Mom's Best Recipes

Recipe

Peach Dump Cake

Juicy peaches under a buttery, golden cake layer with crisp edges and warm cinnamon.

By Matt Campbell

•

4.8

A golden peach dump cake in a glass baking dish with bubbling peach filling at the edges and a crisp, buttery top on a kitchen counter

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Peach dump cake is what I make when I want dessert now, but I still want it to taste like I tried. You basically layer, pour, scatter, and bake. The oven does the rest, and you get that dreamy combo of syrupy peaches, cozy spice, and a buttery topping with those crisp, browned corners everybody fights over.

This version keeps the ingredients easy to find and the steps super clear, with a couple small tricks so you do not end up with dry powdery patches or a soggy top. Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream and call it a productive day.

Why It Works

Big flavor, tiny effort: canned peaches and cake mix do the heavy lifting.
Great texture: melted butter plus a quick “fork fluff” gives you crisp edges with tender pockets, not a dry dust layer.
Flexible: swap the fruit, add nuts, or lean into spice depending on what you have.

Canned peaches, a box of yellow cake mix, butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar arranged on a kitchen counter in warm natural light

Pairs Well With

Storage Tips

Refrigerate: Cover the baking dish tightly or transfer leftovers to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Reheat: For the best crisp top, warm portions in the oven or toaster oven at 325°F for about 10 to 15 minutes. Microwave works in a pinch (about 30 to 60 seconds), but the topping will soften.

Freeze: You can freeze it, but the topping loses some crunch. Wrap well and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and re-crisp in a 325°F oven.

Common Questions

Do I have to drain the peaches?

It depends on the peaches you use. For peach pie filling, do not drain. For canned sliced peaches in heavy syrup or juice, I like to drain one can and keep one can undrained. That gives you a saucy filling without turning the whole pan into peach soup.

Why is my dump cake still powdery on top?

Usually the butter did not cover the cake mix evenly. The fix is simple: drizzle butter slowly over the whole surface and do a quick fork fluff to moisten any dry spots before baking. Thin butter slices also work, but melted butter is more reliable.

Can I use fresh or frozen peaches?

Yes. For fresh, you will want about 6 cups sliced peaches plus 1/2 cup sugar (more or less to taste), 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. For frozen, use about 6 cups, thaw and drain off excess liquid first, then season similarly.

What cake mix is best?

Yellow cake mix is the classic. White cake works too. Spice cake mix is a fun fall twist and plays great with peaches.

When is it done?

The top should be deep golden with darker crisp edges, and you should see bubbling peach syrup around the sides. If the top browns too fast, loosely cover with foil for the last 10 minutes.

Matt Campbell

I have always had a huge passion for the culinary arts, people, working as a team, and so on. I wanted to pursue my love for cooking initially at Virginia Commonwealth University with a culinary arts degree; however, I instead decided to apply myself and acquire more practical skills. My end goal is to eventually open my own restaurant or similar establishment.

Kitchen Essentials

9x13-inch baking dish
Can opener
Medium bowl (optional, for mixing peaches)
Measuring spoons
Fork (for fluffing the cake mix)
Small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl (to melt butter)

I learned early that “dump cake” is not an insult, it is a promise: low drama, high reward. This is the dessert I bring when I am short on time but still want people to ask for the recipe. My favorite part is that first scoop where the peaches run a little and the top cracks like a buttery cookie. If you have ice cream in the freezer, you are basically hosting.

Peach Dump Cake

(4.8 Reviews)

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Servings 12

Ingredients

2 (29 oz) cans sliced peaches (see note on draining)
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp lemon juice (optional, but brightens the fruit)
1 box (15.25 oz) yellow cake mix
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Drain note: Drain one can of peaches, keep one can with its juice/syrup for a saucy but not soupy filling.

Butter melting in a small saucepan on a stovetop with a wooden spoon nearby in a home kitchen

Instructions

Heat the oven. Preheat to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Build the peach layer. Add peaches to the dish (drain one can, keep the other with liquid). Sprinkle over the brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and lemon juice. Gently stir just to coat.
Add the cake mix. Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the peaches. Do not mix it in.
Butter it right. Slowly drizzle the melted butter all over the cake mix, aiming for even coverage. Use a fork to lightly fluff and moisten any dry pockets on top. You are not stirring down into the peaches, just helping the surface hydrate.
Optional crunch. If using nuts, sprinkle them evenly over the top.
Bake. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the peach filling is bubbling around the edges.
Cool briefly, then serve. Let it rest for 10 minutes so the filling thickens slightly. Serve warm, ideally with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

A baking dish of peaches on a kitchen counter as hands sprinkle dry yellow cake mix evenly over the fruit

Hands drizzling melted butter over dry cake mix in a 9x13 baking dish before baking

A glass baking dish of peach dump cake on an oven rack with the topping turning golden during baking

A warm scoop of peach dump cake in a bowl topped with vanilla ice cream on a wooden table with simple place setting

Practical Tips and Variations

For extra crisp edges: Bake on the middle rack and let it go until the corners are deeply golden. Those corners are the prize.
Spice it up: Add 1/4 tsp ground ginger or a pinch of nutmeg with the cinnamon.
Caramel peach: Swap the brown sugar for 1/3 cup and add 2 tbsp caramel sauce over the fruit layer.
Fruit swaps: This method also works with canned cherries, apple pie filling, or mixed berries. Keep the same cake mix and butter approach.
If it looks too dry at 20 minutes: Dot the top with a couple extra tablespoons of butter and keep baking.

A baked peach dump cake cooling on a kitchen counter in warm light with a serving spoon beside the dish

Nutrition information is estimated.

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Peach Dump Cake

Why It Works

Pairs Well With

Recommended

Cherry Dump Cake

Easy Peach Cobbler with Canned Peaches

Peach Cobbler With Fresh Peaches

Pumpkin Dump Cake

Storage Tips

Common Questions

Do I have to drain the peaches?

Why is my dump cake still powdery on top?

Can I use fresh or frozen peaches?

What cake mix is best?

When is it done?

Peach Dump Cake

Ingredients

Instructions

Practical Tips and Variations