I tried this recipe and it is easy and delicious. However, it seemed a little too salty. I will cut back on the butter a little. Currently experimenting with cake mixes: devils food, chocolate fudge, milk chocolate, german chocolate.

Just a quick suggestion, cake mixes tend to be salty so I use unsalted butter. Since I have to buy a pound I usually try to mix up cake mix cookies at the same time. Just an idea. This is one yummy quick desert... MMMMM

I melted the butter in a heatproof measuring cup in the oven while it was preheating, then drizzled over instead. Easier than cutting into pieces.

Tried it once with melted butter over top (like above) and did not turn out as well. So far devil's food cake mix seems to be the family favorite. We cut back by using lite pie filling and didn't find a difference. YUM!

Soooooo very good, and so easy to make! My roommate and I just loved it!

My family has made this cake for more years than I care to admit. Best is done when camping, baked in a dutch oven on the edge of the fire. Mix up your cake mixes and fruit. Personal favorite is peach melba.

Everytime I try one of these "dump cakes" the cake mix is still all dry on top... what is the secret?

Use a cheese grater and grate the butter over the top. You get a more consistent layer and less "dry" spots.

I've made different variations of this for years. In answer to Mary's question about the dryness of the mix on top... I mix the cake mix as though for a cake. This makes a nice "unusual" cake. If you use the cake mix "as is" - dry, it is more like a crisp or cobbler, which my family doesn't care for.

I agree. If you mix the cake mix into the filing it is more like cake I first thought it would be and "wasn't" just dumping on with butter makes more like a crisp. Thanks for suggestion.

Bonnie, that's why they call it a "Dump" Cake.

I would like to comment on the lady who says the cake is dry - you just want to melt three or four sticks of butter. I pour the dry cake mix over the fruit and melt the butter. Pour some all over the cake mix take a fork and mix it into the dry cake mix. I put enough butter so that it is mixed in on top and still stands on top also. It makes a great crust if cooked until crunchy. Good luck!

Mary, I have made this for years and I always melted my butter before putting it on top of the dry cake mix.

I cut the butter into the cake mix and sprinkle on top of the pie filling.

I used almonds instead of pecans, along with a little almond extract in the pie filling. Almonds and cherries just go together. Delicious.

Great recipe. A few tricks, at home I use a frosting spatula and make sure my cake mix is level and them pour the melted (in the preheated oven) butter over the top getting all the cake mix moistened. I buy an old fashioned chocolate cake mix for best flavor. At Rendezvous (pre 1840's) camp I cook in a dutch oven just spreading the dry ingedients from an old chocolate cake recipe. Now everyone in our camp family request my cake at every camp.

Here's a variation: Chocolate strawberry dump cake made with frozen strawberries defrosted and keep liquid. One can of prepared strawberry or cherry filling and my new favorite: red velvet cake mix. I also add chocolate chips and enough butter to cover all the cake mix. Cut your butter thin like 1/8-inch thick. Bake an hour on 350°F.

This cake was great! But be careful if you melt the butter, I burn my fingers on the butter but over all it was a hit with my family. We are still celebrating the holidays. Merry Christmas!

I made this for a family dinner and it was a huge hit! I cut the butter sliced thin and while the butter was cold so I could slice it very easily. I was able to cover all of the power mix this way. I tried to pour out the cake mix evenly over the canned cherries & then spread it out with a spatula. I served it with vanilla ice cream, I wouldn't want to have it without it. :) Make this, you won't be disappointed!

Did anyone grease or spray the cakepan first or not? Also, how long did you bake; 30-45 seems like a wide range. Maybe aabout 40 about right?? Going to make this tomorrow. We usually like Aldi's chocolate cake mixes so will probably use that. Have made other dump cake with white or yellow mix, pineapple, pecans and canned strawberry filling. Very yummy too.

I am going to try this version for Xmas. I make one using the caramel apple pie filling. Then I crush up some pecans and mix with brown sugar and sprinkle on top. Sometimes sprinkle with extra brown sugar and spray butter over the top. It is soo yummy with vanilla icecream.

So I made this tonight a I did a few variations. I mixed the batter as if I was making the original recipe. It made the cake have much more depth and it was way more airy and doing so I did leave off the butter but I did follow the rest of the recipe correctly. It was awesome, my family loved it. I will be trying some more dump cakes and just be experimenting with the fruit. Anyone have a recipe for a dump cake Pina Colada? My kids are huge pineapple and coconut fans.