You Only Need 3 Ingredients To Turn Cake Mix Into A Delicious Cobbler

Cobbler is a popular dessert (so popular that Texas dedicated peach as its state-official version of the dessert) that doesn't have to be complex to make. In fact, much like this three-ingredient biscuit cobbler, you can bake one up using just cake mix and two other ingredients: canned fruit and butter. Food Republic spoke to Trina Dekett, operations and creative specialist behind BaKIT Box, as well as a professional pastry chef and baker for over 12 years, for her expert opinion on why this trio of widely accessible ingredients works so well to transform into a delicious cobbler.

"Cake mixes usually provide the structure of flour, the sweetness of sugar and flavorings, and already have the chemical leaveners needed in one packet," Dekett said. She continued, telling us that using canned fruit — one of the most underrated canned foods — is also advantageous because it has already been saturated with the juice, which deepens the flavor; this means that, "like the cake mix, it's generally 'ready to go' in terms of ease of use," she commented. And, of course, the butter (which is an essential ingredient for homemade cobbler, too) lends the dessert a richness and softness.

Trina Dekett also came with instructions for us, detailing just how to use these three ingredients to make this sweet, simple cobbler. "Typically[,] to create an easy cobbler like this," she began, "you'd require one box of cake mix, about one to two cans of fruit" — the exact amount depends on your preference for the cake-to-filling ratio — "about one stick of melted butter," and then any added spices and garnishes you might want to include, like cinnamon or nutmeg, or even just a little bit of vanilla extract.

She advised using the "dump method," where you dump your fruit into a baking dish that has been sprayed with baking spray, sprinkle your cake mix evenly over the top of your filling, and then pour your melted butter over the top of everything. "Depending on your oven, I'd generally recommend baking at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 40 minutes to one hour," Dekett detailed. She explained that you'll know it's done by both sight and sound: The top will be golden brown, and the fruit will be bubbling.

You can make your three-ingredient cobbler the best-tasting dessert the first time (and every subsequent time) by following Trina Dekett's expert advice. "When using the 'dump method,'" she said, "do not press anything down!" She explained that doing so can create denser areas, which make for pockets of uneven baking, so just let things lie where they are when you put them in the baking pan, and resist the urge to flatten.

Secondly, Dekett insisted that, contrary to popular belief, when baking cobblers, you should not cover them with aluminum foil. "Covering only traps the steam," she told us, and you'll end up with a top that's not fully baked, while simultaneously overbaking the filling. If you're worried about the top burning, she suggested that you can lower the temperature by about 15 degrees partway through baking to avoid any issues. 

Finally, Dekett emphasized that you should always rotate your pan halfway through to avoid any hotspots in your oven — and you should absolutely follow through with this step if you know, from past experience, that your oven has zones where it runs hotter. Doing this also ensures that your cobbler bakes up nice and evenly, so it's ready to serve as soon as it cools a bit.