meal into something memorable. If you’re looking for another dessert that’s unexpectedly simple yet impressively sophisticated, we highly suggest our airy and delicate Cloud Cake Recipe.

So go ahead, warm up that oven, grab your baking dish, and get ready to be delighted. Remember to save this page, and please share your dump cake experience in the comments below!