DUMP CAKE: UGLY NAME, BUT YUMMY!

Got a sudden craving for Dump Cake yesterday, something I hadn't fixed or had for a couple of years probably, for reasons unknown even to me. It used to be a favorite, because it's so easy to make, and so dangerously delicious.

Anyway, I had the ingredients in the cupboard (which my cabinet-maker husband says we don't have, because a cupboard is literally a board shelf to hold cups, and we have cabinets, but I digress), so I set to work, also deciding to share the fun.

Here's what you'll need:

• Box of chocolate cake mix
• 20 oz can of cherry pie filling
• 1 large apple
• Lemon curd (optional)
• 1 cube butter, cut into thin pats
  
• Chopped nuts

What you don't see on that list are measurements, because you don't need them. That's one thing that makes this recipe so great.

So, begin by peeling and chopping the apple. Dump the chunks in an 11"x7" cake pan, or whatever you have. Now open the can of cherry pie filling and dump that into the cake pan. Microwave a couple of dollops of lemon curd for about 20 seconds, just enough to liquefy it. Pour it over the apple and pie filling and stir everything together.


Next, pour the dry cake mix over the fruit mixture, spreading it out evenly. Lay the pats of butter, evenly spaced, all over the cake mixture, and then sprinkle as many chopped nuts over everything as you want, or you can leave them off entirely.


It won't resemble a "normal" cake that's ready to go into the oven, but that's okay. Put it in an over preheated to 350F (176.6C), and bake for 1 hour, or until it looks done.


Dish it up and eat it--it's even better with ice cream on top!

This recipe is endlessly adjustable--use more pie filling, or something other than cherry, or a can of pineapple instead of the chopped apple. Canned peaches are good with yellow cake. Use a different flavor cake mix--lemon or yellow are just two suggestions.

Enjoy!