5-Ingredient Berry Crisp Dump Cake

So yes, there are absolutely a ton of ways to make make cobblers, crisps, buckles, Brown Betty's and the like.  Maybe they've been so popular for a gazillion years because they are super comforting, super versatile, require few ingredients, and above all, super easy!  I mean let's face it, if you can just dump a few pantry ingredients together and throw the dish in the oven while dinner is being made and have something that warms everyone's hearts like this... then what's not to love?

This recipe is no exception.  You can use the frozen fruit of your choice to whip up something so homey and comforting that even the most novice of cooks will appear to be a seasoned baker.  This berry crisp dump cake is just perfect for times when you have unexpected guests, occasions when you need to bring a dish over for someone, or just a super easy weeknight dessert for the people you cherish the most - your family. 

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Ingredients:  

• Nonstick cooking spray for casserole dish
• 24 oz frozen mixed berries
• or fruit of your choice
• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 1 cup (16 Tbsp) melted butter 
• 1/3 cup rolled or quick oats
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans

Step-by-Step Photos:

This takes such little time to prep that you should go ahead and preheat the oven immediately to 350F.  

Begin by spraying a 9"x13" casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.  

9"x13" casserole dish.  Nonstick cooking spray.

Dump in your frozen berries of choice.

24oz frozen berries or fruit of your choice

Evenly distribute the contents of 1 box of yellow cake mix over the top of the berries.

1 box yellow cake mix

In a small bowl, mix together 1/3 cup rolled oats and 1/3 cup finely chopped pecans.

1/3 cup rolled or quick oats

1/3 cup chopped pecans 

Add the oat/nut mixture to the top of the cake mix.

Oats/nuts

Top the oat/nut mixture with 1 cup melted butter, distributed evenly.

1 cup (16 Tbsp) melted butter

Now our little crisp is ready to pop into our preheated 350F oven until the filling is firm and the topping is golden brown and delicious!  Depending on your oven, this may take anywhere from about 55 min - 70 min or so. 

Berry crisp dump cake after baking

After removing the crisp from the oven, allow it to sit about five minutes or so while you find something lovely to serve it with - like vanilla ice cream, or whipped topping.  :)

I personally think this is a dessert best served warm.  Mmmm.

5-Ingredient Berry Crisp Dump Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream

I hope you've enjoyed this super easy and delicious recipe!  Scroll down for the written directions and some more great recipes.  

Here are some bonus recipes:
Easy Cajun Chicken Pasta Bake - Great for a crowd (or a house full of teenagers and their friends).  Good way to stretch your budget!

Easy Cajun Chicken Pasta Bake

Crawfish Fritters with Spicy Remoulade Sauce - Fun little pub-style appetizer for your gathering of friends that will be snapped up in a flash!

Crawfish Fritters with Spicy Remoulade Sauce

Creole Red Snapper - Moist, flavorful, and super easy for your favorite catch of the day!  (Grouper or halibut would be great options for this as well.)

Creole Red Snapper

Brady's Brussels Sprouts Hash - A fantastic and flavorful sauté of Brussels Sprouts as a new side dish you'll fall in love with!

Brady's Brussels Sprouts Hash

Spicy Fried Cauliflower Bites - These spicy little nuggets will make you forget you're eating veggies!

Spicy Fried Cauliflower Bites

Written Method:

• Preheat the oven to 350F.  
• Spray a 9"x13" casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.  
• Dump in your frozen berries of choice.
• Evenly distribute the contents of 1 box of yellow cake mix over the top of the berries.
• In a small bowl, mix together 1/3 cup rolled oats and 1/3 cup finely chopped pecans.
• Add the oat/nut mixture to the top of the cake mix.
• Top the oat/nut mixture with 1 cup melted butter, distributed evenly.
• Bake at 350F until the filling is firm and the topping is golden brown and delicious!  Depending on your oven, this may take anywhere from about 55 min - 70 min or so. 
• After removing the crisp from the oven, allow it to sit about five minutes or so while you find something lovely to serve it with - like vanilla ice cream, or whipped topping.  :) 

Strawberries Romanoff

The strawberries are coming!  The strawberries are coming!!!  There are SO many awesome things about spring approaching, and this happens to be one of them!  I bet if you close your eyes and think about it, you can smell that magical sweet smell.  One of my favorite memories of strawberries is going to la Madeleine French bakery and cafe with my mom and having Strawberries Romanoff for dessert.  Mmmm.  

The story I've been told, it that this la Madeleine favorite can be traced back to a 1950s Hollywood restaurant called Romanoff's on Rodeo Drive.  Credit for the original recipe goes to a famous and influential French chef, Auguste Escoffier.  Lord have mercy, this stuff is AMAZING!  You probably have the ingredients at your house already, and this is absolutely perfect for a special brunch parfait, light dinner dessert, etc.  

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Ingredients:  (4 servings)

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp brandy (or cognac)
• substitute high quality vanilla if you prefer to not use alcohol
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 4 cups fresh strawberries

You can make this sauce in about 5 minutes! 

Step-by-Step:

Mix sour cream, brown sugar, and brandy.

1/2 cup sour cream

3 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp brandy (or cognac)

In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until it starts to thicken.  Then add sugar and whip until thick.

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

3 Tbsp sugar

 Fold cream into the sour cream mixture and blend well.

Serve with fresh strawberries.  We also garnished with a sprig of mint and a little orange zest; however this is quite optional.

Written Method:

• Mix sour cream, brown sugar, and brandy.
• In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until it starts to thicken.  Then add sugar and whip until thick.
• Fold cream into the sour cream mixture and blend well.
• Serve with fresh strawberries.  We also garnished with a sprig of mint and a little orange zest; however this is quite optional.

Bonus Recipes:

Here are some other recipes I thought you might enjoy today!

Ham Cups

Greek Tortellini Chicken Salad

Vietnamese Style Lettuce Cups

Mojito Limi Mahi Mahi Tacos with Citrus Dressed Southwestern Slaw

Decadent Chocolate Truffles

Chocolate truffles are SOoooo easy to make.  You pay a fortune for them at a chocolate shop, but you certainly don't have to.  Gather together some fun friends and have a great time making these for someone you love.  You can flavor them with liqueur if you'd like, but we made ours straight up with easy-to-obtain pantry staples.  These make such special gifts or party favors.  You'll be super glad you did!  It's true, you can go out and buy the "store bought ones," but when you give a homemade gift like this, the recipient is always truly overjoyed! 

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Ingredients: (2 dozen)

• 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 stick (8 Tbsp or 1/2 cup) butter
• 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp good quality vanilla 
• various optional toppings of your choice
• dark cocoa powder
• chocolate candy coating
• shredded coconut 
• crumbled shortbread cookies
• chopped pecans
• colored sugar crystals
• etc (be creative as you'd like) 

Step-by-Step:

In a medium sized bowl, combine 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips plus 1/2 cup room temperature (or slightly melted) butter.

 

In a medium (but heavy duty) pot, gently warm the 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream until it is at a simmer.  You will notice the bubbles start to form around the edges of the pot.  Here is where I will tell you to watch it carefully.  You do not want it to come to a boil.  You just want it heated.

Pour the heated cream over the chocolate and butter.  Whisk them together.  This is where the magic starts to happen.  :) 

 You can get someone to start whisking for you while you add the other stuff.  (It's not essential to have a helper, but it is a fun place to allow kids to help.)  Add in the 3/4 tsp of kosher salt, and the 1 tsp of vanilla.  

All at once, the mixture starts coming together... like magic.  It looks - divine.  It smells - divine!  It tastes - DIVINE! 

I just HAD to add these pictures in here.  I know they aren't clear, because the lens focused on the rim of the bowl.  But the camera captured more than that.  The looks on their faces tell the story here. The smell...... Mmmm.  The texture..... Oooooh when it all comes together at once.  This, my friends, is the fun of cooking with your kids.  :)

Now you can add it to a shallow dish that you have lined with plastic food wrap.  It can be a cookie sheet or a casserole dish or whatever you choose.  Sometimes teamwork is the best way to go here.

Spread it out into an even layer.

Allow it to cool in the fridge a couple of hours to overnight.  Then I sort of scored it with a pizza cutter so that I could get the same amount of ganache in each truffle.   

You need to work quickly, because your hands are warm.  Keep in in the cold pan while you are working.  Quickly roll them into a ball.

Set the balls out onto parchment paper when you've rolled them.  Now these need to go BACK into the fridge for about an hour before you dip them or roll them into anything. 

The simplest truffles resemble the truffle mushrooms, so they get rolled into dark chocolate cocoa powder. 

For the rest, just use your imagination.  I purchased some chocolate candy coating that you melt either over a double boiler or in the microwave, dipped them, then while they were still wet, sprinkled them with whichever topping we chose and allowed them to dry.  It's that simple. 

Then go out and buy a cute little box, add some gift wrap tissue, your beautiful truffles, and you are all set to make someone's day!

I hope you enjoyed this fabulous and easy recipe!

There are hundreds more in my Recipe Index, just waiting to be chosen and cooked!  

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Here are some bonus recipes for you:
Happy Hour Pizza Rolls

Short Cut Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Fire Roasted Corn Guacamole

Mediterranean Chicken Pasta

Korean BBQ Shish Kabobs

Yogurt Marinated Greek Style Chicken Gyros

Written Method:

Step-by-Step:

In a medium sized bowl, combine 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips plus 1/2 cup room temperature (or slightly melted butter).  In a separate medium (but heavy duty) pot, gently warm the 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream until it is at a simmer.  You will notice the bubbles start to form around the edges of the pot.  Here is where I will tell you to watch it carefully.  You do not want it to come to a boil.  You just want it heated. 

Pour the heated cream over the chocolate and butter.  Whisk them together.  This is where the magic starts to happen.  You can get someone to start whisking for you while you add the other stuff.  (It's not essential to have a helper, but it is a fun place to allow kids to help.)  Add in the 3/4 tsp of kosher salt, and the 1 tsp of vanilla.

Now you can add it to a shallow dish that you have lined with plastic food wrap.  It can be a cookie sheet or a casserole dish or whatever you choose. Spread it out into an even layer.  Allow it to cool in the fridge a couple of hours to overnight.  Then I sort of scored it with a pizza cutter so that I could get the same amount of ganache in each truffle.   You need to work quickly, because your hands are warm.  Keep in in the cold pan while you are working.  Quickly roll them into a ball.  Set the balls out onto parchment paper when you've rolled them.  Now these need to go BACK into the fridge for about an hour before you dip them or roll them into anything. 

The simplest truffles resemble the truffle mushrooms, so they get rolled into dark chocolate cocoa powder.  For the rest, just use your imagination. I purchased some chocolate candy coating that you melt either over a double boiler or in the microwave, dipped them, then while they were still wet, sprinkled them with whichever topping we chose and allowed them to dry.  It's that simple.  Then go out and buy a cute little box, add some gift wrap tissue, your beautiful truffles, and you are all set to make someone's day!