Peach dump cake is a sweet, buttery dessert made by layering canned peaches with cake mix and butter; it bakes into a cobbler-like treat in about 40 minutes. I pulled this recipe from the recipe box after my kids asked for "something with peaches but not pie". This is the version that gets requested every summer because the juicy peaches bubble up through a golden, crumbly topping that tastes like summer in a spoon.
This dump cake comes together in one dish with no mixing required. You are layering flavors rather than combining them, which means each component does its job without fuss.
Peach Dump Cake Ingredients
Here is what you need to make this peach dump cake. The canned peaches provide moisture and sweetness, while the dry cake mix creates that signature crumbly topping when the butter melts into it during baking.
- Sliced peaches in heavy syrup - The thick syrup is doing work here. It keeps the dessert moist and adds sweetness without you needing to add extra sugar. I drain one can to prevent the bottom from getting soupy, but keep the syrup in the other two cans for that perfect juice-to-cake ratio.
- Cinnamon - Adds warmth and cuts through the sweetness of the peaches. I use 1 teaspoon, but you can adjust based on how much spice you want.
- Yellow cake mix - Use it straight from the box; do not add eggs, oil, or water. The dry mix absorbs the butter and peach juices as it bakes, creating that crumbly topping. I have tested this with different cake mix brands and they all work, but stick with yellow cake mix for the best flavor match with peaches.
- Brown sugar - Sprinkled on top of the peaches to add a caramel-like sweetness and help create a slightly crispy top layer where the sugar meets the butter.
- Unsalted butter - Cut into thin slices and distributed over the dry cake mix. As it melts, it soaks into the cake mix and creates a buttery, golden crust. I use unsalted so I can control the salt level, but salted butter works too.
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How To Make Peach Dump Cake Recipe
Prep the pan
Preheat your oven to 375F and grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. I use butter to grease the dish because it adds flavor, but cooking spray works too.
Layer the peaches
Drain one can of peaches completely and pour the fruit into the greased baking dish. Then add the other two cans with all their syrup. Spread the peaches out so they cover the bottom in an even layer. You will see thick golden syrup pooling around the fruit.
Add the spices and sugar
Sprinkle the cinnamon and brown sugar evenly over the peaches. The brown sugar will clump slightly where it hits the wet fruit; that is fine. It melds as it bakes.
Top with cake mix
Pour the dry yellow cake mix evenly over the peaches and sugar. Do not stir. Do not mix. Just pour it on and let it sit there. You will see a blanket of dry cake mix covering most of the fruit, with a few peachy spots peeking through. This is what you want.
Dot with butter
Cut the butter into thin pats. I use the markers on the butter wrapper as a guide and distribute them as evenly as you can across the top of the dry cake mix. Try to cover the surface so the butter will melt and soak into the mix as it bakes. Some gaps are fine; the butter spreads as it melts.
Bake
Bake for 35-40 minutes. The top should be deeply golden with crispy edges where the butter has caramelized the cake mix and sugar. You will hear the fruit bubbling underneath if you listen closely. If the top is browning too fast, tent it loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
Cool slightly and serve
Let it cool for about 10 minutes before serving. The fruit will be the temperature of the surface of the sun (not really), straight out of the oven. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream if you want.
Substitutions
Here is what you can swap if you need to adjust this recipe.
- Fresh peaches instead of canned. You will need 6-8 medium peaches or 4-5 large ones to equal about 5 cups of sliced fruit. Peel, pit, and slice them thin. You lose the convenience of canned and you have to add sugar - I toss fresh peaches with ½ cup sugar and let them sit for 20 minutes to draw out juice before layering them in the pan. The texture is slightly different; fresh peaches hold their shape more and do not break down as much as canned. I make it both ways depending on what I have, but canned is easier.
- Frozen peaches. Thaw them completely and drain any excess liquid before using. Add 1 tablespoon of flour or cornstarch to the drained peaches and toss to coat; this thickens the juice so the bottom does not turn out soupy. Frozen peaches release more liquid than canned or fresh, so this step is not optional. Bake according to the same instructions.
- Different cake mix flavors. I tested this with white cake mix, spice cake mix, and butter pecan cake mix. White cake works but tastes flat compared to yellow. Spice cake is good if you want more warmth, but it overpowers the peach flavor. Butter pecan is my second choice after yellow; it adds a nutty richness that pairs well with the fruit. I do not recommend chocolate cake mix with peaches.
- Salted butter instead of unsalted. This works fine. The salt in the butter will come through in the topping, which some people like. I prefer unsalted so I control the salt level, but it is not a deal-breaker either way.
Peach Dump Cake With Fresh Peaches
For this recipe, you will need a total of about 45.75 oz (3 cans) of sliced peaches in syrup, which is equivalent to approximately 5 cups of peaches.
If you are using fresh peaches instead, you can estimate the amount needed based on their size and ripeness. As a general guideline, you will need around 6-8 medium-sized peaches or 4-5 large ones to yield roughly the same amount as the canned variety.
To prepare fresh peaches for the dump cake, peel and pit them, then slice them into thin wedges or chunks. You may want to adjust the sugar and cinnamon levels to taste depending on the sweetness of your fruit.
Peach Dump Cake Made With Frozen Peaches
Frozen peaches can be used in this recipe as a substitute for canned or fresh peaches. By following these guidelines, you should be able to adapt this recipe using frozen peaches without significant changes in taste or texture.
- Thaw the frozen peaches completely before using them in the recipe. Drain any excess liquid that may have accumulated during thawing.
- Place the thawed and drained peaches into the baking dish according to the recipe instructions.
- Since frozen fruit tends to release more liquid than fresh or canned varieties, you may want to add an extra tablespoon of flour or cornstarch to help thicken the filling and prevent it from becoming too runny.
- Proceed with the recipe as written, topping the peach layer with brown sugar, cinnamon, cake mix and butter tabs before baking.
- Bake according to the same instructions as you would for canned or fresh peach dump cake, checking periodically to make sure that the topping is golden brown and crisp.
How do you store a dump cake?
Here is how to store peach dump cake so it stays fresh.
- If you plan to eat it within a day or two and you live in a cool, dry climate, you can keep it covered at room temperature. Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil to keep it from drying out.
- If you live in a hot or humid climate, or if you are not eating it right away, store it in the refrigerator. Cover the dish tightly and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days. The topping will soften in the fridge, but you can crisp it back up by reheating individual portions in the oven.
- You can freeze peach dump cake for longer storage. Let it cool completely, then wrap the dish tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Label it with the date and freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Regardless of how you store your dump cake, keep in mind that its texture may change slightly over time as moisture is absorbed or evaporated. However, properly stored dump cake should still be delicious and enjoyable even if its texture has changed a bit. Dump cake can be stored in the refrigerator or at room temperature, depending on how quickly you plan to consume it.
Does a peach dump cake need to be refrigerated??
As with answers to most questions, this answer is it depends.
If the peach dump cake has been baked and is going to be consumed within a day or so, it can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container. However, if you live in a hot and humid climate, it's better to store it in the refrigerator to prevent spoilage.
On the other hand, if you have leftover peach dump cake that you want to save for later, it should be refrigerated immediately after baking. Cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place it in the refrigerator. Properly stored, peach dump cake will last for up to 3-4 days in the fridge.
Reheating Instructions
Here is how to reheat peach dump cake without turning the topping soggy.
- To reheat a single serving in the microwave, place it on a microwave-safe plate and heat in 15-20 second intervals until warm. The topping will be soft, not crispy, but the fruit will be hot.
- To reheat the entire dish and restore some crispness to the topping, preheat your oven to 350F. Cover the dish with aluminum foil to prevent the top from burning and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until heated through. For extra crispness, remove the foil for the last 5 minutes.
- To reheat individual slices with a crispy top, preheat your oven to 375F. Place the slice on a baking sheet and bake uncovered for 5-7 minutes, or until the top is golden and crispy again.
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This is the best homemade seedless black raspberry jam recipe made with fresh or frozen black raspberries.
While I try to share all the information you need to make this recipe in your home with restaurant-quality results, there still may be a question or two. Or these are questions I have received from the community about this recipe. I do my best to answer them as clearly as I can. I hope this helps.
Frequently asked questions, answers and tips:
Peach dump cake should have a soft, gooey texture with syrupy fruit underneath, but it should not be watery or soupy. The fruit layer releases liquid as it bakes, which creates that thick syrup that keeps the cake moist.
If your dump cake is too runny, it usually means there was too much liquid in the fruit or it was not baked long enough.
To prevent a runny dump cake, drain one of the three cans of peaches before adding them to the dish. This removes some of the excess liquid without drying out the dessert.
Bake for the full 35-40 minutes and check that the topping is golden brown and set before pulling it from the oven. If you are using fresh or frozen peaches, make sure to account for the extra moisture they release.
So while both desserts are delicious and perfect for any occasion, their main difference lies in the way they're assembled and their final texture.
A dump cake is typically made by layering canned fruit, such as cherry or pineapple, on the bottom of a baking dish and then sprinkling dry cake mix over the top. Butter is generally melted and poured over the cake mix followed by nuts for extra crunch. The result is a soft, crumbly topping over a gooey fruit layer.
A cobbler, on the other hand, usually has a biscuit-like topping made from scratch or using pre-made dough that's dropped onto the fruit filling before baking. This results in a more firm, bread-like texture on top of the fruit.
Ingredients
- 3 cans (3 cans) sliced peaches 15.25 oz. cans, in heavy syrup
- ½ Teaspoons (½ Teaspoons) Cinnamon
- 1 box (1 box) yellow cake mix 15.25 oz.
- ⅓ Cup (73 ⅓ g) Brown Sugar
- ½ Cup (113 ½ g) Butter Unsalted
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with non-stick spray.
- Drain one can of peaches completely and pour the fruit into the greased baking dish. Then add the other two cans with all their syrup. Spread the peaches out so they cover the bottom in an even layer.3 cans sliced peaches
- Sprinkle the cinnamon and brown sugar evenly over the peaches.½ Teaspoons Cinnamon, ⅓ Cup (73 ⅓ g) Brown Sugar
- Pour the dry yellow cake mix evenly over the peaches and sugar. Do not stir. Do not mix. Just pour it on and let it sit there.1 box yellow cake mix
- Cut the butter into thin tabs - I aim for about tablespoon-sized pieces - and distribute them as evenly as you can across the top of the dry cake mix. Try to cover the surface so the butter will melt and soak into the mix as it bakes.½ Cup (113 ½ g) Butter
- Bake for 35-40 minutes. The top should be deeply golden with crispy edges where the butter has caramelized the cake mix and sugar. You will hear the fruit bubbling underneath if you listen closely. If the top is browning too fast, tent it loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
- Let it cool for about 10 minutes before serving. The fruit will be molten hot straight out of the oven. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream if you want.
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