As you all know…i’m not much of a baker.  I really have to be in the mood to bake and to be honest, it’s not my style to be precise, exact and be that structured.  Well at least that’s how I perceive baking…structured and I find that whole process to be overwhelming so that’s probably why I avoid it.  Baking usually involves a lot of ingredients which I never have on hand or when I do…they usually have expired because I don’t use them often enough.

Finally, I have discovered the answer to my baking woe’s, the meal ticket to the pot luck I forgot about, a crowd pleaser when you find out last minute you have dinner guests coming over for dinner…ladies and gents, I present to you the ‘dump cake’.

Now…I completely recognize that it a) sounds disgusting b) could definitely use a better name and c) it’s completely confusing so please, allow me to clear the air.  The dump cake is basically a few simple ingredients literally dumped in to a dish and then baked.  When it’s finished, it turns in to a deliciously awesome cake that is awesome served with ice cream (or just on it’s own).  There are endless possibilities to the dump cake because all it really calls for is 1) a boxed cake mix (SCORE) 2) some fruit 3) melted butter and 4) a sprinkle of cinnamon (if you want to get all luxurious about it).

Since it’s getting to the end of the season and no one has offered to make me a peach pie, I decided to use up the peaches I had in the house, along with some of those beautiful little plums and whip up a little stone fruit dump cake.  I absolutely love stone fruit…especially when its baked in the oven.  When baked, plums become that beautiful bright red and when it’s paired with peaches and a bit of cinnamon…you have a winning combo.

Let’s get this show on the road.  Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees and then cut up your fruit.  I cut up 2 cups of peaches (3 large peaches) and 2 cups of plums (sorry forgot to count how many).   Cut it how you want it.  I cut it in to smaller chunks so my little dude would like it.

Next, grease your dish.  I used a 9×13 oven safe dish and sprayed it with olive oil cooking spray but you could use butter if you would prefer.  Once greased, add your fruit.

peaches and plums

I sprinkled a tiny amount of sugar and cinnamon on top.  The plums weren’t super ripe and were a bit sour so I thought I would use a little bit of sugar to sweeten them up.  If you are using super ripe fruit, no need to add sugar…well unless you totally want to, then I say go for it.

Now get out your box of white or golden cake mix and sprinkle on top of the fruit.  Make sure it is spread evenly on top.

make sure the cake mix is spread evenly

Now pour 3/4 cup of melted butter over top of the cake mix, coating as much as you can.

Now I sprinkled a lil more cinnamon on top because well…I really like it and so does my little man.  If you aren’t a cinnamon fan, skip this step.  Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes or until the top of the cake is nice and golden.

Here’s what the finished product looks like:

Stone Fruit Dump Cake

Ingredients

• 4 cups of chopped stone fruit (2 cups plums and 2 cups peaches)
• 1 box of golden or white cake mix
• 3/4 cup of melted butter
• sprinkle of sugar and cinnamon (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Chop fruit
3. Grease a 9×13 oven safe dish and dump fruit in to the dish
4. sprinkle sugar on top if fruit is not that ripe as this will sweeten it (optional)
5. dump cake mix on top and make sure it is distributed evenly
6. Pour melted butter over top
7. sprinkle cinnamon over top
8. Bake for 45 minutes or until the top is golden.
9. Serve warm and with some vanilla ice cream

This dump cake is soooo super simple that anyone can do it.  I really like this cake because it’s also inexpensive and it feeds several people so it is perfect for when a few people come over for dinner for a beauty little dessert.  If you aren’t a baker or are like me and actually don’t enjoy baking that much then this little dessert is a great one for you!!  Don’t scoff at using a boxed cake mix…give yourself a pat on the back because you just saved yourself mad cash and time because you didn’t have to go out and spend a fortune on ingredients.  Gotta love that!!  The added bonus is that your house will smell amazing so move over Nigella, there is a new domestic goddess in town!!

Hope you all enjoy this lovely little invention!!

Stone Fruit Dump Cake

I actually didn’t have any icecream when I made it so I served it to the lion with a bit of vanilla yogurt…WOAH. That kid ate that up like nobody’s business!