Easy Strawberry Cheesecake Dump Cake

Introduction & Inspiration

If you’re looking for maximum dessert deliciousness with truly minimal effort, you absolutely have to try this Strawberry Cheesecake Dump Cake! Following the brilliantly simple “dump cake” method, this recipe layers sweet strawberry pie filling, a quick and tangy cream cheese mixture, and a buttery cake mix topping all in one pan before baking. The result is a warm, gooey, comforting dessert that tastes like strawberry cheesecake met a fruit cobbler.

My inspiration for this recipe is pure convenience and comfort. Dump cakes are legendary for being easy, and combining that method with the beloved flavors of strawberry cheesecake seemed like a guaranteed win. It’s perfect for those times you need a dessert fast, without a sink full of mixing bowls!

This dump cake is ideal for potlucks, family dinners, or anytime you crave a sweet, fruity, creamy treat without any complicated steps. Just layer, bake, and enjoy! It is a perfect dessert for beginners.

Nostalgic Appeal / Comfort Factor

Dump cakes are the ultimate nostalgic potluck dessert for many people. They represent simple, satisfying sweetness and the ease of community cookbook recipes. Strawberry and cheesecake flavors are also deeply comforting and widely loved, associated with classic pies, bars, and celebrations.

This recipe combines the nostalgic ease of the dump cake method with the comforting, popular flavors of strawberry cheesecake. The warm, gooey fruit filling, the creamy cheesecake layer, and the buttery cake topping hit all the right notes for a satisfying comfort food experience.

It’s a simple, unpretentious dessert that delivers big on familiar, crowd-pleasing flavor. A perfect dessert to share.

Homemade Focus (Ultra-Easy Assembly)

Let’s celebrate the genius of simplicity! This recipe relies heavily on convenient pantry staples like canned strawberry pie filling and boxed cake mix. The “homemade” magic here lies entirely in the assembly – the simple act of layering these ingredients, along with a quick, homemade cream cheese mixture, creates a unique and delicious baked dessert.

There’s no intricate batter or frosting to make from scratch. The focus is on the ease of putting together something warm, sweet, and satisfying using these clever shortcuts. It’s homemade in the sense that it comes freshly baked from your oven!

This recipe is perfect for proving that you don’t need complex skills or hours of time to create a crowd-pleasing dessert at home. The perfect balance between homemade and store-bought.

Flavor Goal

The primary flavor goal is a sweet, fruity, and creamy dessert reminiscent of strawberry cheesecake, with a buttery, slightly crumbly cake topping. The strawberry pie filling should provide intense, sweet strawberry flavor and a gooey texture.

The cream cheese layer adds a crucial tangy, creamy counterpoint, balancing the sweetness of the pie filling and cake mix. The cake mix, combined with melted butter and milk, bakes into a tender, buttery topping that’s part crust, part crumble.

The overall experience should be warm, gooey, sweet, tangy, fruity, and buttery – a delightful medley of comforting flavors and soft textures. A perfect combination of flavour and texture.

Ingredient Insights

• Strawberry Pie Filling (Canned, 21 oz): The quick and easy fruit base. Provides intense strawberry flavor, sweetness, and the gooey texture.
• Cream Cheese (Softened): The foundation of the cheesecake layer. Use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese, properly softened for smooth mixing.
• Sugar (Granulated): Sweetens the cream cheese layer.
• Vanilla Extract: Adds flavor depth to the cream cheese layer.
• Yellow or White Cake Mix (Dry): Used directly from the box, uncooked. Forms the top crumble/crust layer when combined with liquids during baking. Lemon cake mix is noted as an option for extra flavor.
• Butter (Melted): Drizzled over the dry cake mix, providing richness and moisture to help form the topping.
• Milk: Also drizzled over the dry cake mix along with the butter, providing necessary moisture for the topping to bake properly rather than remaining powdery.
• Optional Garnishes (Powdered Sugar, Fresh Strawberries, Whipped Cream): For presentation and added freshness.

Essential Equipment

• 9×13 Inch Baking Pan: Standard size for dump cakes. Needs to be greased.
• Medium Bowl: For mixing the cream cheese layer.
• Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand Mixer): Optional but very helpful for getting the cream cheese mixture smooth quickly. A whisk or sturdy spoon also works.
• Spatula or Spoon: For spreading layers.
• Measuring Cups & Spoons:

Ingredients

(Based on 1x column)

• 1 can (21 oz) Strawberry Pie Filling
• 8 oz Cream Cheese (1 block), softened
• ¼ cup Granulated Sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 box Yellow or White Cake Mix (standard 15.25 oz size)
• ½ cup Unsalted Butter, melted
• ¼ cup Milk

Optional for Serving:

• Powdered sugar for dusting
• Fresh strawberries
• Whipped cream

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan:

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Generously grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.

2. Layer the Strawberry Filling:

• Spread the entire can of strawberry pie filling evenly over the bottom of the prepared baking dish.

3. Prepare and Layer the Cheesecake Mixture:

• In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract.
• Beat with an electric mixer (or whisk vigorously by hand) until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
• Dollop spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture evenly over the strawberry pie filling layer.
• Gently spread the cream cheese mixture to cover the strawberry layer as much as possible (it doesn’t need to be perfectly sealed or smooth).

4. Add the Dry Cake Mix Topping:

• Sprinkle the dry cake mix directly from the box evenly over the cream cheese layer. Ensure coverage across the entire surface.

5. Add Butter and Milk:

• Drizzle the melted butter as evenly as possible over the top of the dry cake mix.
• Drizzle the milk as evenly as possible over the top of the dry cake mix and melted butter. Try to moisten most of the dry mix.

6. Bake:

• Place the baking dish in the preheated oven.
• Bake for 40-45 minutes. The cake is done when the topping is golden brown, bubbly around the edges, and appears mostly set.

7. Cool and Serve:

• Allow the Strawberry Cheesecake Dump Cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 10-15 minutes (ideally longer, closer to 45 minutes as suggested in original steps) before slicing and serving. It will be very hot and needs time to set up slightly as it cools.
• Optionally, dust with powdered sugar just before serving.
• Serve warm, perhaps with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and garnish with fresh strawberries if desired.

Troubleshooting

• Topping Powdery/Dry: Didn’t distribute the melted butter and milk evenly enough over the dry cake mix. Ensure most of the surface gets drizzled. Some small dry patches are okay, but large ones indicate uneven liquid distribution.
• Topping Burnt: Oven temperature too high, or baked too long. Check doneness earlier. Tent loosely with foil if browning too quickly.
• Bottom Soggy: Less common with pie filling, but could happen if pie filling is extremely thin. Ensure correct baking time for topping to set.
• Cream Cheese Layer Lumpy: Cream cheese wasn’t fully softened before mixing. Use mixer for smoothest result.
• Cream Cheese Layer Runny: Unlikely as it bakes, but ensure accurate measurements. Let cool adequately before slicing.

Tips and Variations

• Even Drizzling: Try putting melted butter and milk into separate measuring cups with spouts for easier, more even drizzling over the cake mix.
• Cooling Time: Letting it cool significantly (30-45 min+) is important for the layers to set before slicing, although serving warm is delicious!
• Cake Mix: Lemon cake mix is a great variation to enhance the tartness against the sweet strawberries. Spice cake mix could work with apple or peach pie filling.
• Pie Filling: Swap strawberry for cherry, blueberry, peach, or apple pie filling.
• Add Crunch: Sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts over the dry cake mix topping before adding the butter and milk.
• Fresh Fruit: While convenient, canned pie filling is key to the texture. You could try layering fresh sweetened strawberries mixed with cornstarch instead, but baking time and texture would differ significantly.

Serving and Pairing Suggestions

• Serve Warm: This type of dessert is often best enjoyed warm.
• A La Mode: Absolutely fantastic with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream melting on top.
• With Whipped Cream: A simple dollop of whipped cream is also perfect.
• Potlucks & Casual Desserts: Easy to transport (in the pan) and serve.

Nutritional Information

(Note: Estimated, per serving, assuming 12 servings. Highly variable based on specific cake mix and pie filling brands.)

• Calories: 350-450+
• Fat: 15-25g+
• Saturated Fat: 8-15g+
• Cholesterol: 40-60mg+
• Sodium: 300-450mg+ (Cake mixes/pie fillings can be high)
• Total Carbohydrates: 50-70g+
• Dietary Fiber: <1-2g
• Sugars: 35-50g+ (Very sweet dessert)
• Protein: 3-5g+

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Recipe Summary and Q&A

Summary: This Easy Strawberry Cheesecake Dump Cake involves layering strawberry pie filling, a simple blended cream cheese mixture, and dry cake mix into a 9×13 pan. Melted butter and milk are drizzled over the top before baking until golden brown and bubbly. It’s cooled briefly before serving.

Q&A:

• Q: Do I mix the cake mix with eggs/oil/water first?
  • A: No! For this dump cake style, you use the dry cake mix straight from the box as the topping layer. The melted butter and milk provide the moisture it needs during baking.
• Q: Can I use fresh strawberries instead of pie filling?
  • A: Canned pie filling provides a specific gooey texture and concentrated flavor essential for this type of dump cake. Using fresh strawberries would require adding sugar and a thickener (like cornstarch) and would result in a significantly different, likely less gooey, outcome.
• Q: My topping has dry spots. What happened?
  • A: You likely didn’t get the melted butter and milk distributed evenly enough over the dry cake mix. Try to drizzle as evenly as possible next time. Small dry spots are okay, but large patches mean those areas didn’t get enough moisture to bake properly.
• Q: How long should I cool it before serving?
  • A: The recipe suggests at least 10 minutes, but notes later that 45 minutes allows layers to firm up more. It will be very gooey and potentially messy if cut too hot. Letting it cool longer (30-45 minutes) allows the cream cheese layer and topping to set better for cleaner slices, even if served warm.