Recipes & Cooking Desserts & Baking Cakes This 4-Ingredient Strawberry Dump Cake Requires Zero Effort 4.2 (5) 3 Reviews Mini pretzels make the perfect crunchy topper for this easy dump cake recipe. By Sarah Martens Sarah Martens Sarah Martens is the Senior Editor overseeing food at Better Homes & Gardens digital. She has been with the BHG brand for more than 10 years. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Published on August 22, 2023 Recipe tested by Sarah Brekke, MS Recipe tested by Sarah Brekke, MS Sarah Brekke, a culinary expert with The Better Homes and Gardens Test Kitchen, is passionate about food and cooking. Her unique background as both a food scientist and a culinary contributor allows her to blend her passions for both educating readers and creating tasty content. Learn more about the Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen Rate PRINT Share Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Rachel Marek. Prop Styling: Gabe Greco Prep Time: 10 mins Bake Time: 50 mins Total Time: 10 mins Servings: 12 Yield: 6 cups Jump to Nutrition Facts If you've ever felt like classic dump cake recipes were just a bit too sweet, this is the dessert recipe for you. In addition to the juicy whole strawberries (rather than the sugary canned pie filling), we're topping this dump cake recipe with salty pretzels. The result is a sweet-and-salty dessert that's the perfect balance of flavors and textures. As if that wasn't enough on it's own, we're serving the finished dump cake with a fluffy cream cheese whip. It's a take on classic strawberry shortcake that couldn't be easier or more delicious. Read on to learn how to make strawberry dump cake including our tested tips for achieving the perfect crunchy topping. Strawberry Dump Cake Ingredients A few things set this dump cake with strawberries apart from the rest. Frozen Strawberries: There's no need to prep a pound of strawberries for this dump cake recipe. You can grab a bag of fruit from the freezer and dump it right into the baking dish. No need to thaw or even plan ahead. Cake Mix: Our Test Kitchen preferred the mild flavor of white cake mix in this recipe but you could easily swap in yellow cake mix or even a flavored mix, like strawberry or lemon. Butter: To help balance the sweetness, use salted butter in this easy dessert recipe. Pretzels: Yep, salty pretzels are our secret to the perfect balance of flavors in this dump cake recipe. Choose mini pretzels and crush them lightly before sprinkling them on top. Cream Cheese Topper: For the lightest, fluffiest whipped topper, mix cream cheese, vanilla, and sugar until well combined. Add heavy cream and beat until it's whipped and dreamy, about three minutes. It makes our take on a strawberry cheesecake dump cake. How to Serve Strawberry Dump Cake This dump cake with strawberries is best served warm from the oven with a generous scoop of whipped cream cheese frosting. You can also serve it at room temperature with ice cream, yogurt, or even a drizzle of heavy cream. Keep in mind that the longer the dump cake is stored, the softer the pretzel topper will become. Blueberry Dump Cake Ingredients Nonstick cooking spray 1 32-ounce package frozen whole strawberries 1 package 2-layer-size white cake mix 3/4 cup cold salted butter, sliced into 24 pats 3/4 cup mini pretzels, coarsely crushed, plus additional for serving, if desired Directions Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 3-quart rectangular baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place frozen strawberries in the prepared dish. Evenly sprinkle cake mix over strawberries. Arrange pats of cold butter evenly over the cake mix. Top with crushed pretzels. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until cake mix is firm and browned and filling is bubbly. Serve warm or at room temperature. If desired, serve with Whipped Cream Cheese Topping and additional crushed pretzels. Whipped Cream Cheese Topping Beat half of an 8-ounce package softened cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla together in a medium bowl until sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup heavy whipping cream and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Frequently Asked Questions Why is it called a dump cake? Dump cakes are made by "dumping" ingredients into a baking dish. No need for bowls, whisks, or mixing at all. What's the biggest mistake to avoid when making a dump cake? The key to a good dump cake is to avoid mixing it! It may seem counterintuitive but layering the ingredients and then baking it results in a cobbler-like dessert that's the perfect combination of moist filling and crisp, buttery topping. Be sure to distribute the cake mix and butter evenly over the top. Should I refrigerate my dump cake? Once baked and fully cooled, it is best to store dump cake in the fridge. If kept on the counter, it will spoil much faster. Place it in an airtight container in the fridge and store for 3-5 days. Rate It Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 304 Calories 13g Fat 45g Carbs 2g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 12 Calories 303.6 % Daily Value * Total Fat 13.2g 17% Saturated Fat 8g 40% Cholesterol 30.5mg 10% Sodium 449.4mg 20% Total Carbohydrate 45.2g 16% Dietary Fiber 2.2g 8% Total Sugars 22.4g Protein 2.4g 5% Vitamin D 0mcg 0% Vitamin C 31.2mg 35% Calcium 108.5mg 8% Iron 1.6mg 9% Potassium 142.8mg 3% Fatty acids, total trans 0.6g Vitamin D 0IU Alanine 0.1g Arginine 0.1g Ash 2.3g Aspartic acid 0.2g Caffeine 0mg Carotene, alpha 0mcg Choline, total 10mg Copper, Cu 0.1mg Cystine 0g Energy 1268.9kJ Fluoride, F 0.4mcg Folate, total 48.2mcg Glutamic acid 0.7g Glycine 0.1g Histidine 0.1g Isoleucine 0.1g Leucine 0.2g Lysine 0.1g Methionine 0g Magnesium, Mg 13.9mg Manganese, Mn 0.3mg Niacin 1.5mg Phosphorus, P 152.6mg Pantothenic acid 0.3mg Phenylalanine 0.1g Proline 0.3g Retinol 95.2mcg Selenium, Se 2.1mcg Serine 0.1g Starch 2.3g Theobromine 0mg Threonine 0.1g Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) 1mg Tryptophan 0g Tyrosine 0.1g Valine 0.1g Vitamin A, IU 389IU Vitamin A, RAE 98.6mcg Vitamin B-12 0.1mcg Vitamin B-6 0.1mg Vitamin K (phylloquinone) 4mcg Water 73.5g Zinc, Zn 0.3mg *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.