Strawberry Cheesecake Dump Cake
🍓 Strawberry Cheesecake Dump Cake (Base Recipe)
Yield: 12 servings | Prep Time: 10 mins | Bake Time: 50 mins | Total Time: 1 hour
🛒 Ingredients
- 1 (21 oz) can strawberry pie filling
- 1 (8 oz) block cream cheese, softened
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 box (15.25 oz) yellow or white cake mix
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- Optional: Fresh strawberries, whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream
👩🍳 Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Spread strawberry pie filling evenly in the dish.
- Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Drop spoonfuls over filling.
- Sprinkle dry cake mix over everything—do not mix.
- Drizzle melted butter over the cake mix to moisten as much surface as possible.
- Bake for 45–50 minutes, until golden and bubbly.
- Cool 15 minutes before serving. Top with ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.
🌀 Dump Cake Variations Cheat Sheet
| Category | Substitutions / Additions |
|---|---|
| Fruit Base | Blueberries, raspberries, peaches, cherries, mixed berries (fresh, frozen, or canned) |
| Cheesecake Twist | Add lemon zest, almond extract, mascarpone, or swirl with jam or Nutella |
| Cake Mix Flavors | Chocolate, white, strawberry, spice, or gluten-free cake mixes |
| Dairy-Free | Vegan cream cheese (e.g., Kite Hill), dairy-free butter (e.g., Earth Balance) |
| Vegan | Use vegan cake mix + egg replacements like flax eggs or applesauce |
| Toppings | Streusel topping, chocolate chips, chopped nuts, coconut flakes |
| Serving Enhancements | Vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, splash of liqueur (e.g., Amaretto or Grand Marnier) |
| Low Sugar | Sugar-free cake mix, stevia or monk fruit in cheesecake mix, unsweetened frozen fruit |
🔧 Pro Tips
- Cream cheese shortcut: Too busy to beat it? Just dollop it straight on top.
- Even topping: Use a spoon to spread butter more evenly if needed—dry patches = powdery cake.
- Add crunch: A sprinkle of chopped nuts or streusel before baking adds texture contrast.