The 3 Ingredients Required To Make A New Dessert Out Of Store-Bought Cake Mix

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On the list of underrated ingredients to add to boxed cake mix, butter and fruit pie filling are our picks for the ones you should try pronto. Sure, you could use that box o' mix to make basic angel food or sponge cake (yes, there are differences), along with standbys like chocolate or vanilla cake, but may we humbly suggest a super-easy, near-foolproof procedure for a brand-new spin on boxed cake that utilizes inexpensive, basic pantry ingredients and is endlessly customizable? The result is a dump cake or cobbler that is warm, hearty, and cozy. It's great for an indulgent breakfast or a dessert that, with some vanilla ice cream, is darn close to restaurant quality.

All you need to do is spread fruit pie filling all over the bottom of a prepared 9 x 13-inch cake pan, layer the powdered cake mix over it, and cut up a stick of butter into slices that you scatter all over the top. Melt an additional stick of butter and drizzle it with abandon. Pop that bad boy in a 325-degree oven for 40 minutes, and you have a gooey, rich, fruity cake that's plenty to feed your loved ones or even a small dinner party. It's not only one of the most creative and fun ways to use canned fruit besides in a ho-hum fruit salad; it's a dessert that we'd want to cook up even if it weren't the epitome of convenience and creativity.

When it comes to mixing and matching cake flavors and fruit, you are only constrained by your creativity. For fall, how about cinnamon-y, savory pumpkin pie filling and warm spice cake mix for an autumnal dessert that will bring all our PSL girlies and guys to the yard? Looking for a sweet, light treat that wouldn't be out of place at your next poolside barbeque? We're loving the idea of lemon pie filling and lemon cake. Adorn it with some cut blueberries and whipped cream, and you have a cake that screams "summer." For a dark, rich cobbler that puts us in mind of Black Forest cake, we're picturing a can of cherry pie filling and dark, rich devil's food cake. Strawberry fruit with strawberry cake would be a delightful pink and red confection that looks just right dished up on Valentine's Day.

You need not stick with just one fruit flavor, either. We've enjoyed cherry and pineapple combined for a take on the classic ambrosia combo, and we can definitely imagine any combination of cherry, blueberry, strawberry, and/or raspberry for mixed-berry cake. Lest you assume that all canned pie fillings are junk riddled with processed sugar and fillers, we've definitely seen options for high-quality pie fillings with no corn syrup or artificial coloring. Depending on your budget and willingness to experiment, this shamelessly easy dessert can actually be quite elevated into a treat you're proud to serve at any table.