Transform Pears And A Box Of Cake Mix Into Warm Beloved Classic Dessert

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While you might not love dump cakes' rather unappealing name, they are one of the easiest baked desserts you can make. If you happen to have a bowl full of pears and a box of cake mix in the pantry, you're just a few steps away from a juicy, autumnal dump cake that tastes seasonal and comes together in under an hour.

The pears make up the bottom layer of the cake and get covered with your cake mix of choice — vanilla is the classic option, although you could also reach for fall-flavored ones such as Betty Crocker Spice Cake Mix or Betty Crocker Maple Cake Mix. Because the mix is dry, it will need some moisture after you layer it onto the pears, which you can achieve with milk or melted butter. The final layer is made of crumble for a little extra crunch, and Tasting Table's fruit crumble topping recipe would make the pear-fect companion to this treat.

Once you have all the layers, the cake will take about half an hour to bake, and you should definitely enjoy it while it's still warm. Serving it with vanilla ice cream is a tried-and-tested success story, although butter pecan would be our top pick. The pear dump cake will wait for you in the fridge for about three days, but don't put it in the freezer, as it could ruin the texture of the baked pears.

There are many different types of pears, and some of them are better for baking than others. Now, if a friend has just dropped off a bag full of fresh pears on your doorstep, you should absolutely use those, regardless of the variety. But if they're a bit underripe, put the chopped pieces in the oven for 10-15 minutes prior to layering them with the cake mix. As for any that are slightly overripe, their final texture might be a bit mushier, so it's a good idea to mix in some firmer apple chunks. Look to our apple-pear crisp with walnut-buckwheat crumble for inspiration on how to add more textural variety.

In the name of convenience, the dump cake can also be made with canned pears, but you'll have to cut back on the sugar in the crumble, as canned pears are already very sweet. For those who do want to go a step forward and use the absolute best variety of pears to make this dessert, look for the Anjou variety. Anjou pears have the best texture for baked goods, as well as a refreshing, not overly sweet flavor. They also won't dry out in the oven, thanks to their juicy interior. Bosc pears are another great variety, especially if you want the baked fruit to retain a light bite and not come out too soft.

Check out this TikTok video of a seasonal pear crumble dump cake: