Lemon Blueberry Dump Cake

I love Dump Cake. It's so easy and yummy! I also love blueberries. One of my favorite desserts from my childhood was lemon blueberry Bundt cake. It came in a mix, with a glaze and a little can of "real Maine blueberries!!" I asked for it almost every year for my birthday cake.

They don't make Bundt cake mixes anymore, and I haven't seen any mix combining lemon with blueberries. We went out blueberry picking this past weekend and I started to crave the flavor. I decided to make a dump cake.

I was concerned that the fresh blueberries wouldn't provide enough liquid, so I added a little by mixing the berries with lemon and sugar and letting it sit for a bit. This works to draw out the juices for other berries, so I was hoping it would do that here. I don't know if it did, but the cake worked so I don't really care. :)

The result was as good as I had hoped! We will definitely make it again. Enjoy!!

LEMON BLUEBERRY DUMP CAKE

4 cups fresh blueberries
2 T lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar

1 box lemon cake mix

1 stick butter

Toss the berries with the juice and sugar, and let it sit for about 15 minutes.

Place the berries in the bottom of a 13x9 inch pan. Dump the cake mix over the berries and spread evenly, but don't stir. Cut the butter into pats and spread evenly on the top, but don't stir.

Bake at 350 for about 35 minutes. it should be slightly brown on the top. You may need a few more minutes. It's normal for the berries to break through the top.

Notes:

You can use any size pan you like, but watch the time. I used a 12" round dutch oven and it took close to an hour.

You could substitute frozen berries or even canned.

Try different cake mix flavors if you don't want lemon.

Of course you can sub margarine for butter, but why would you want to?

A trick we learned in Girl Scouts is to omit the butter, and pour a 12-ounce can of lemon-lime soda over the top. it works the same and tastes great.

Dump Cake

You know what a "dump cake" is, right? You have just a few ingredients and you just DUMP them into a pan to bake. They are super easy at home, and very popular on Scout camp outs. We cook them in a Dutch oven, using coals for the heat (top and bottom). Yummy!

The standard Dump Cake uses canned fruit, a cake mix, and a stick of butter. Some recipes call for cutting the butter into pats or bits, some call for melting. Either way is fine. I go with pats because it's less work!

Flavor variations are endless - experiment to find your own favorite! I am posting some of ours below. You can use no-sugar-added fruit, gluten free cake mix, margarine (yuck. just saying), whatever your taste buds or health needs require. Even throw some fresh fruit into the mix. The key is you need the juice from the fruit, and some sort of liquid for the top.

In a recent training class, I learned a new trick. Instead of butter, use a can of carbonated beverage. Just pour over the top. It performs the same function as the butter, but is cheaper and easier to carry (no refrigeration needed). I do prefer the taste of butter, but on Scout trips we will be doing the soda from now on. Again, the flavor varieties are endless! We want to find a fruit to go with vanilla cake and root beer (think root beer floats!).

Each recipe is good for an 8-10 dutch oven or 9x13 pan, and makes 10-12 servings. Grease the pan!! Line it completely with foil for easier cleaning. Bake at 350 in the oven, or use coals at the campground. Instructions for charcoal cooking can be found HERE (< click).

Instructions for all recipes: "Dump" ingredients into pan, in this order: fruit, cake mix, butter or soda. Be sure each layer is spread out evenly, but do not stir. If using soda, stir it slightly into the cake mix to avoid dry spots, but be careful not to mix with the fruit. If using butter, place the bits evenly over the top. Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes, until cake layer is done.

Enjoy!

Original Dump Cake

1 can cherry pie filling
1 can pineapple, any form, WITH juice
1 box vanilla cake mix
1 stick butter, cut into pats or bits
(OR one can soda)

Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake

2 cans cherry pie filling
1 box chocolate cake mix
1 stick butter, cut into pats or bits
(OR 1 can soda)

Cherry Cola Dump Cake

16 oz. maraschino cherries WITH juice (remove stems!)
1 chocolate cake mix
1 can cola (try cherry cola or cherry Dr. Pepper for more flavor!)

Peach Dump Cake

1 29-oz can peaches
1 box vanilla cake mix
1 stick butter, cut into pats or bits
(OR 1 can soda)

Lemon-Blueberry Dump Cake

2 cans blueberry pie filling
1 box lemon cake mix
1 stick butter, cut into pats or bits
(OR 1 can soda)

Apple Spice Dump Cake

2 cans apple pie filling
1 box spice cake mix
1 stick butter, cut into pats or bits
(OR 1 can soda)

Mary and Mommy's Super-Duper-Deluxe Mousse Stuff

This was invented in 2008, for the triplets' 7th birthday. We love chocolate mousse cake from a local bakery and wanted to make our own. We used this on top of a sheet cake, but I think it would have held up as a filling between layers. It's also delicious as a pudding on its own! Leave out the powdered sugar and use sugar-free pudding mix and it's even low carb. 


Mary and Mommy's Super-Duper-Deluxe Mousse Stuff
1 pkg, instant chocolate pudding mix
2 T cocoa powder
4 T powdered sugar
1 -1/2 cups heavy cream

Put it all together, and beat until it's thick - then it's done!

Pumpkin Cake

A delicious paleo, gluten free cake. My pumpkin lovers heartily approved.

2 c. almond flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. baking soda

4 large eggs

1 15 oz. can pumpkin

1/2 cup honey

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease 9x13 inch cake pan, or spray with non-stick spray. 

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the almond flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Set aside.

In a separate mixing bowl, with electric beaters on medium, mix together eggs, pumpkin and honey until smooth.

Add dry to wet and combine on low speed until smooth.

Pour batter into cake pan and smooth with spatula.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.

Completely cool on rack before cutting and serving.

Top with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.

** You could probably substitute sweeteners, but you need to compensate for the liquid. I have not tried any other sweeteners in this.

Chocolate Frosting

My 12 year old daughter found this recipe online recently. She can't remember where she got it. It's absolutely divine. If a little thicker, it would be fudge! I can't believe the amount of cocoa called for, but it's amazing. Eat it with a spoon; I dare you to stop!

3 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 stick butter, softened
3-4 Tbsp heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla

Stir sugar and cocoa together until well blended. Mix butter with 1 Tbsp cream. Gradually beat in sugar mixture, adding more cream as needed, until everything is combined and frosting is fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Frosts a 2 layer cake.

Lemonade Cake

We had this at a potluck and I had to get the recipe! Then I made it for the church potluck today and it disappeared! Three people asked me for the recipe so I guess it's a keeper. :)

Lemonade Cake

1 lemon cake mix
1 4 oz. instant lemon pudding and pie filling
4 eggs
3/4 c. oil
3/4 c. water

Mix together, bake in ungreased 13" x 9" pan @ 350F for 30 minutes**, or until brown on the top.

After the cake cools, poke with a fork to allow glaze to penetrate.

2 c. powdered sugar
1/3 c. lemon juice
2 T melted butter
2 T hot water
1 tsp. chopped lemon zest, optional

Mix and pour over the cake.

I made this the night before and stored on the counter, covered in foil. It was perfect the next day!

** Note - the recipe I was given said to bake for 38-40 minutes. Luckily I set the timer for 30 because it was absolutely done when the timer went off. We just had our oven worked on and the temp should be perfect. Just wanted to add this note, though, just in case. So check the cake and modify the time if needed.

Mandarin Orange Cake

I guess I'm on a roll today ;)

John's usual request for a birthday cake is an orange cake with lemon icing. I used to use Duncan Hines Orange Supreme cake mix, but can't find it anymore. I see from a Google search that I can order it by the case, which I might have done if I'd seen it a week ago when desperately searching for it in town. Instead, I found and tried this recipe. I'm only posting the cake because while the icing was good (lemon whipped cream) we were not entirely satisfied with it. Next time I'll try a nice lemon buttercream.

I love cake mix recipes because I have never had a scratch cake turn out right. Someday learning that art will be a goal of mine - for now, it's just not the first thing on my list! And why should it be, when cake mix recipes are in such ready supply?

We were so happy with this cake that even if I can find the orange mix again, I probably wouldn't get it. OR - I would get it and use it in this recipe, for extra-orangey goodness! :D

Mandarin Orange Cake

1 box yellow cake mix
1 (11 oz) can mandarin oranges, undrained
4 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1/2 tsp. orange extract

Mix all ingredients together well. The original recipe said to dice the oranges - but there's no need. The mixer will chop them up great on its own! Pout into 3 greased and floured round cake pans. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Cool before frosting.