I’m sharing my Strawberry Cheesecake Dump Cake as one of my favorite Dump Cake Recipes because a single secret step creates a lusciously creamy center that always has guests asking how I did it.
I stumbled onto this Quick And Delicious Strawberry Cheesecake Dump Cake and honestly, it felt like a cheat that actually works. With a box of yellow cake mix and a block of cream cheese, it manages to be creamy and bright without me turning into a frantic baker.
It’s part Easy Strawberry Cheesecake vibe and part Dump Cake Recipes shortcut, so you get serious flavor with hardly any fuss. Prep is stupid fast, serves nine, and for some reason people always assume I spent all day on it.
Give it a try, mess up once or twice, you’ll still end up with a winner.
Ingredients
- Strawberries: they’re juicy, slightly tart, add natural sweetness, vitamin C and fiber.
- Cream cheese: rich and creamy, kinda tangy, adds protein and fat for body.
- Yellow cake mix: instant sweetness, mostly carbs and sugar, gives texture and crust.
- Butter: adds rich fat and moisture, helps golden topping, it’s not very healthy alone.
- Sugar: pure sweetness, quick carbs, just piles on calories and balances tartness.
- Egg: binds layers, adds some protein and structure, helps set cheesecake filling.
- Cornstarch: thickener for strawberry sauce, keeps juices from making cake soggy.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 box yellow cake mix (15.25 oz)
- 4 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced, about 1 pound or 24 oz frozen, thawed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar for the strawberries
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar for the cheesecake layer
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter melted
- Pinch of salt
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish; this whole thing only takes about 15 minutes to prep so get the oven hot first.
2. If using frozen strawberries thaw and drain well, if fresh hull and slice about 4 cups; toss them with 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, set aside to macerate while you make the filling.
3. In a medium bowl beat 8 oz softened cream cheese with 1/3 cup granulated sugar until smooth, then add 1 large room temperature egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of salt and mix until fully combined (a fork or hand mixer both work).
4. Spread the macerated strawberries evenly in the prepared pan, scraping in all the juicy syrup so the cake stays moist.
5. Dollop and gently spread the cheesecake mixture over the strawberries; it does not have to be perfect, little swirls are fine.
6. Evenly sprinkle the entire surface with the dry 1 box yellow cake mix (1
5.25 oz) making sure to cover all the cheesecake and berries so the top bakes into a crust.
7. Pour 1 cup (2 sticks) melted unsalted butter evenly over the dry cake mix, try to drizzle it so the butter soaks through in spots; if the mix clumps break it up with a fork so it absorbs better.
8. Bake for about 35 to 45 minutes until the top is golden and bubbly and the center is mostly set; ovens vary so start checking at 35 minutes.
9. Cool at least 20 to 30 minutes so it firms up (you can chill longer if you want cleaner slices), serve warm or cold with whipped cream or ice cream if you like.
Equipment Needed
Here’s what you’ll need:
1. 9 by 13 inch baking dish — the pan everything bakes in, lightly greased
2. Oven set to 350°F (175°C) — get it hot first so prep time stays short
3. Mixing bowls (one medium, one small) — strawberries in one, cheesecake mix in the other
4. Measuring cups and spoons — for sugar, cornstarch, lemon, egg and butter
5. Electric hand mixer or a fork and whisk — to beat the cream cheese; a fork works if you dont have a mixer
6. Rubber spatula and a tablespoon or small spoon — to spread the cheesecake layer and scrape in the berry syrup
7. Chef knife and cutting board — to hull and slice fresh strawberries
8. Microwave-safe bowl or small saucepan and a measuring cup — to melt the butter and pour it evenly
9. Oven mitts and a cooling rack or a safe spot to let the pan rest while it firms up
That’s it — simple tools, big payoff.
FAQ
Quick And Delicious Strawberry Cheesecake Dump Cake Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Yellow cake mix: swap with an equal sized box of white or butter cake mix (1:1), or use a gluten free cake mix the same weight. Different mixes change sweetness and crumb, but it still works.
- Strawberries: use 24 oz frozen berries, thawed, or try mixed berries for more flavor. You can also use about 1 1/2 cups strawberry jam thinned with 2 tbsp water if you’re in a hurry.
- Cornstarch: replace 1:1 with arrowroot or tapioca starch. Arrowroot gives a clearer glossy filling, tapioca is a bit chewier.
- Cream cheese: swap 1:1 with mascarpone or Neufchatel. For a lighter twist fold in 4 oz Greek yogurt, but the cheesecake layer will be a bit softer.
Pro Tips
– If your strawberries are frozen, press them gently between paper towels after thawing to soak up extra juice, otherwise the bottom gets soggy fast. Dont wipe all the syrup away though, that juice helps keep it moist so leave a little.
– Make sure the cream cheese and egg are really at room temp, beat the cream cheese till totally smooth, or youll get lumps in the cheesecake layer. If its still stubborn, microwave 5 to 8 seconds, stir, then use.
– Pour the melted butter slowly and try to drizzle it in lines, then poke the dry cake mix with a fork in a few spots so the butter can sink in evenly. If the mix clumps, break it up with your fork, it bakes way better that way.
– Cool it long enough to set, even an hour in the fridge helps you get cleaner slices, and when you cut run the knife under hot water and wipe it between cuts for neat pieces.
Quick And Delicious Strawberry Cheesecake Dump Cake Recipe
I’m sharing my Strawberry Cheesecake Dump Cake as one of my favorite Dump Cake Recipes because a single secret step creates a lusciously creamy center that always has guests asking how I did it.
12
servings
425
kcal
Equipment: Here’s what you’ll need:
1. 9 by 13 inch baking dish — the pan everything bakes in, lightly greased
2. Oven set to 350°F (175°C) — get it hot first so prep time stays short
3. Mixing bowls (one medium, one small) — strawberries in one, cheesecake mix in the other
4. Measuring cups and spoons — for sugar, cornstarch, lemon, egg and butter
5. Electric hand mixer or a fork and whisk — to beat the cream cheese; a fork works if you dont have a mixer
6. Rubber spatula and a tablespoon or small spoon — to spread the cheesecake layer and scrape in the berry syrup
7. Chef knife and cutting board — to hull and slice fresh strawberries
8. Microwave-safe bowl or small saucepan and a measuring cup — to melt the butter and pour it evenly
9. Oven mitts and a cooling rack or a safe spot to let the pan rest while it firms up
That’s it — simple tools, big payoff.
Ingredients
-
1 box yellow cake mix (15.25 oz)
-
4 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced, about 1 pound or 24 oz frozen, thawed
-
1/2 cup granulated sugar for the strawberries
-
2 tablespoons cornstarch
-
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
-
8 oz cream cheese softened
-
1/3 cup granulated sugar for the cheesecake layer
-
1 large egg room temperature
-
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-
1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter melted
-
Pinch of salt
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish; this whole thing only takes about 15 minutes to prep so get the oven hot first.
- If using frozen strawberries thaw and drain well, if fresh hull and slice about 4 cups; toss them with 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, set aside to macerate while you make the filling.
- In a medium bowl beat 8 oz softened cream cheese with 1/3 cup granulated sugar until smooth, then add 1 large room temperature egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of salt and mix until fully combined (a fork or hand mixer both work).
- Spread the macerated strawberries evenly in the prepared pan, scraping in all the juicy syrup so the cake stays moist.
- Dollop and gently spread the cheesecake mixture over the strawberries; it does not have to be perfect, little swirls are fine.
- Evenly sprinkle the entire surface with the dry 1 box yellow cake mix (1
- 25 oz) making sure to cover all the cheesecake and berries so the top bakes into a crust.
- Pour 1 cup (2 sticks) melted unsalted butter evenly over the dry cake mix, try to drizzle it so the butter soaks through in spots; if the mix clumps break it up with a fork so it absorbs better.
- Bake for about 35 to 45 minutes until the top is golden and bubbly and the center is mostly set; ovens vary so start checking at 35 minutes.
- Cool at least 20 to 30 minutes so it firms up (you can chill longer if you want cleaner slices), serve warm or cold with whipped cream or ice cream if you like.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 132.74g
- Total number of serves: 12
- Calories: 425kcal
- Fat: 30.2g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0.25g
- Polyunsaturated: 6g
- Monounsaturated: 9g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
- Sodium: 208mg
- Potassium: 150mg
- Carbohydrates: 47.6g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Sugar: 33.7g
- Protein: 4.3g
- Vitamin A: 328IU
- Vitamin C: 22.6mg
- Calcium: 50.8mg
- Iron: 1.7mg
