Blueberry dump cake is what you bake when you want to eat a cake, but don't feel like, well, baking. Truly as easy as just “dumping” all the ingredients in and popping it in the oven!
Click play ▶️ on the super short, 1-minute video above and find out just how easy blueberry dump cake really is!
Blogger Buddies
From time to time, readers ask me how they can make one of my recipes the “regular” way, with gluten. Well, I haven't baked with gluten since approximately 2006, so I always have to confess that I have absolutely no idea.
But I do know that gluten free recipes are different. So I've teamed up with my lovely and talented friend Melanie of Mel's Kitchen Cafe to bring you a new series called Blogger Buddies. Mel makes a conventional recipe, and I make a gluten free version of the same recipe. You find her recipe on her site and my recipe on mine.
Mel is the one I turn to whenever a reader is looking for a conventional recipe. She's got integrity to spare, and her blog reflects that. Her recipes clearly work. So if you're looking for a conventional version of blueberry dump cake, look no further! Speaking of dump cake…
“Dump” Cake?
I used to put “dump” cakes in the same category as slow cookers. I knew how popular they were, but I just couldn't wrap my mind around them.
There are whole books written about them both, maybe even love songs for all I know. And when we're talking about a harmless subject like how to make a ridiculously easy cake (with an unfortunate name), millions of people can't be wrong.
I am happy to report that this gluten free blueberry dump cake is indeed super easy, and makes a really nice cake that tastes like a gluten free blueberry buckle with a shortbread base. I'm honestly not sure it could be any easier, in fact—even when you make your own gluten free vanilla cake mix.
They're called “dump” cakes because, well, you just dump all of the ingredients in a pan and bake them. No mixing.
Even so, I find that the best method—by a mile—is to grate chilled butter into the cake mix. Then gently toss everything all together in the pan before pouring buttermilk over the top and baking it.
Substitutions and a Word to the Wise
Fruit: I use frozen blueberries in the middle of the winter. But when fresh blueberries are big, beautiful and affordable by all means use them! I haven't made this recipe with other berries, but I imagine that raspberries would work quite well. Other fruit that has more moisture, like strawberries, might need different a different proportion of ingredients.
Dairy: My gluten free cake mix has dairy in it, but you can try substituting the buttermilk powder with blanched almond flour to make it dairy free. In place of butter, try butter flavored nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening. In place of the buttermilk in this recipe, try using unsweetened almond milk. You can add 1/4 teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice to the milk if you like.
Wisdom: I made this cake quite a few times before settling on the proper proportion of ingredients and method, and the most important piece of advice I can give you is … don't overbake it. The bottom burns quite easily. Other than that, it really is as easy, and as delicious, as it seems!
Blueberry Dump Cake – A “Blogger Buddies” Two-for-one!
Ingredients
3 cups (about 600 g) fresh or frozen blueberries
16 ounces gluten free vanilla cake mix
9 tablespoons (126 g) unsalted butter, chilled
1/2 cup (4 fluid ounces) buttermilk (or milk), chilled
Whipped cream, for serving
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 325°F. Grease a 9-inch x 12-inch (or 9-inch square) baking dish, scatter the blueberries in an even layer in the bottom, and set the dish aside.
Place the cake mix in a large bowl. Using a standard grater, grate the chilled butter into the cake mix and, using your clean hands, toss to coat the butter in the cake mix. Break up the lumps that form in the grated butter until the mixture is uniform and looks like very coarse sand. Scatter the butter and cake mix mixture on top of the blueberries, and stir gently to mix. Pour the chilled buttermilk evenly over the top.
Place the baking dish in the center of the preheated oven and bake until the cake is puffed and lightly golden brown on top (about 35 minutes for the 9-inch x 12-inch pan, 40+ minutes for the 9-inch square pan). Do not overbake or the bottom will burn. Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before serving with a dollop of whipped cream.
Originally published on the blog in 2015. All photos, video, much of the text and partnership with my dear friend Mel are all new. Recipe unchanged.
Thanks for stopping by!
Hi, I’m Nicole. I create gluten free recipes that really work and taste as good as you remember. No more making separate meals when someone is GF, or buying packaged foods that aren’t good enough to justify the price. At Gluten Free on a Shoestring, “good, for gluten free” just isn’t good enough! Come visit my bio!
Sherry says
Just saw your substitutions and word to the wise comment. I’ll try blackberries and let you know. Thanks!
Sherry says
It turned out great using blackberries as a substitute.
Thanks for a great recipe! Both my celiac husband and gluten-loving relatives loved it.
Nicole Hunn says
Great! Thanks for reporting back, Sherry!
Joan says
Can I use Pamela’s baking & Pancake mix or Almond Flour in place of the vanilla mix?
Nicole Hunn says
You can’t use almond flour or a baking mix, no, Joan, as you need a cake mix. Almond flour is just, well, almond flour, and Pamela’s baking mix is more like just a pancake mix. You really need to make the recipe as written for it to work!
Mel says
I love how easy it is to get a conventional and gluten-free recipe for a cake like this at the same time! Thanks for clueing me in to dump cakes. :) Your cake looks AMAZING!
Nicole Hunn says
You’re the best, Mel. :)
Michele says
I made this cake this past Saturday. I didn’t get to eat any as I messed up and thought I grabbed a gluten free vanilla cake mix at the store. Turns out it was not. I had guests coming over and I am the only one who is GF so I made it anyway. Everyone said they love it and they ate all of it. I even made cool whip from scratch for it (my first time doing that…it was fun!). I am wondering if you think it would taste good with GF yellow cake mix instead of vanilla.
Tracy McGraw Harvey says
To reduce the “burning on the bottom” problem that is so common with GF baking, you might try placing a cookie sheet on the rack one level down from the rack your baking item is on. I have had very good luck with this trick.
Nicole Hunn says
Tracy, I’m glad you found something that works for you, but for the benefit of others I’d like to be clear that there is no “burning on the bottom” problem that is particular to gluten free baking, if you’re using the right recipe. Baked goods tend to burn on the bottom if there isn’t enough moisture, or (of course) if they’re simply over-baked. Dump cakes have a natural tendency to burn on the bottom as they are, essentially, unmixed shortbread, and not a proper cake batter with the ideal moisture balance.
Elena, Age 11 says
hi Nicole, i have a question. today i made your snickerdoodles from the mix in gfoass quick & easy. they are delicous but super duper soft. i used an equal amount of shortening in place of butter and baked them ten minutes. you have any idea why they would do this?
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Elena, they’re a soft cookie but yes, replacing butter with shortening will make for a less crispy cookie. The moisture in butter helps cookies spread and makes them crisp.
Rebecca Rudolph Thompson says
I’ve had some GF Dump Cake fails! I am glad to try this recipe using the fresh berries that we now get at Farmer’s Market every week in Southern California!
Nicole Hunn says
I’m so jealous of your Southern California weather—and berries, Rebecca!
Butmom says
Have you tried this with chilled coconut oil
Nicole Hunn says
I haven’t tested this recipe with any substitutions, no.
marmiejean says
Can I use a pastry blender to combine softened butter and cake mix?
Nicole Hunn says
You will get a much better result with all chilled ingredients, Marmiejean. But feel free to experiment, as always!
Mare Masterson says
Oh yeah!
Lucy says
Yum! I haven’t tried a dump cake before, looks to easy to be true :)
Jennifer S. says
This looks freakin’ awesome and I love me some blueberry cake. AND since it has fruit – that screams breakfast food to me. My kids complain that we eat the same things over and over for breakfast. but then when I mix it up (like bars or bcookies) they turn their noses up. They will NOT do that to this beautiful cake!!!
Nicole Hunn says
LOL I like your logic, Jennifer!
Diane Decker says
The link for the vanilla cake mix lists the ingredients for the chocolate cake mix. Do we just delete the cocoa powder for a vanilla cake mix? Eliminating 3/4 cup of dry ingredients seems like it would unbalance the dry/wet ingredient ration.
Jennifer S. says
No – I’m pretty sure the vanilla one is different. Nicole will see this and update the link.
Nicole Hunn says
There’s nothing to update. It’s there, as Mare said. You just have to scroll down everyone!
Mare Masterson says
Actually, the link is for both chocolate and vanilla.