Strawberry Cream Cheese Dump Cake is an easy, crowd-pleasing dessert made with sweet strawberry pie filling, creamy pockets of cheesecake goodness, and a buttery golden cake topping. It's a simple dump cake that's perfect for potlucks, holidays, or when you need a quick dessert everyone will love.
If you love easy desserts like this one, be sure to check out my other dump cake recipes, which are some of the most popular desserts on Fantabulosity.
A Sweet, Creamy Dump Cake That Everyone Asks For
If you love classic dump cakes but want something that feels just a little more indulgent, this strawberry dump cake with cream cheese delivers every time. The strawberry pie filling becomes warm and jammy as it bakes, while the dollops of sweetened cream cheese create creamy bites throughout the cake. On top, the buttery cake mix bakes into that golden, crumbly layer everyone digs into first.
It's the kind of dessert that's almost impossible to mess up. Everything layers right in the baking dish, there's no complicated mixing, and the oven does the rest. That's exactly why dump cakes like this have stayed popular at potlucks and family gatherings for decades.
FAQs
Yes. White cake mix or vanilla cake mix both work well with this recipe. Yellow cake mix simply adds a slightly richer, buttery flavor.
Pie filling works best because it already contains the sugar and thickened syrup needed for the proper texture. Fresh strawberries release more liquid and would require additional sugar and thickener.
This usually means some of the cake mix didn't get enough butter. Simply drizzle an extra tablespoon or two of melted butter over the dry spots and bake for about five more minutes.
Yes. You can assemble the layers a few hours ahead of time and bake when ready. You can also bake it completely and gently reheat before serving.
Cover the pan or transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave.
Ingredients
- Strawberry pie filling – This creates the sweet, jammy base of the cake and gives the dessert its bold strawberry flavor.
- Cream cheese – Adds creamy pockets throughout the dessert that taste almost like cheesecake baked into the cake.
- Granulated sugar – Sweetens the cream cheese mixture and helps it blend smoothly.
- Vanilla extract – Adds warmth and flavor to the cream cheese mixture.
- Yellow cake mix – The dry cake mix forms the classic buttery topping that makes dump cakes so easy.
- Unsalted butter – Melted butter moistens the cake mix and helps it bake into a golden, slightly crisp topping.
Instructions
Preheat the oven and prepare the baking dish. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish and set it aside.
Spread the strawberry pie filling evenly across the bottom of the dish to create the base layer.
In a bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with the sugar and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
Dollop the cream cheese mixture evenly over the strawberry filling. Small spoonfuls work best and should not be spread out.
Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly across the entire dish, covering the filling completely.
Slowly drizzle the melted butter over the cake mix so most of the dry mix becomes moistened.
Bake uncovered until the top becomes golden and the edges are bubbling.
Allow the cake to cool slightly before serving so the filling can set.
Tips
• Don't stir the layers. Dump cakes bake best when the ingredients are simply layered in the dish.
• Dollop the cream cheese rather than spreading it so you get creamy bites throughout the cake.
• Drizzle butter slowly and evenly, paying attention to the corners where dry spots often occur.
• If a few dry cake mix spots remain after baking, drizzle a little extra melted butter on top and bake a few minutes longer.
• Let the cake rest for about 15-20 minutes before serving so the filling thickens slightly.
Serving Suggestions
Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
Garnish with fresh strawberries for an extra burst of color and flavor.
For a fun finishing touch, drizzle slices with white chocolate or strawberry sauce.
More Vintage Recipes
If you love vintage recipes like this strawberry dump cake, you’ll also love these other old-fashioned recipes:
- Westhaven Cake – a rich, old-fashioned chocolate cake that’s made with softened dates and topped with a warm fudge icing.
- Cowboy Pasta Salad is an easy, crowd-pleasing vintage recipe that works as a side dish or a full meal.
- Old Fashioned Salmon Patties are a tried and true classic that are shallow-fried and made with Old Bay Seasoning to kick up the flavor a bit.
Recipe
Strawberry Cream Cheese Dump Cake
Ingredients
- 2 – 21-ounce cans strawberry pie filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 15.25 ounce box of yellow cake mix
- ¾ cup unsalted butter which is 12 tablespoons, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside.
- Spread the strawberry pie filling evenly across the bottom of your 9×13 baking dish.
- In a small bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
- Dollop the cream cheese evenly over the strawberry filling. Small spoonfuls work the best, but do not spread.
- Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the entire dish, covering the filling completely.
- Drizzle the melted butter evenly over the cake mix, making sure most of the dry cake mix is moistened.
- Bake uncovered for 45-50 minutes, or until the top is golden and the edges are bubbling.
- Let the cake cool slightly before serving. The cake will set up as it cools.
Notes
- Don't stir when adding layers. Dump cakes work the best when layered.
- Optional: Take a fork and gently spread the cake mix in to an even layer to help prevent dry spots.
- If dry cake mix spots still remain after baking, drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons of melted butter and return to the oven for 5 minutes.
- Dollop the cream cheese, don't spread it. This will create creamy bites throughout instead of a solid layer.
- Drizzle butter slowly and evenly. Make sure to pay attention to the corners and edges where dry spots tend to form.
- After taking the cake out of the oven, let it rest before serving. Cooling for 15-20 minutes will help the filling set and make scooping out of the pan for serving easier.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
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