Best Cake Mix Desserts

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Are you wanting an easy dessert that starts with a cake mix? This collection of the best Cake Mix Desserts is the ultimate round-up of east dessert recipes that start with a boxed cake mix.

Cake Mix Desserts

There are so many ways to ‘dress up’ a box of cake mix! Whether it’s a cake, dump cakes, cookies, layered cakes, or poke cakes – you are sure to love these cake mix dessert recipes.

Starting with a cake mix makes prep time quick & easy, and it’s a fail-proof way to get a great dessert that will be a family favorite.

With so many varieties of cake mixes at the store, there are sure to be lots of ways to switch up any recipe that calls for a cake mix! Mix & match different flavors of cake mix to change up the dessert. I also love all the different ways you can mix and match a cake mix + instant pudding to make an incredibly moist and delicious dessert.

Tips For Making Dessert Recipes With a Cake Mix

What Brand Cake Mix Is Best?
- I have found that most cake mixes tastes pretty similar. I will usually stick with the Duncan Hines brand, Betty Crocker brand, or Pillsbury brand.
- It’s best to use a plain cake mix and not one that is labeled as having ‘extra pudding in the mix’.
For a really smooth dessert texture try sifting the cake mix first. The recipes below don’t call for that, cause it’s not completely necessary, but if you want to ensure a smooth and lump-free batter, use a sifter to sift the cake mix before adding it into the bowl. Most of the recipes below call for the dry ingredients to be whisked which is similar to sifting, just an easier way.

Recipe for lemon cake made with a cake mix and instant pudding mix.

Easy Lemon Cake with Lemon Pudding Frosting

Easy Lemon Cake, also known as lemon lovers layered cake, starts with a cake mix and lemon instant pudding mix! This lemon cake is so moist, light, and full of bright lemon flavor. It’s topped with a whipped lemon pudding frosting that is so fluffy.

A slice of cake with a fork bite taken out of the front corner to show the layers of the poke cake.

Oreo Poke Cake

Oreo Poke Cake is both decadent and light with a rich chocolatey flavor and Oreo crumbs and Oreo pudding “poked” into the cake! This amazing dessert starts with a cake mix and then a creamy and fluffy Oreo pudding mixture gets poured into the holes. Top it off with whipped cream and more Oreo cookies.

Birthday Cake Kiss Cookies

Birthday Cake Kiss Cookies are the perfect treat for any celebratory occasion or birthday. Colorful, fun, soft-baked cookies in this semi-homemade cookie recipe that starts with a cake mix and loaded with sprinkles all over.

Easy Strawberry Cake

Easy Strawberry Cake starts with a white cake mix, strawberry jello, and fresh strawberry puree. This strawberry cake is topped with a creamy and fluffy fresh strawberry frosting and makes for the best quick and easy dessert recipe.

Strawberry Lemonade Cake

This easy strawberry lemonade cake starts with a lemon cake mix and a can of strawberry pie filling! Add in a few other simple ingredients for a quick & easy dessert that is crazy moist, light & refreshing, and topped with the most amazing fluffy whipped pudding frosting.

Reese’s Poke Cake

Reese’s Poke Cake is the ultimate easy cake recipe for all the peanut butter + chocolate dessert lovers! Simple to make with a chocolate cake mix, a fluffy peanut butter pudding mixture and chocolate frosting.

A dump cake with a spoon inside of it serving some.

Blueberry Dump Cake

With only 3 ingredients and one pan – this Blueberry Dump Cake is the best easy dessert! Canned blueberry pie filling, cake mix, and melted butter is all it takes. Serve this easy dump cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

Easy Pineapple Pistachio Cake

Pineapple Pistachio Cake in an easy 5 ingredient cake recipe that starts with a cake mix, pistachio pudding, and crushed pineapple. This easy dessert recipe is topped with a fluffy pistachio pudding frosting.

A piece of Oreo dirt cake on a white plate with crushed cookies and gummy worms.

Easy Oreo Dirt Cake

Easy Dirt Cake that starts with a chocolate cake mix, filled with hot fudge sauce, and topped with instant chocolate pudding, Cool Whip, crushed Oreo cookie crumbs, and gummy worms. An easy dessert recipe that is kid-friendly, easy to make, and a delicious twist to the classic poke cake.

Orange Pineapple Cake

Orange Pineapple Cake, also called pig pickin’ cake, is an easy cake recipe that starts with a boxed cake mix and canned mandarin oranges. Topped with a delicious and fluffy whipped pineapple vanilla pudding frosting. So moist, light, and refreshing!

Chocolate Chunk Cake Mix Muffins

These Chocolate Chunk Cake Mix Muffins are quick, easy, and full of chocolate chunks. This semi-homemade muffin recipe uses convenient pantry ingredients, like a cake mix, to make these deliciously rich cake-like muffins.

Chocolate Cherry Cake is an easy cake recipe that starts with a cake mix and canned cherry pie filling, and topped with a fudgy chocolate frosting. You won't believe how delicious and easy this is to make!

Easy Chocolate Cherry Cake

This chocolate cherry cake will blow your mind! Or taste buds I should say. You will not believe how easy it is to make. It looks like it might be a time intensive cake but trust me, anyone can make this beauty with only 4 ingredients.

Close up of the front of this poke cake on a white plate.

Strawberry Jello Poke Cake

An incredibly light and delicious, easy to make Strawberry Poke Cake recipe! A white cake mix, fruity strawberry jello, and topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberries. If your family loves strawberry desserts then check out this Strawberry Jello Pie and Easy Strawberry Cake.

A stack of cookies with a fresh strawberry beside it.

Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies

Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies only need 5 ingredients! Soft-baked strawberry cookies, that start with a cake mix, are rolled in powdered sugar and then baked. They get perfect sweet crinkly tops while they bake in the oven.

Berry Crisp Dump Cake

Berry Crisp Dump Cake is only 5 ingredients and made in just one pan! Frozen mixed berries topped with an easy cake mix, oatmeal, walnuts, and melted butter crisp. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream for a delicious and easy dessert recipe.

Funfetti Cake Batter Cookie Bars

These funfetti cake batter cookie bars are a kids’ favorite treat. Cake batter flavor + sprinkles + sweet frosting + sugar cookies! I mean, could it really get any better?!? Plus they are so easy to make with ingredients like a cake mix and sugar cookie mix.

White plate with peach dump cake on it and a scoop of ice cream on top melting into the dump cake.

Easy Peach Dump Cake

Peach Cobbler Dump Cake is an easy and simple dessert that only needs 4 Ingredients like a cake mix, canned peaches, cinnamon, and butter. Serve with vanilla ice cream for the best family dessert.

A white plate with apple desert on top of it and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Easy Apple Dump Cake

Learn how to make this easy Apple Dump Cake with pie filling and a spice cake mix! Warm apple pie topped with a buttery brown sugar and oat crisp topping. Serve this easy dump cake recipe topped with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce. The perfect cozy dessert.

A chocolate Bundt Cake with a cake mix and a brownie mix sitting on a white plate.

Chocolate Brownie Bundt Cake

Chocolate Brownie Bundt Cake is a rich, decadent, chocolate dessert that is so simple to make with a chocolate cake mix + a brownie mix! Topped with a silky smooth chocolate ganache topping and easy chocolate curls made with a milk chocolate candy bar.

Pumpkin Pie Pecan Cobbler

Pumpkin Pie Pecan Cobbler has a creamy pumpkin pie layer topped with a sweet spiced pecan crumble topping. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the best pumpkin cobbler recipe that’s perfect for Fall.

A bowl of this dump cake with ice cream on top.

Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake

Easy to make Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake has a mouthwatering mix of cherries, pineapple, and a buttery golden cake mix. With only a 5 minute prep time this simple dessert is perfect for a last minute gathering or easy weeknight desert.

Close up of a slice of the rainbow layers inside this cake.

Easy Rainbow Bundt Cake

This Rainbow Bundt Cake may look complicated but trust me, anyone can make it! Simple to make with a doctored up cake mix recipe and gel food coloring to make the prettiest rainbow layers. It’s the perfect cake to make for St. Patrick’s Day dessert or any rainbow themed party.

Cake Mix Recipe

Love the convenience of a boxed cake mix but want it to taste richer and homemade? Then you will love this Cake Mix Recipe which will turn any boxed cake mix into a deliciously moist and rich cake that tastes like it came from an expensive bakery.

Triple Fudge Reese’s Brownies

Who would have thought that you could make these easy and simple brownies from a triple chocolate cake mix?! I sure didn’t! And you really can’t ever go wrong with chocolate + peanut butter.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Whoopie Pies

These pumpkin cheesecake whoopie pies are my go-to for any Fall gathering. They store really well in the fridge, easy to transport, and I have never met a single person who does not love them! Only 5 ingredients needed for this entire recipe! The softest, fluffiest pumpkin cookie you’ll ever eat.

A plate of chocolate cake mix cookies with peanut butter chips stacked on a plate together.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies

Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies with peanut butter chips only require a few minutes of prep time and 5 ingredients! This easy cookie recipe starts with a chocolate cake mix, eggs, oil, vanilla extract, and peanut butter chips.

Close up photo of a toffee cookies with cake mix and toffee bits.

Toffee Cake Mix Cookies

Toffee Cake Mix Cookies are so easy to make with only 4 ingredients! Yellow cake mix, eggs, oil, and toffee bits. These taste like a buttery sugar cookie with bits of toffee through out. Easy cookies that are perfect for a sweet treat or Holiday baking.

Stack of donuts made with a cake mix and topped with glaze and sprinkles on white plate.

Easy Funfetti Donuts (With a Cake Mix!)

Funfetti Donuts are so quick and easy to make with a funfetti cake mix and a few other ingredients to ‘doctor up’ the cake mix that makes it perfect for homemade donuts. Topped with a simple vanilla glaze and of course, funfetti sprinkles!

Turtle Dump Cake in a white pan with a wooden spoon scooped into the soft, pudding like dump cake.

Caramel Chocolate Turtle Dump Cake

Caramel Chocolate Turtle Dump Cake is an easy, 6 ingredient dessert recipe that mixes in one bowl and then bakes in one pan. Caramel, dark chocolate, chocolate cake mix, and pecans make this turtle dessert amazing.

A bundt cake sliced into pieces topped with cream cheese frosting sitting on a white plate.

Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake (Made With a Cake Mix)

This Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake is so moist and simple to make with a doctored up yellow cake mix! Ingredients like oil, sour cream, and pure pumpkin are added to a cake mix along with warm pumpkin spice. Top it off with an easy homemade cream cheese frosting for the ultimate Fall pumpkin dessert.

Cake Mix Sugar Cookies

These Cake Mix Sugar Cookies are easy to make with only 5 ingredients and there is no rolling or cutting out shapes involved. Thick, chewy, soft-baked, and puffy sugar cookies can be decorated with any color frosting for any Holiday with coordinating sprinkles.