Do I have to use a 9x13 pan?

Yes. Two full cans of pie filling plus a box of cake mix fill a 9x13 dish to the right depth. A smaller pan will overflow as the cake bubbles up.

Blueberry Dump Cake (Easy 4-Ingredient Recipe)

Name: Blueberry Dump Cake
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 85 min
Ingredients: 41 ounces (2 21 ounce) canned blueberry pie filling; 15.25 ounces boxed yellow cake mix; 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (melted); ⅔ cup whole milk (room temperature)

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This blueberry dump cake is the dessert I keep coming back to all summer long. It comes together in minutes, bakes up like a hybrid between a cobbler and a buttery coffee cake, and never lasts more than a day at my house.

Serving of blueberry dump cake topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on a white plate with fresh blueberries nearby.

A few summers ago, my family went blueberry picking and came home with way more fresh blueberries than we knew what to do with. We ate blueberry pancakes, blueberry muffins, blueberry sauce on ice cream, blueberry everything for about a week. This recipe uses canned pie filling instead of fresh, but it earned its spot in the rotation right alongside all the fresh ones. It’s my back-pocket dessert for cookouts and casual summer dinners because it takes almost no effort but comes out looking like I spent way more time on it.

Most blueberry dump cakes call for pads of cold butter scattered over the dry cake mix. I tested it that way and ended up with dry patches on top that never baked through. After three rounds of testing, I switched to melted butter whisked with milk and poured slowly over the cake mix. That one change covers the dry mix evenly and gives you a golden buttery top instead of bald, dry spots.

If you love a good dump cake, my Cherry Dump Cake and Peach Dump Cake are two more I make on repeat all year long.

Why I Make This All Summer Long

This one bakes up like a cobbler-coffee cake hybrid: thick jammy blueberries underneath, golden buttery top with crisp corners and softer cakey pockets in the middle. About twenty minutes in, the kitchen fills with that warm baked-fruit-and-butter smell.

4 ingredients, all pantry staples (cake mix, pie filling, butter, milk)
5 minutes of hands-on time and the oven does the rest
Feeds 12 from a 9×13 pan
Holds up for cookouts, keeps in the fridge for days or the freezer for months

What You’ll Need

Blueberry dump cake ingredients including two cans of blueberry pie filling, milk, yellow cake mix, and unsalted butter.

Blueberry pie filling. Two full 21-ounce cans give the cake a thick, jammy blueberry layer that bubbles up around the edges as it bakes. Any brand works here.
Yellow cake mix. The cake mix is providing texture and structure, not flavor. The blueberries dominate either way.
Unsalted butter, melted. A full cup of melted butter gets whisked with milk to create a pourable liquid that covers the dry cake mix evenly. That even coverage is the whole reason this recipe works.
Whole milk, room temperature. The milk is the small addition that solves the biggest dump cake problem. Two-thirds of a cup thins the melted butter enough to spread over the entire pan. Room temperature matters because cold milk will firm the butter back up the second they hit each other in the bowl.

Blueberry dump cake being scooped from a glass baking dish showing the golden cake topping and blueberry filling.

How to Make Blueberry Dump Cake

Step 1: Preheat and prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray.

Step 2: Layer the pie filling. Spread both 21-ounce cans of blueberry pie filling evenly across the bottom of the prepared dish. You want a thick, even layer all the way to the edges. Blueberry pie filling spread in a glass baking dish as the first layer of dump cake.

Step 3: Sprinkle the cake mix. Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the blueberry pie filling. Use a fork to break up any large clumps as you go so the layer stays even. Dry yellow cake mix spread evenly over blueberry filling in a glass baking dish.

Step 4: Whisk the butter and milk. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup melted butter and 2/3 cup room temperature milk until combined.

Step 5: Pour over the cake mix. Pour the butter and milk mixture slowly over the top of the dry cake mix in a thin stream, then use a spoon to gently nudge any dry spots under the liquid. A few small dry spots are okay, but you don’t want large patches showing. Do not stir, the layers are the whole point of a dump cake. Melted butter being poured from a Pyrex measuring cup over dry cake mix in a glass baking dish.

Step 6: Bake. Bake for 48 to 50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown all the way across. The edges will bubble and look done before the center catches up. Go by the color on top, not the edges. Freshly baked blueberry dump cake with golden cake topping and bubbling blueberry filling in a glass baking dish.

Step 7: Cool before serving. Let the cake cool for 30 minutes before serving. This gives the blueberry layer time to set so it doesn’t run when you scoop it out.

Easy Ways to Switch It Up

White cake mix. I tested yellow and white side by side and there is no real flavor difference. Use whichever you have on hand.

Homemade blueberry pie filling. If you have homemade on hand, 4 cups is the right swap for the 2 cans.

Lemon or orange zest. Add freshly zested lemon or orange over the cake mix before pouring the butter and milk. It gives the blueberry layer a bright citrus kick.

Close-up of blueberry dump cake with golden cake crumbles and a melting scoop of vanilla ice cream on a white plate.

What to Serve With It

I serve this warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. The ice cream melts right into the warm blueberry layer and gives it almost a blueberry cobbler vibe. A dollop of whipped cream works too, or you can do both if you really want to lean into it.

How to Store Blueberry Dump Cake

Store any leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

This freezes well too. Cover the cooled cake with a layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of heavy duty aluminum foil. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating individual servings in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds.

Spoonful of blueberry dump cake held over a white ramekin filled with cake and blueberry filling.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use fresh blueberries instead of canned pie filling?

I haven’t tested this recipe with fresh blueberries and I don’t recommend the swap here. Fresh berries release a lot of liquid as they bake and would change the texture of the blueberry layer. If you want a recipe built for fresh blueberries, my Blueberry Breakfast Cake is what you want.

Can I use frozen blueberries instead of canned pie filling?

Same answer. This recipe is tested with canned pie filling and that is what gives you the thick, jammy layer. Frozen blueberries release too much water as they bake.

Do I have to use a 9×13 pan?

Yes. Two full cans of pie filling plus a box of cake mix fill a 9×13 dish to the right depth. A smaller pan will overflow as the cake bubbles up.

Can I make this ahead of time?

It’s at its best fresh and warm, but it holds well in the fridge, so making it earlier in the day for a cookout or party works fine. Pull out individual servings and warm them in the microwave before serving.

More Dump Cake Recipes To Try

5 from 5 votes