With summertime in full force, fruits of all varieties beckon from those farmer’s market stands. We’ve already gone strawberry picking and cherry picking, yet I am most excited to see raspberries and blackberries start to ripen in my garden.
If I’ve made any impact on your couponing life at all, hopefully you have a few free cake mixes stockpiled in your pantry. If not, now is the time to start looking for some because this recipe will revolutionize any dessert dilemma that comes your way.
I will post my easy home made cobbler recipe as well, but this cooking “accident” is the dessert bomb!
We constantly have guests coming in and out of our house and often, I need something to serve with no warning. Not only is this dessert really frugal during fruit season, but it’s virtually fat free since I’ve taken out the stick of butter for which most cobbler recipes call. I love it because I can have large portions with no calorie counting guilt.
I know you are all going to want more clarification on this recipe, but seriously, this is all I did and it was DELICIOUS! So, is it really a “recipe?” Not really, but it’s still so good and you don’t have to think, and sometimes we all need a “recipe” like that.
Pick your pan size and fill the bottom of your pan with fruit. Since we have a large family, I use a 9×12, but that takes tons of fruit.
After strawberry picking, I had enough strawberries, but threw in a few miscellaneous blackberries and blueberries for good measure.
Since then, I’ve made this many times by mixing tons of fruit so that I had enough. I’ve mixed strawberries, cherries, pears and apples together and it was wonderful.
Sprinkle yellow or white box cake mix over the top of the fruit until it’s fully covered. (Mix it in a little if you desire, sprinkle extra after that if you want it a bit more cobblery.)
Bake at 350 until warmed and slightly golden (30 minutes??, but will vary with pan size)
(If you don’t mind a few extra calories, the traditional way is to then cut in a stick of butter drizzled over the top. This will get you a crunchier topping, but then it’s no longer fat free. )
Serve with ice cream or whip cream (optional).
I’ve experimented a lot with this difficult recipe. 
The first time I made it, I just wanted it for ice cream topping, so I added less cake mix (as seen in picture below.) Now, I add more cake mix to add thickness and half way through, if I think I need more, I just add more cake mix and stir it in a little. Very professional, I know, but if you already have the fruit washed, you can literally dump in the fruit, sprinkle the cake mix, and put it in the oven within one minute!! (Five minutes, if you need to pit the cherries…)
A quick and easy one minute “recipe”?? That’s my kind of convenience, with a completely home made taste. Now, all you true bakers can just chuckle with this one. I did, and then I posted it.
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This sounds like a winner! Delicious, easy, and lower cal. Is it possible? I am going to try it this week! Thanks for the idea!
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I have made this with canned fruit and the stick of butter in the cake mix, but I am going to try it the healthier way next time!! thanks!
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I’m so gonna try this. Thank so much.
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I keep frozen berries on hand year-round for this!
But I sprinkle about 1/2 c brown sugar over the cake mix and drizzle about 1/2 c butter over that.
Grandma says I make the best cobbler – I won’t give her my recipe! lol
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Try a cup of water, rubarb, a box of strawberry jello and a whole cake mix. layer them in that order and bake at 350 until the top is brown and it isn’t too liquidy. Love it!
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Hi, I have done a version of this for years. I use peaches but have used other fruits. I do use the butter and I also include sliced almonds on top. It is yummy and it’s great for breakfast.
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Great idea! I think cake mix tastes great on it’s own, so I’ve no doubt this will work really well.
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Folks, I can testify that I made this just a bit ago for my family and it is AWESOME!
Me “OK, how about we have a dessert… and it is something new?”
Hubbie (after watching the prep) “that is IT?!?!”
Me “That is what her site said…..? Let’s see how it turns out before you make comments about it..mmmm, K?”
My 6 y/o “It smells stupendous”
Hubby “Its GREAT!”
5 y/o “Yummy”
I love the variations that people have posted.
We used 1.5 pints of blueberries in a 9×9 and roughly 1/2 box of cake mix.
This (almost!) makes up for not winning anything in the Dads Rock Giveaways….LOL
thanks!!
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I’m going to raise my hand with probably a dumb question (not so much sleep with the babies last night …. yep I’ll blame it on that
. Do you sprinkle on just the dry cake mix or the prepared cake mix – with the water and oil?
Thanks!
This looks yummy!
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Karen Reply:
June 17th, 2010 at 6:43 pm
@Taralyn,
I just did dry cake mix…..literally, just the 2 ingredients of fruit and cake mix.
A great treat for a sleep deprived mum
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How about if you are using frozen berries? Do you need to adjust the cook time or temp?
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That looks so good! So easy, even I can do it. I can’t wait to try it.
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Wow, this sounds great! I was craving dessert tonight and couldn’t think of anything quick to whip up…:)
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We do something similar that is to die for – it’s called Dump Cake. Dump a large can of crushed pineapple in a 9×13 & spread evenly, spread a can of cherry pie filling over the top. Sprinkle a box of yellow cake mix (just the dry mix) over the top. Cut 1 stick of butter into small chunks & dot across top. Bake @ 350 for about 50 minutes or until golden. YUMMY!!! : )
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I’m with Michelle…I LURVE me some dump cake! And fat or no fat, I HAVE to have butter melted over the top of the cake. It’s my favorite part! : )
It may take longer than one minute, but not much longer!
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Wow, that sounds soooo good. And one thing we always have in the house is fruit. I will be trying this tomorrow!
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ok, I am definitely making this over the weekend. I’ve done this several times with the butter but never thought to leave the butter out. Anxious to try a healthier version!
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This is absolute best with purple plums, a perfect marriage of flavors, and the carmelized juice is Heaven. I have to admit I use the butter, but I might try without if I can bring myself to risk the Oregon plums I order online to experiment.
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Do you prepare the CAKE MIX according to the directions on the box or just just the mix alone??
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Jen Reply:
May 1st, 2012 at 4:19 pm
This is why this is an embarrassingly easy “recipe” if you can even call it that. I just sprinkle the cake mix on the fruit. Yes, that’s all. Too easy, but it’s just super quick and it avoids the extra fat from the butter (even though the butter makes it crunchy and delicious. )
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I just made this with fresh cherries, some stawnerries and blueberries. I used a 9×13 and sprinkled with orange flavored cake mix. I hope it is as good as it smells!
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Jen Reply:
July 14th, 2012 at 3:40 pm
Let me know. How could it not possibly be good with all that yumminess. Put a dab of whip cream or ice cream on it and it’ll be great to go.
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Stupid question here. I want to try this with a bunch of fresh pears I have but I was worried they wouldn’t do as well because of lack of juiciness. Other recipes I’ve seen say to mix the pears with sugar and let them sit for awhile which I assume helps them break down so they cook better as well as sweetening them. I’m afraid if I add the sugar with this recipe it’ll be too sweet and if I don’t they won’t cook right. Any suggestions?
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I just made this and put fruit on bottom then mixed cake according to box direction then put over berries, it didn’t work maybe I shouldn’t of mixed up the cake
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Jen Reply:
September 24th, 2012 at 9:39 pm
Yes, sorry. The ease of this is that you don’t mix it according to box directions. You literally just use the cake mix and fruit without any additional ingredients. Sorry about that. Hope it was still good enough to eat with a little ice cream.
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how many calories is in this recipe?
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I use frozen berries (normally black berries) and either white or coconut cake mix. Sprinkle over the top and then I pour one can of either Sprite or Diet Sprite over it all. My son LOVES it!!
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