Peach Dump Cake is one of those easy desserts that everyone should have in their back pocket. With just three simple ingredients and almost no prep, this classic dump cake recipe turns canned peaches and cake mix into a warm, buttery dessert that tastes homemade.
What makes this 3 ingredient peach dump cake such a family favorite is how easy and reliable it is. We’ve made this recipe more times than I can count for family dinners, potlucks, and summer get-togethers, and it never lasts long. The peaches bake into a sweet, syrupy layer while the cake mix and butter create a golden, buttery topping that is so good with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
If you’re looking for more easy desserts like this one, try our Peach Cobbler, Cherry Dump Cake, Apple Crisp, or Peaches and Cream Cake. These are all simple recipes we keep in rotation and make again and again.
Why you’ll love it + Why it works:
- So simple! Super easy dump-and-go dessert with three simple ingredients.
- Party perfect. Great for potlucks, BBQs, and busy nights.
- Peach syrup creates the sauce. The undrained peaches keep the bottom layer sweet and bubbly.
- Butter melts into the cake mix. Evenly spaced butter pieces help the topping bake up golden, not powdery.
Peach Dump Cake Ingredients
- Sliced Peaches in Heavy Syrup (1 (29-ounce) can sliced peaches in heavy syrup, undrained): Creates the sweet, juicy base of the dessert and provides the moisture that helps the cake mix bake into a soft, cobbler-like topping. The syrup also helps the cake mix absorb flavor while baking. You can also use canned peaches in light syrup if you want it slightly less sweet.
- Yellow Cake Mix (1 box yellow cake mix, 15.25 ounce size): Forms the golden, buttery topping once baked with the melted butter and peach juices. Yellow cake mix adds a classic cake flavor, but white cake mix or butter cake mix can also work well.
- Butter (¾ cup butter, sliced into 24 cuts): Melts into the cake mix as it bakes, helping create a crisp, golden topping while adding rich flavor. We prefer using real unsalted butter for the best taste.
Using Fresh Peaches
Replace the canned peaches with fresh or frozen peaches. If using fresh peaches, be cautious about using overly ripe fruit. They might produce too much liquid, resulting in a runny dessert. Peel the skins off and slice them.
To replace the 29-ounce can of peaches with fresh peaches, do the following:
- Pour the peach mixture over the bottom of the dish and proceed with the recipe as instructed.
- Prepare 3½ – 4 cups of peeled, sliced peaches, 1¼ cups of white sugar, and a ¼ teaspoon of salt. (For an even thicker peach sauce, toss the peaches in a light layer of cornstarch.) Add the ingredients to a saucepan and cook until the sugar dissolves and juices appear and begin to boil.
How to Make Peach Dump Cake
PREP. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread peaches, with the liquid into a greased 9×13 dish.
LAYER + BAKE. Sprinkle the cake mix evenly over the peaches. Cut the butter and place the butter slices evenly over the cake mix. Bake for 40-45 minutes.
ENJOY! Serve warm on its own or with a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream or a dollop of Whipped Cream. However you serve it, we think you’ll love it!
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- Melt the butter: To save time, melt the butter in the microwave and then drizzle the melted butter on top of the cake mix before you bake it.
- Do not stir the layers: Dump cakes work best when the ingredients stay layered so the topping forms correctly.
- Use a glass or ceramic baking dish: These help the peaches cook evenly and prevent the bottom from over-baking.
- Make it in a crock pot: Dump the peaches and syrup in the bottom of a greased slow cooker. Melt your butter and mix it with your cake mix. Sprinkle over the peaches, making sure to break up any large pieces. Cook on HIGH for 2 hours or LOW for 4 hours.
- Make it a crisp: If you want more of a “peach crisp” dump cake, add quick or old-fashioned oats to the cake mix before baking.
- Fruit alternatives: Blackberries, blueberries, cherries, raspberries, and apples would all be delicious. If using other canned fruit in syrup, the instructions will be the same, or you can follow the “using fresh peaches” instructions, but replace the 2 cups of peaches with 2 cups of the fruit of your choice.
Peach Dump Cake Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 (29-ounce) can sliced peaches in heavy syrup, undrained
- 1 box yellow cake mix, 15.25 ounce size
- ¾ cup butter, sliced into 24 cuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Spread peaches, with liquid, into a 9×13 baking dish.
- Sprinkle cake mix evenly over peaches.
- Place butter evenly over the cake mix.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, until golden and bubbly. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Spread the butter evenly: Cut the butter into small pieces and distribute it across the cake mix so the topping bakes evenly and doesn’t leave dry spots. To save time, melt the butter in the microwave and then drizzle the melted butter on top of the cake mix before you bake it.
- Do not stir the layers: Dump cakes work best when the ingredients stay layered so the topping forms correctly.
- Use a glass or ceramic baking dish: These help the peaches cook evenly and prevent the bottom from overbaking.
- Fruit alternatives: Blackberries, blueberries, cherries, raspberries, and apples would all be delicious. If using other canned fruit in syrup, the instructions will be the same, or you can follow the “using fresh peaches” instructions, but replace the 2 cups of peaches with 2 cups of the fruit of your choice.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
If you are lucky enough to have fresh peaches you can absolutely use them. Frozen peaches work too. To replace the 29-ounce can of peaches, you will need about 3½ -4 cups of sliced peaches along with some sugar and salt. (see above for directions)
Place leftover peach dump cake in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave if you prefer to enjoy it warm.
Yes, allow the dump cake to cool before wrapping it tightly with plastic wrap and again with aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw before reheating it in the oven.
More Like This
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Cherry Dump Cake Recipe
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Apple Dump Cake
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Pumpkin Dump Cake
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This recipe was originally published April 2018.
So good and so easy. It went over fantastically at the potluck.
Hooray!! So happy to hear that!
Perfect dessert quick and easy to make. My family enjoyed it will be making it again. 💖
Oh I’m so happy to hear that your family enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for sharing!
Can you use margin instead of butter?
I haven’t ever swapped it in this recipe, but I imagine it would work.The flavor/texture could be slightly different. You’ll have to let us know how it turns out if you do swap for margarine instead.
I used the sweetest fresh peaches and some fresh nectarines and one small pkg peach jello for extra great flavor
Mmmm that sounds amazing!!!
I’m making it tonight we’ll see how it goes I’ll let you know
Hope the cake turned out well for you! Thanks for giving it a try!
Easy to make & absolutely delicious warm
Thank you!! So happy to hear you enjoyed it!
This was not a good recipe. I followed it to a T, it came out pasty in some areas.
Thanks for your feedback and for giving the recipe a try!
When I took mine out of the oven I sprinkled it lightly with the cinnamon-sugar mixture I use for toast and let it cool. Yummy. Thanks for this recipe.
Ooh that sounds delicious! You’re welcome. So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
I am getting ready to make this tomorrow. Can I use melted butter and pour it evenly over the top before baking?
Hi Laura! You may have made this cake by now. How did the cake turn out? I haven’t tried the recipe using melted butter. I always follow the recipe using cuts of butter. I’m curious to hear how it worked. 🙂
This was so easy and so tasty. I had to cook it for 50 min to get the perfect crunch on top, but it was worth it. I can’t wait to try it with other fruits and make it my own.
Yay! So glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe. It’s definitely fun to switch up the fruit options too.