what is the difference between a cobbler and a dump cake

Incredibly easy to make and SO delicious, this peach dump cake is going to be your best-kept dessert secret!

Dump cakes. While the name might sound slightly odd, rest assured that the concept is pure gold: dump all of the ingredients in a baking dish, pop it into the oven, and VOILA! A perfect, delicious, tastes-a-whole-lot-harder-than-it-was dessert is ready to be devoured in an hours time. Sounds like a dream, right? Dump cakes can be made with lots of different fruit (like this cherry dump cake), but I have to say, being the peach-lover that I am, this peach variation is my very favorite so far.

Generally speaking, both have a fresh or canned fruit topping layer under a cake-mix crust. What is this? Cobblers, however, usually have more of a crumb topping compared to dump cakes. By defintion, dump cobblers have a fruit and a crumb topping layer.
what is the difference between a cobbler and a dump cake

Fresh Peach Dump Cake Ingredients

3 ingredients (4 if you decide to go a la mode)! That’s it! That’s all it takes to make a really delicious dessert that everyone will love. Here’s exactly what you’ll need:

what is the difference between a cobbler and a dump cake

  • Peaches – it wouldn’t be peach dump cake without peaches, right? To start, you’ll need 3 pounds of peeled, pitted, and sliced peaches. You can totally use frozen peaches here too if you’d like.
  • Dry Cake Mix – in addition to the peaches, you’ll also want to grab 1 box of dry yellow cake mix (THIS is our favorite gluten-free option)
  • Butter – 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) of butter added on top of the cake mix just before going into the oven brings a really delicious, rich flavor to the dump cake, and also helps it to brown beautifully.
  • Vanilla Ice Cream – if you want to go the extra mile, serve your peach cake with your favorite vanilla ice cream! YUM.

Do you use fresh peaches or canned peaches?

One of the really great things about a dump cake is that it’s incredibly flexible. If fresh peaches are in season (and you want to peel, pit, and slice them), use them! If they aren’t in season (or you just want to press the easy button), use frozen peaches. Canned peaches will definitely work (though your dessert will be sweeter if you go this route) — you’ll just need 3 (15-ounce) cans of peaches. Be sure to drain them!

Chef Tom Douglas’s shows the difference between a Crisp, a Cobbler and a Buckle

FAQ

Why is it called dump cake?

A dump cake is an American dessert similar to a cobbler but with a cake-like topping. It is so named because it is prepared by “dumping” ingredients (typically canned fruit or pie filling, followed by a boxed cake mix) into a cake pan without mixing.

What makes a cobbler a cobbler?

Cobbler is usually topped with batter or biscuits in lieu of crust. Cobbler’s name comes from its sometimes cobbled texture, which is a result of spooning or dropping the topping over the fruit rather than distributing it equally. This way, the filling can peek through.

What is the biggest mistake to avoid when making a dump cake?

What’s the biggest mistake to avoid when making dump cake? Dump cake is a nearly foolproof dessert recipe but there’s one big mistake to avoid. You don’t need to stir dump cake. Doing so will impact the texture of the finished cake.

What’s the difference between a cobbler and the Chris?

Exterior: Cobblers are denser due to the biscuit dough topping and base, while crisps use oats and a streusel topping, making them lighter. Cobbler toppings are also likely not a full layer like a crisp or pie. Instead, the biscuit dough dollops often sit on top as individual biscuits.

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