The 4-Ingredient Dessert My Mom Makes Every Summer

Growing up in Texas, the beginning of summer break was especially exciting because it was also the start of peach season. One of my favorite summer traditions was going to a local orchard with my mom and sister on one of the first days of break to buy the fruit fresh.

The trip was always worth the homemade peach soft serve we would grab after a lunch of pulled pork sandwiches in peach sauce. But the best part was all of the fruit we got to take home to enjoy. 

Our abundance of peaches meant that, over the years, my mom would teach my sister and I to make any and every peach dessert she could think of. As a lifetime peach cobbler enthusiast, this was my heaven. But, there always came a time when we had more peaches than we had motivation. To keep from wasting any fruit, the easiest possible recipe had to be found. Enter: Peach Dump Cake. 

How To Make Peach Dump Cake

A hybrid of cake and cobbler, dump cake is much dreamier than its unappealing name makes it sound. Consisting of just a can of peaches (or a couple of fresh peaches and some sugar), a box of cake mix, a sprinkle of cinnamon, and some butter, it couldn’t be simpler. 

All you need to do is “dump” everything in a pan and pop it in the oven. Literally. It requires no stirring or mixing of any kind. In fact, mixing any ingredients throughout the process is a major dump cake no-go. It’s a rule that is so important, it's in the name.

My mom is normally a strict recipe follower, but this dessert is so simple, I can’t remember the last time she used instructions to put it together. Luckily, we have a recipe to get you started until you are making it from memory, too. 

This dessert was perfect for us when we didn’t have the time to make peach pie or bread, but wanted the same peachy-perfect outcome. Served with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, this treat is summer in a bowl. I even have memories of my mom serving peach dump cake when we had company over for warm-weather barbeques and dinner parties. While it might seem too simple to be a show-stopper, there was never a bite left over. Its simplicity is truly what makes it shine. 

Even better, this recipe in no way requires fresh peaches to be delicious. So, when our craving hit again long after peach season was over, we still got our fix with the canned stuff. The beauty of this cake is that it is completely foolproof.

Not only is it great with peaches, but cherries and apples work well, too. There are truly so many different options for you to choose from. I can’t wait to adapt this easy dessert for different occasions (Pumpkin Dump Cake this fall, anyone?). But, the peach version will always have a special place in my heart.