The Pantry Staples That Turn Boxed Cake Mix Into A Campfire Classic

What defines a dump cake isn't just its funny name. Making this delightful treat comes down to two main components: boxed cake mix and butter. They are the consistent components of an otherwise anything-goes formula; with these ingredients on hand, you can customize your dump cake depending on occasion. This versatile framework can be used for everything from summery peach cobbler to holiday-season flavors such as eggnog and gingerbread. But there's one flavor profile that grabs people who crave a gooey, chocolatey classic — s'mores.

A s'more dump cake doesn't rely on a strict recipe and different variations circulate online. You can start with a layer of mini marshmallows and chocolate chips, followed by crushed graham crackers, then cake mix (yellow or chocolate, your choice). From there, you can arrange slices of butter across the surface of the cake and cap it all off with more chocolate (mini Hershey bars work well) before baking. 

Alternately, you can set out with a foundation of whole graham crackers followed by full chocolate bars, a scatter of mini marshmallows, and a wall-to-wall spread of whipped topping. From there, you can add the classic layer of cake mix powder and slices of butter, and add some more marshmallows for good measure. As you can see, the only goal is to get all that s'more goodness into your pan. How you prepare and personalize is a little more up to you.

Tips for making a s'more cake

As easy as this cake can be, you want to give yourself a little time: Dump cake baking times can range between 30 minutes and an hour at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. You want the surface of your cake to be a bit bubbly. If you want a little extra s'more flair, grab a handy kitchen blowtorch and give the top of your cake a quick torching to add that iconic campfire char and smokiness. You can even add a layer of marshmallow creme after baking and broil or torch it the way you might with meringue. You can give your traditional s'mores a giant upgrade with aluminum trays, but you can also use the same vessel for this cake to make cleanup a snap (a standard baking dish also works well).

It's easy to further customize this cake by considering the flavors that go well with classic s'mores. You could add caramel sauce or peanut butter, include fruit in the form of preserves or jam (s'mores can even upgrade a PB&J sandwich), lay out slices of banana alongside pats of butter, or incorporate pumpkin purée and spices. There are plenty of ways to elevate your cake mix with simple ingredient swaps and hacks, but this s'more dump cake gets your powder out of the box and into a treat that's timelessly delicious.

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