Maple Syrup Dump Cake

Maple Syrup Dump Cake has a layer of maple syrup filling underneath the cake, which thickens and gets gooey as it bakes. The first time I tasted it, I immediately thought of butter tarts. It has that same sweet, sticky filling, especially around the edges where everything gets a little more caramelized.

And butter tarts are my all-time favorite dessert, so that soft, gooey maple filling is definitely my favorite part of this cake. The combination of maple syrup, brown sugar, and butter gives it that same kind of texture I love in a butter tart.

I love dump cakes because they give you a lot of dessert for very little effort. There’s no cake batter to mix and no frosting to make. You pour the maple mixture into the pan, sprinkle the dry cake mix over top, cover it with slices of butter and pecans, and let the oven do the rest.

I like this one best served warm, after it has had a few minutes to sit and the maple filling has thickened a little. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and let it melt into that gooey maple filling. That is my kind of dessert.

Ingredients

The full printable recipe card with measurements and instructions is found at the bottom of the post.

• Pure maple syrup: This is where most of the flavor comes from, so use real maple syrup rather than pancake syrup. It creates a gooey, almost butter-tart-like filling on the bottom as the cake bakes.
• Water: Thins the maple syrup mixture just enough so it can bubble up and soak into parts of the cake mix while baking.
• Brown sugar: Adds a little extra caramel flavor and helps make the filling richer.
• Cinnamon: Just enough to give the cake a warm fall flavor without overpowering the maple.
• Salt: A small amount helps balance all the sweetness.
• Yellow cake mix: Use the dry mix straight from the box. You don’t prepare it according to the package directions.
• Unsalted butter: Slice it thinly and spread the pieces over as much of the cake mix as you can. Cold butter is much easier to slice.
• Pecans: They toast as the cake bakes for a nice crunch on top. If you love pecans in butter tarts, you’ll especially like them here.

How to Make Maple Syrup Dump Cake

• Step One: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
• Step Two: In a bowl, whisk together maple syrup, water, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Pour into the prepared baking dish.
• Step Three: Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over top. Do not stir.

• Step Four: Place the sliced butter pieces over the cake mix, covering as much as possible. Sprinkle pecans over top.
• Step Five: Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until golden and bubbling around the edges.
• Step Six: Let cool slightly before serving. Spoon into bowls and serve warm. It’s amazing with vanilla ice cream.

What I Learned Making This Recipe

• Slice the butter thinly. The thinner the slices, the easier it is to cover more of the cake mix so you don’t end up with dry, powdery spots on top.
• Use cold butter. It’s much easier to slice straight from the fridge than when it has started to soften.
• Don’t stir the layers. Leave the maple mixture, cake mix, butter, and pecans layered as they are. The butter melts into the cake mix while the maple filling bubbles up underneath.
• Watch the edges. That’s where the maple filling gets especially thick, sticky, and caramelized. It’s also the part that reminds me the most of butter tart filling.
• Know when it’s done. The top should be golden, and the maple filling should be bubbling around the edges. A few lighter spots on top are fine, but if you still see obvious patches of loose, dry cake mix, those areas probably didn’t get enough butter.
• Let it cool slightly before serving. The filling thickens as it sits, so give it a few minutes before spooning it into bowls.

Variations and Substitutions

• Swap the pecans. Walnuts would work well here if that’s what you have on hand.
• Leave out the nuts. You can skip the pecans completely. The topping will still get golden and buttery.
• Try a spice cake mix. Use spice cake mix instead of yellow cake mix for a warmer, more spiced flavor
• Add more spice. A pinch of nutmeg or a little extra cinnamon would be good if you want the cake to taste more warmly spiced.
• Use salted butter. If that’s what you have, it will work. I’d just leave the added salt out of the maple mixture.
• Add raisins. If you like raisins in your butter tarts, sprinkle a small handful over the maple mixture before adding the cake mix.

Storage Instructions

• Refrigerator: Cover the baking dish tightly or transfer leftovers to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Reheat: Warm individual servings in the microwave for about 20 to 30 seconds, or until heated through. I like it best warm so the maple filling gets gooey again.
• Freezer: You can freeze leftovers in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Dump Cake Recipes

• Pumpkin Dump Cake
• Caramel Apple Dump Cake
• Black Forest Dump Cake

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