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Berry Crisp Dump Cake

Published : Updated : by Together As Family 67 Comments

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Berry crisp dump cake is only 5 ingredients and one pan! Juicy mixed berries covered in an easy cake mix, oatmeal, walnut, and melted butter mixture. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a delicious dessert.

DUMP CAKE RECIPE

I realize that calling this a 'dump cake' is not the most appealing name in the world. But, if you're familiar with a traditional 'dump cake' it usually involves a cake mix (yay for easy, right?!) that gets sprinkled on top of something in a baking dish.

One of the things that I have never liked about dump cakes is that when you sprinkle the cake mix on top and then drizzle with melted butter, you end up with some dry pockets of cake mix.

I knew there had to be a better way. Which is why I experimented and ended up with this delicious version of the classic dump cake.

Berry crisp dump cake is only 5 ingredients and one pan! Juicy mixed berries covered in an easy cake mix, oatmeal, walnut, and melted butter mixture. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a delicious dessert.

INGREDIENTS FOR A DUMP CAKE

  • frozen mixed berries
  • cake mix
  • butter
  • oats
  • walnuts

It could not be easier! The walnuts add some much needed salt to the already sweet cake mix, and the oats add this amazing texture that pairs so nicely with the buttery cake mix. 

Berry crisp dump cake is only 5 ingredients and one pan! Juicy mixed berries covered in an easy cake mix, oatmeal, walnut, and melted butter mixture. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a delicious dessert.

I'm obsessed with all things crisps, cobblers, and crumbles so it was no wonder this was a hit.

I love using frozen berries because you don't have to worry about spending a small fortune on fresh berries or trying to hurry up and use them before they go bad (which is always my problem).

Berry crisp dump cake is only 5 ingredients and one pan! Juicy mixed berries covered in an easy cake mix, oatmeal, walnut, and melted butter mixture. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a delicious dessert.

HOW TO MAKE BERRY CRISP DUMP CAKE

  • Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and dump the frozen berries (straight from the bag, DO NOT thaw) and spread them out into the pan. 
  • In a mixing bowl combine the cake mix, oats, walnuts, and melted butter. Stir that until it resembles a coarse crumb mixture. Sprinkle it evenly over the berries and bake!
  • Promise me you'll serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Words can't describe the deliciousness 🙂

Berry crisp dump cake is only 5 ingredients and one pan! Juicy mixed berries covered in an easy cake mix, oatmeal, walnut, and melted butter mixture. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a delicious dessert.

MY TIPS FOR MAKING THIS RECIPE

  • Please be sure you are using SALTED BUTTER. You need that salt to balance out the sweetness from the cake mix. 
  • You can use pecans in place of the walnuts if that's what you prefer. 
  • Use a yellow cake mix or a French vanilla cake mix. Both are really good in this recipe. 
  • Old-fashioned or quick oats will both work in this recipe. I prefer the old-fashioned because they are bigger and give more texture to the dish. 
  • Frozen mixed berries usually include blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries. 

Berry crisp dump cake is only 5 ingredients and one pan! Juicy mixed berries covered in an easy cake mix, oatmeal, walnut, and melted butter mixture. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a delicious dessert.

TRY THESE OTHER DUMP CAKE RECIPES

Berry crisp dump cake is only 5 ingredients and one pan! Juicy mixed berries covered in an easy cake mix, oatmeal, walnut, and melted butter mixture. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a delicious dessert.

Berry Crisp Dump Cake

Berry Crisp Dump Cake is only 5 ingredients and one pan! Juicy mixed berries covered in an easy cake mix, oatmeal, walnuts, and melted butter mixture. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a delicious dessert.
3.94 from 45 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: dump cake, dump cake recipe, dump cake with frozen berries
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 503kcal
Author: Jessica

Ingredients

  • 2 bags (12-15 oz each) frozen mixed berries
  • 1 box (15.25 oz) yellow OR french vanilla cake mix
  • 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter melted

Instructions

  • Heat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
  • Spread out frozen berries in the bottom of the dish. DO NOT thaw the berries beforehand. 
  • In a mixing bowl, combine yellow cake mix (DO NOT prepare), oats, walnuts, and melted butter. Stir together until thick crumbles form. Sprinkle evenly over the frozen berries.
  • Cook for 50-55 minutes. Crisp topping will be a golden brown and the berries will be bubbling.
  • Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Notes

You can use old-fashioned oats OR quick oats in this recipe. Old-fashioned oats provide more texture because of their size, but either will work just fine. 
 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 503kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 548mg | Potassium: 319mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 403IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 3mg

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Megan @ MegUnprocessed

    These look wonderful. Love those juicy berries.
    Reply

    • Together As Family

      Yes. Those juicy berries are my favorite part!
      Reply

  2. Jennifer Farley

    Beautifully done!
    Reply

    • Together As Family

      Thanks so much Jennifer :)
      Reply

      • Aynsley

        Do I make the cake as directed on the box help please
        Reply

        • Together As Family

          Nope. Just use the dry cake mix directly from the box. I'll double check the recipe and make sure I clarify that in the directions. Enjoy! :)
          Reply

  3. Aynsley

    So do u make the cake as directed on the box or no
    Reply

    • Together As Family

      No, do not prepare the cake mix. Just use the cake mix powder directly from the box.
      Reply

      • Rebecca Mullen

        after you bake the dump cake and enjoy. How do you keep it crunchy on the top for the next day? If I cover it with anything it gets mushy. Thank you
        ★★★★★
        Reply

        • Together As Family

          You can't really.... so sorry! It's one of those desserts that I try to serve all of it after it's made. I wish there was a way but I don't know of one yet. I have microwaved some leftovers and did not mind the less crunchy crisp topping, especially once you pair it with ice cream.
          Reply

          • Donna

            My husband said to come on here and thank you! The addition of oats and walnuts mixed in with no dry patches made this the best thing we’ve had in a while. I had to promise to make it for his birthday!

            5 stars

          • Together As Family

            Aww, thank you! Yes the oats and walnuts make all the difference in this dump cake recipe. So glad to hear you both enjoyed this.

  4. Jessica

    Can fresh berries be used?
    Reply

    • Together As Family

      I am sure that would work just fine. When the frozen berries cook they release a bit of water, so you may need to combine the fresh berries in the bowl and cover with 1/4 cup sugar (more or less depending on sweetness of your berries) and let it sit for about 15 minutes. The sugar will release some of the berry juice so that way you have some liquid. I've never made it this way but I am guessing it would work just fine. You will probably need roughly 6 cups of berries for the 9x13 pan.
      Reply

  5. JB

    Can I used canned cherries or blueberries as a substitute?
    Reply

    • Together As Family

      Are you talking about the canned pie filling? If you are, then yes that would work just fine. You would need 2 cans for the recipe. Canned pie filling is sweeter than the frozen berries so the dish will be a bit sweeter than the recipe.
      Reply

  6. Marilyn

    Do you have to use a cake mix? Can you use just flour?
    Reply

    • Together As Family

      I know there are recipes out there that use a homemade cake mix on top. Just using flour would not work. The reason for the cake mix in the recipe is for the "quick dessert" aspect of it. Frozen fruit + cake mix makes it a simple and easy dessert. Try this recipe if you want a homemade cake mix https://www.melskitchencafe.com/blueberry-dump-cake/ I hope that helps :)
      Reply

  7. Debbie

    What would you do with leftovers? Will it last through several days or would it get too soggy. We are just two of us and we would not be able to eat it all on the first day
    Reply

    • Together As Family

      I put the leftovers in the fridge and then warm them up when someone wants to eat it. If it's just the two of you, you could try halving the recipe, and just kind of guessing on the cake mix what half is. The leftovers I'm guessing will only be good for about two days before it starts getting too soft.
      Reply

  8. Kristin

    This recipe looks delicious, and I'm all about easy! In the case of a nut allergy can I just use 1 cup of oats vs. adding walnuts, or will that change the taste/texture?
    Reply

    • Together As Family

      I would just leave out the walnuts. The dessert will be sweeter because you won't have that salty bite from the walnuts. But it will be yummy and serving it with some vanilla ice cream or whipped cream will help balance it. I hope that helps. Enjoy!
      Reply

  9. Andrea

    Can I use instant oatmeal if I don't have regular oats?
    Reply

    • Together As Family

      Yes, of course. That will be just fine :)
      Reply

  10. Linda Wordinger

    FINALLY! someone who understands about Dump Cakes where the cake mix doesn't truly get mixed with butter and then you get a spoonful of dust. I've never been able to get a Dump Cake right. I think this recipe will make my next effort successful :)
    Reply

    • Together As Family

      That's my favorite thing about this berry crisp dump cake, none of that powder cake mix on top. I hope you enjoy this!
      Reply

    • Linda Fletcher

      Yes!! Have always had that problem with my cherry/pineapple dump cake. But decided to try this method and actually made this berry dump cake to take to a family reunion (I doubled the recipe)......it was the first desert to go! Thank you!! :-)
      Reply

  11. Meredith

    Made this today with some small deviations. It was great! My dad said it was in the top cobbler/crumble desserts he’s ever had! I used all dewberries with a lemon cake mix. I used 1/4 cup oatmeal and 1/4 cup Grapenuts Cereal. This gave the topping a tasty crunch. Thank you for sharing! This is a keeper!
    ★★★★★
    Reply

    • Together As Family

      Yum, I love your changes! I agree, this is one of my favorite versions of a crisp! I love how this recipe can be mixed up with the different fruit and cake mix combos. Thanks for coming back to let me know :)
      Reply

    • Cheri Hins

      That does sound yummy. Thanks for sharing
      Reply

  12. Brenda

    Any suggestions on freezing this to bake later? or would it be better to bake it and then just warm it later? I want to give to a friend who recently had a baby. Thanks!
    Reply

    • Together As Family

      I have never froze this so I wouldn't even know what to tell you. I think it would be best to make it, bake it, and then let them warm it up or eat it at room temperature. This dump cake is good straight out of the oven, warmed up, or at room temperature so you really can't go wrong :)
      Reply

  13. Stacey Silverberg

    Hello Jessica! Am looking forward to making this delicious sounding recipe. I have "brown sugar" oatmeal on hand and I'm not sure how that would taste vs the reg oatmeal. Sure it would be sweeter, but brown sugar? Help!
    Reply

    • Together As Family

      Are you talking about the packets of oatmeal? You should be using the regular oats (that come in the canister NOT the packet). If you do use the packets of oatmeal then you will have to experiment because I have never used those. Let me know if you have any more questions. Enjoy!
      Reply

  14. Dee

    I am going to try this recipe of the berry dump cake. However, I LOVE YOUR WHITE PLATES WITH THE LITTLE LACEY RIM.... please let me know where u got them.
    Reply

    • Together As Family

      Hi Dee :) I got the plates at Pier 1 Imports.
      Reply

  15. Elisabeth

    How many does this serve? It looks delish and I want to make it for a big family dinner night.
    Reply

    • Together As Family

      It makes a 9x13 baking dish so I would say it would easily serve 8-10. Depending on the amount of people there and if this dessert is the only dessert or not, I would just make two pans (so 2 recipes).
      Reply

  16. Melissa_in_NJ

    Made this over the weekend. It was PURE GENIUS. I served it room temp and it was still delicious. Everyone just raved. Thank you.
    ★★★★★
    Reply

  17. Nora

    Is it necessary to use salted butter.?
    Reply

    • Together As Family

      No, but it is a fairly sweet dessert thanks to the cake mix, so I love using the salted butter. You can use unsalted and I am sure it would be just fine.
      Reply

  18. April

    This was sooo good, and easy! I made this as a desert for Sunday dinner and I fell in love. Im not a huge berry eater , because of the seeds getting in my teeth so I made a small change. I only used one bag of berries in a slightly smaller pan and it was perfect. I really want to try this same recipe but with sweet potatoes instead of berries. Thanks!
    Reply

  19. GracieP

    Can I use the 'super moist' Betty crocker yellow cake mix or does it have to be normal yellow cake mix? Thx for the awesome recipe!
    Reply

    • Together As Family

      I honestly don't know if it really makes a difference and I have not paid attention to it much in this recipe. I am sure it would work just fine and that's probably what I have ended up using before too. Enjoy!
      Reply

  20. Kelly

    I was out of walnuts so I substituted coconut ? and it was very good!
    ★★★★★
    Reply

    • Elizabeth Shaw

      You can use any type of cake mix that you wish to use! :-) I have also changed my rating because in the beginning I meant to give 3 stars and I guess I have a wide finger that went over into 4. I just wanted to make that clear for everybody. Dump cake so great fun to play with and I have come up with recipes that are out of this world one of them too rich to eat more than a couple of spoonfuls. All of them wonderful except for one failure that came out like a spice cake brick! LOL I love coconut! It could certainly be added in however most dump cakes containing fruit call for pecans
      ★★★☆☆
      Reply

  21. Sue

    I made this using a SUGAR FREE cake mix for my diabetic family members. It was AMAZING!!!!!!
    ★★★★★
    Reply

  22. Elizabeth Shaw

    Since you obsess about these things, let me give you a bit of Education. I am from the rooftop of New England which would be Maine and was part of Massachusetts Bay Colony so the way we cook they cook and vice versa. This is not a crisp the topping on a crisp contains only flour sugar and butter. if oats are present in the topping that is a crumble even if there are 10 other ingredients it's a crumble intro British tradition. The nuts really don't change the name from a crisp but because they are sprinkled on top. I was also the first one to put out there that folks should melt their butter and add it to the cake mix making sure every granule is covered in butter and that makes a perfect dump cake.
    ★★★★☆
    Reply

  23. Nancy Paepke

    I have made this for our small card group...it was a huge hit. I always have frozen berries on hand, so was easy to come up with a quick and delicious dessert to make. Thank you for this scrumptious recipe!
    ★★★★★
    Reply

  24. Heather LEE

    Made this with devil foods cake and just strawberries. Substituted delivered almonds instead of walnuts. Chocolate covered strawberries! Yummy!
    Reply

  25. Alina

    This was absolutely delicious! I made this for Easter and it was such a hit! Don’t forget the scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of the warm cake - mouthwatering!
    ★★★★★

    5 stars

    Reply

    • Together As Family

      Yes! The ice cream on top is the best part. So happy to hear it was a hit.
      Reply

  26. Jennifer Nelson

    I use this recipe every year when fresh berries show up at the Farmers market. I use oats and chopped pecans . Everyone loves this dessert in my family!
    ★★★★★

    5 stars

    Reply

    • Together As Family

      Thank you for the great review! And I'm so happy you all enjoy this.
      Reply

  27. uzma

    Fantastic idea to add walnuts ans oats.
    ★★★★★

    5 stars

    Reply

  28. StaceyC

    Easy and so delicious. Used regular yellow cake mix. In addition to the berry mix, I had some frozen bananas and strawberries that I also threw in. Oh and a little cinnamon just because. We could not stop eating this. Every time I passed by the dish I had to shove another spoonful in my mouth. Yes, it was worth breaking my diet for. Thanks!
    ★★★★☆
    Reply

  29. Jennifer A Martin

    Was a hit!! What is nutritional info. I'm calorie counting.

    5 stars

    Reply

  30. Megan Karr

    I made this, minus the walnuts because I didn't have any, and it is DELICIOUS!!! Also, so easy!! Will definitely make again.
    ★★★★★

    5 stars

    Reply

  31. Cindy

    I have a question: in most dump cakes you just add sliced pieces of butter on top of the cake mix and bake. Can I still do that or does this recipe require that I melt it because of the oatmeal? I never had a problem doing it the other way so I’m confused why it has to be melted in this recipe. Thanks again!
    Reply

    • Together As Family

      I like doing it this way with the melted butter because you don't end up with the dry cake patches (like you do when you slice the butter and layer on top). Plus, this recipe is more for a crisp topping which is also why I melted the butter. To give it more of a crisp. Hope that helps.
      Reply

  32. Jen

    I’ve made this several time. It is SO EASY and SO YUMMY!!! I like to add cinnamon.

    5 stars

    Reply

  33. Ben

    How do I adapt this recipe to use pancake mix instead of cake mix?
    Reply

    • Together As Family

      Good question. I honestly have no idea. I've only ever used the cake mix. Not sure if pancake mix is even the same so you may have to add some sugar, baking powder (?) That's just a guess.
      Reply

  34. Griselle

    This is hands down the best dump-berry-cobbler I have ever made! No dry spots! YAY! I was surprised on how delicious it was! It was fine days later when heated up, too. I have made it a handful of times afterwards & frozen always worked best. Fresh always left it too watery. Could this be "baked" in a crock pot for work luncheons?
    ★★★★★

    5 stars

    Reply

    • Together As Family

      Good question. I have never tried it in a slow cooker. I'd imagine it would work fine but I just don't know for sure. Thanks for you comment and rating! I appreciate it and I am glad it was a success.
      Reply

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