Cooking Lesson #646: Tart Lemon Dump Cake

…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen

How you doin’?  A dump cake is an American dessert similar to a cobbler but with a cake-like topping. It’s so named because it is prepared by "dumping" ingredients (typically canned fruit or pie filling, followed by a boxed cake mix) into a cake pan without mixing. What could be easier?
 
The origins of the dump cake are somewhat unclear. It has been suggested that the name originated with a recipe published by Duncan Hines in 1980, although the name is sited in a number of American community cookbooks and periodicals from the 1970s, 60s and the even the 1950s following the emergence of prepared cake mixes after World War II.
 
It has been compared to the wacky cake, another 20th century American cake that does not use eggs and has a simple method of preparation. A typical dump cake recipe begins with adding one or more cans of fruit or pie filling to a shallow baking dish. A boxed cake mix is then spread on top. This is then topped with butter (in pieces or melted) and baked in the oven. Some recipes call for the addition of further toppings such as nuts or shredded coconut.
 
I know home bakers who replace the cake mix with a homemade combination of dry ingredients, and the canned fruit may be replaced or augmented with fresh or frozen fruit. This easy dump cake is the perfect balance of tart, creamy and sweet. The texture is soft with just the right amount of crispiness on the top after baking.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Bake time:  45 minutes
Yield:  12 servings
 
Ingredients 
nonstick cooking spray (I prefer Pam non-stick spray)
1 (22 ounce) can lemon pie filling
1 (15.25 ounce) package lemon cake mix
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, cubed
1/2 cup salted butter, cut into small pieces
whipped cream for topping
 
Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350⁰ F.
2. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Using a spatula, spread the lemon pie filling onto the bottom of the prepared baking dish in an even layer.
4. Sprinkle half of the cake mix in an even layer over the lemon pie filling.
5. Add the pieces of the cream cheese evenly over the cake mix, then top with the remaining cake mix in an even layer.
6. Add the butter pieces, spaced out evenly over the top of final layer of cake mix.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 45 minutes until the topping is browned and the cake mix powder has all been absorbed.
8. When ready to serve, scoop a portion of the cake onto a plate and top with whipped cream.

ChefSecret:  You can easily change the flavor of the cake by changing the pie filling and/or cake mix. For instance… substitute chocolate pie filling and chocolate cake, add some chocolate chips to the topping and, VOILA! you have a deep chocolate cake dessert. You can also substitute fruit filling and yellow cake for added flavor thrills.

Quip of the Day:  I'm not saying it's really hot this week but my neighbor’s wife was sweating so much she hydroplaned off the toilet seat and landed in my bath tub.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind.

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