Add One Ingredient To Any Dump Cake For Flavor Overload

Dump cakes are an easy-to-execute, old-timey dessert that have been a go-to for many years. The cake gets its weirdly iconic name from the method with which the ingredients are added — the components are simply dumped into a baking dish, no mixing required. Desserts don't get much easier, and taking dump cake's deliciousness over the top is a simple matter, too — just add cream cheese.

To get the inside scoop on this simple but scrumptious cake level-up, Food Republic spoke with Debi Morgan, founder and recipe developer of Quiche My Grits and Easy Party Dips. "First of all, a dump cake is an affordable and easy way to make dessert for your family," she shared. "It helps home cooks create a delicious dessert with very little prep and just a few ingredients. Adding cream cheese to the mix takes a regular dump cake from delicious to irresistible!"

The basic components of dump cake are pie filling, boxed cake mix, and butter (remember that some boxed cake mixes are better than others). The pie filling layer gets "dumped" in first, followed by the dry cake mix, and the butter gets layered on last (some recipes instruct melting the butter, while others call for pats of cold butter placed evenly over the cake mix). The addition of cream cheese makes the simple treat "creamy, luscious, and decadent," Morgan shared. "Once you add a cream cheese layer, you instantly add cheesecake to the recipe," she added.

To incorporate the cream cheese, Debi Morgan instructs first softening it by either bringing it to room temperature or giving it a 10-second turn in the microwave. Next, "add a little sugar and flavoring (like vanilla or lemon extract)," she details. "Use a hand mixer and blend until all lumps are gone." It should then be added by scoops to the cake pan on top of the pie filling layer. "Swirl it gently with a butter knife," she added. "Then, top it with dry cake mix and melted butter before baking. (I prefer melted butter to pats of butter because it provides better coverage and eliminates powdery pockets on top.)"

Morgan shares that pumpkin, apple, and cherry pie fillings pair particularly well with the cream cheese addition, though a creative baker can try a variety of combinations. Her most popular recipe, Pumpkin Pie Dump Cake, utilizes canned pumpkin and boxed carrot cake mix and places the cream cheese on top of the dessert as a frosting layer.

Other versions of dump cake use instant pudding mix and milk for the moist layer. Still others call for canned fruit instead of pie filling. The nature of the recipe is to use available pantry items and throw together a quickie dessert, so there's really no wrong way to approach it. "Blueberry (with lemon) also makes a delicious cake," Morgan suggested. "Go wild and create a chocolate cherry cheesecake flavor if you're feeling adventurous!"