Dessert Recipe: Dump Cake

We actually call this "Scoop Cake" because it sounds better.  "Dump" refers to how you make it, "Scoop" refers to how you serve it.

I've served this many times for guests and the sequence of reactions for first timers is almost always the same:  excitement that dessert is coming out, suspicious looks between guests as we scoop the cake onto plates, polite requests for "just a small piece," first bites, satisfied smiles, swift cleaning of plates, proclamations of deliciousness, requests for seconds, requests for thirds, requests for the recipe.  Happens every time.  I had a guest one time who declared, "That cake is DA BOMB!"  (You  know who you are, Rabbi.) :D

So here is the recipe.  It's more of a formula, really, and the ingredients can easily be swapped out as long as you follow the layering order.  I make this cake pareve. 

1 can crushed pineapple, undrained
1 large pkg or 2 small pkgs instant vanilla pudding mix
1 can apple pie filling
1 box yellow cake mix
1/2 cup liquid oil with a light flavor (I melt coconut oil, you can use whatever oil you want or melt margarine.  I don't recommend olive oil because the flavor is too intense.)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  In a 9x13 pan pour out the pineapple and spread it evenly in the pan.  Sprinkle the pudding mix evenly over the pineapple.  Spread the pie filling evenly over that.  Sprinkle the entire box of dry cake mix over that.  Pat down the cake mix firmly all over with your hands.  Drizzle the oil evenly over the top of the cake.  Bake for about 40 minutes.  You can't cut this cake into pieces, so to serve it, we use a flat ice cream scoop.  This is best served warm.

I've done several variations of this.  Any canned fruit with the liquid with any pudding with any pie filling with any cake mix.  You really can't mess this up.

And yes, I know this isn't a diet-friendly recipe, but then this isn't a health blog, either.  :D