Get ready to discover your new favorite dessert! This Strawberry Cheesecake Dump Cake is the ultimate easy recipe, combining the creamy tang of cheesecake with the sweet simplicity of a strawberry dump cake. With just 5 simple ingredients and about 5 minutes of prep time, you can have a warm, bubbly, and absolutely irresistible dessert ready for any occasion. It’s the perfect treat for potlucks, family gatherings, or a cozy night in.
Why You’ll Love This Strawberry Cheesecake Dump Cake Recipe
If you’re looking for a dessert that delivers maximum flavor with minimal effort, this is it. You don’t need any special equipment or baking skills to pull this off. It’s a “dump and bake” recipe in the truest sense!
- Incredibly Easy: With just a handful of ingredients and no mixing bowl required, it’s a foolproof recipe for bakers of all levels.
- Crowd-Pleasing Flavor: The combination of rich cheesecake, sweet strawberries, and a buttery cake topping is a guaranteed hit with everyone.
- Perfectly Versatile: Serve it warm from the oven, maybe with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or enjoy it chilled. It’s delicious either way!
- Budget-Friendly: Using common pantry staples like cake mix and pie filling makes this a wonderfully affordable dessert option.
The 5 Simple Ingredients You’ll Need
That’s right, you only need five basic ingredients to create this masterpiece. It’s one of the easiest desserts you’ll ever make.
- Cream Cheese: Use a full-fat block of cream cheese, softened to room temperature for easy spreading.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar blends with the cream cheese to create that signature sweet and tangy cheesecake layer.
- Strawberry Pie Filling: Two cans of strawberry pie filling create the luscious, fruity base of the cake.
- Yellow Cake Mix: A box of yellow or butter golden cake mix provides the simple, buttery topping. No need to prepare it!
- Butter: Melted butter is poured over the dry cake mix, creating a magical, golden-brown crust as it bakes.
How to Make Strawberry Cheesecake Dump Cake: A Step-by-Step Guide
Making this Strawberry Cheesecake Dump Cake is as easy as 1-2-3. Just layer your ingredients in a baking dish and let the oven do all the work.
- Prepare the Cheesecake Layer: First, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). In a small bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and granulated sugar together until smooth and creamy.
- Layer the Ingredients: Spread the strawberry pie filling evenly across the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Dollop the cream cheese mixture over the top of the strawberry filling.
- Add the Topping: Sprinkle the dry yellow cake mix evenly over the cream cheese and strawberry layers.
- Drizzle with Butter: Pour the melted butter as evenly as possible over the entire surface of the cake mix. Do not stir!
- Bake to Perfection: Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. Let it cool for about 15 minutes before serving.
Pro Tips for the Perfect Dump Cake
While this recipe is incredibly simple, a few expert tips can make your Strawberry Cheesecake Dump Cake even better.
- Soften the Cream Cheese: Make sure your cream cheese is truly at room temperature. This is key to getting a smooth, lump-free cheesecake layer.
- Even Butter Distribution: For the best golden-brown crust, ensure the melted butter covers as much of the dry cake mix as possible.
- Don’t Overbake: Keep an eye on the cake. You’re looking for a golden topping and bubbly fruit filling. Overbaking can make the topping too hard. For another fantastic and easy dessert, check out these amazing raspberry cheesecake danishes.
Fun and Easy Variations to Try
One of the best things about dump cakes is how easy they are to customize. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Different Fruit Fillings: Not a strawberry fan? Try cherry, blueberry, or even peach pie filling.
- Switch Up the Cake Mix: A white cake mix, lemon cake mix, or even a chocolate cake mix could create a fun new flavor profile. Imagine a chocolate-covered strawberry version! For a truly decadent chocolate experience, try this hot fudge sundae brownie cheesecake.
- Add Some Crunch: Sprinkle some chopped pecans or walnuts over the cake mix before drizzling with butter for a delightful nutty crunch.
Storing Your Strawberry Cheesecake Dump Cake
Because of the cream cheese layer, this dump cake should be stored in the refrigerator. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap or transfer leftovers to an airtight container. It will stay fresh and delicious for up to 4 days. You can enjoy it cold right from the fridge, or gently reheat a slice in the microwave.
For those who love easy, cheesy, and savory dishes, this creamy chicken bacon ranch pasta is a weeknight dinner winner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, this is a great make-ahead dessert. You can bake it a day in advance, let it cool completely, and then cover and store it in the refrigerator. It’s delicious served chilled or you can reheat individual portions in the microwave.
Absolutely! While yellow cake mix is classic, you could easily substitute it with a white, lemon, or even a chocolate cake mix for a different flavor combination. A strawberry cake mix would also be delicious to double down on the strawberry flavor.
Yes, you can use fresh strawberries. For best results, slice about 4 cups of fresh strawberries and toss them with 1/2 cup of sugar and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Let them sit for about 10 minutes before spreading them in the pan. This helps create a similar consistency to pie filling.
No, and that’s the magic of a dump cake! Do not stir the ingredients. Simply layer the pie filling, cream cheese mixture, dry cake mix, and melted butter in the baking dish. The oven does the work of bringing it all together.
The dump cake is ready when the fruit filling is hot and bubbly around the edges and the cake topping is a beautiful golden brown. This typically takes between 40 and 50 minutes in a 350°F oven.
Get Baking!
This Strawberry Cheesecake Dump Cake is the perfect dessert for anyone who loves great flavor without all the fuss. It’s a comforting, delicious, and incredibly simple recipe that you’ll want to make again and again. Give it a try and let me know what you think in the comments below. For more easy and delicious recipes, follow me on Pinterest!
Strawberry Cheesecake Dump Cake Recipe
Strawberry Cheesecake Dump Cake (The Easiest 5-Ingredient Dessert!)
Ingredients
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Spread the strawberry pie filling evenly across the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
- In a small bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and granulated sugar together until smooth and creamy.
- Dollop the cream cheese mixture over the top of the strawberry filling.
- Sprinkle the dry yellow cake mix evenly over the cream cheese and strawberry layers.
- Pour the melted butter as evenly as possible over the entire surface of the cake mix. Do not stir.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
- Let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. It's delicious warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Notes
Tip 2: For an extra crunch, sprinkle 1/2 cup of chopped pecans over the cake mix before adding the butter.
Tip 3: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
