This Peanut Butter Cup Dump Cake is the ultimate easy dessert – just 4 ingredients, no mixer required, and ready in 30 minutes! Rich, fudgy chocolate cake studded with peanut butter cups… what’s not to love?
If you’re after simple desserts that actually taste amazing, you’ll also love my Easy Chocolate Brownies and No Bake Chocolate Slice – both perfect for when you need something sweet without the fuss!
Sometimes you just need chocolate, and you need it fast. That’s exactly when this peanut butter cup dump cake comes to the rescue! Made with a chocolate cake mix, instant pudding, milk, and loads of chopped peanut butter cups, this dessert is so easy it almost feels like cheating.
The beauty of dump cakes is that they’re virtually foolproof. There’s no creaming butter, no folding in flour, no complicated techniques. You literally mix everything together in one bowl, pour it into a baking dish, and pop it in the oven. The result? A rich, fudgy chocolate cake with pockets of melted peanut butter cups throughout.
This recipe is perfect for busy weeknights, last-minute gatherings, or whenever you’re craving something indulgent without spending ages in the kitchen. Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and you’ve got yourself a dessert that’ll have everyone asking for seconds!
Why You’re Going To Love This Recipe
Just 4 ingredients! You probably have most of them in your pantry already – chocolate cake mix, instant pudding, milk, and peanut butter cups.
No mixer needed. Everything comes together in one bowl with just a spoon or whisk. Perfect for when you can’t be bothered with extra dishes!
Ready in 30 minutes. From mixing bowl to oven to table in half an hour – it doesn’t get much faster than this for a homemade dessert.
Crowd-pleaser. The combination of chocolate and peanut butter is always a winner, and this cake is rich, fudgy, and absolutely delicious.
Easily customizable. Swap the peanut butter cups for your favourite chocolate bars, add chocolate chips, or serve with ice cream, whipped cream, or hot fudge sauce.
Budget-friendly. Made with simple, affordable ingredients that won’t break the bank.
What You Need
With just four pantry-friendly ingredients, this chocolate dump cake comes together in minutes!
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.
- Chocolate cake mix – a standard 15.25 oz box works perfectly. Any brand will do!
- Instant chocolate pudding mix – the small 3.4 oz box. This helps make the cake extra moist and fudgy.
- Milk – whole milk works best, but you can use whatever you have on hand.
- Mini peanut butter cups – an 8 oz package, roughly chopped. I love using Reese’s, but any brand of peanut butter cups will work beautifully.
Equipment Required
You’ll need very minimal equipment for this easy dump cake!
- A large mixing bowl
- A whisk or wooden spoon
- A 13 x 9 inch baking dish
- A knife to chop the peanut butter cups
That’s it! No stand mixer, no fancy tools – just the basics.
Step By Step Instructions
This peanut butter cup dump cake truly lives up to its name – it’s as simple as mixing everything together and baking!
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.
Step 1 – Mix The Pudding And Milk
In a large bowl, whisk together the instant pudding mix and milk until well combined.
Step 2 – Add The Cake Mix
Stir in the chocolate cake mix until everything is well blended. The mixture will be quite thick – this is exactly what you want!
Step 3 – Fold In The Peanut Butter Cups
Roughly chop the peanut butter cups and fold them through the batter.
Step 4 – Bake
Pour the mixture into a greased 13 x 9 inch baking dish and spread evenly. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for about 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Let the cake cool slightly before serving (though it’s absolutely divine served warm!).
Recipe Tips
These simple tips will help you get the best results from your chocolate dump cake!
Don’t overmix – once everything is combined, stop mixing. Overmixing can make the cake tough.
Chop the peanut butter cups roughly – you want different sized pieces so you get little pockets of melted peanut butter throughout the cake.
The batter will be thick – this is normal! It’s much thicker than a regular cake batter, but it bakes up perfectly.
Check for doneness – ovens vary, so start checking at 20 minutes. The cake is done when a skewer comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
Serve warm – this cake is incredible served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top!
Storage – store any leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat individual slices in the microwave for 15-20 seconds.
Freezing – you can freeze this cake for up to 3 months. Wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and store in a freezer-safe container. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
FAQs
What is a dump cake?
A dump cake is a super simple dessert where you literally “dump” all the ingredients into a bowl or baking dish and bake. There’s no creaming, no folding, no complicated techniques – just mix and bake! Traditional dump cakes often layer cake mix, fruit, and butter, but this version uses pudding and milk to create a fudgy, cake-like texture.
Can I use a different flavour of cake mix?
Absolutely! Yellow cake mix with chocolate pudding would be delicious, or you could try a devil’s food cake mix for an extra-rich chocolate flavour. Just keep the same measurements.
What if I don’t have instant pudding mix?
You can leave it out, but you’ll need to adjust the liquid. Try using 1 cup of milk instead of 1¾ cups. The texture will be slightly different but still delicious!
Can I use regular-sized peanut butter cups instead of minis?
Yes! Just chop them up into smaller pieces before folding them into the batter.
Can I make this ahead of time?
You can mix the batter and store it covered in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking. Just give it a quick stir before pouring into the baking dish. The baked cake also keeps well, so you can bake it a day ahead and reheat slices as needed.
What can I serve with this cake?
Vanilla ice cream is always a winner! You could also try whipped cream, hot fudge sauce, or even a drizzle of peanut butter. Some people love adding a sprinkle of sea salt on top for a sweet-salty combination.
Related Recipes
If you love easy chocolate desserts like this dump cake, you’ll want to try these recipes too!
Peanut Butter Cup Dump Cake
This Peanut Butter Cup Dump Cake is the ultimate easy dessert – just 4 ingredients, no mixer required, and ready in 30 minutes!
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 20 slices
Calories: 107kcal
Ingredients
- 1 box (15.25 oz) chocolate cake mix
- 1 box (3.4 oz) instant chocolate pudding mix
- 1¾ cups milk
- 1 package (8 oz) mini peanut butter cups, roughly chopped
Cook Mode (Prevent your screen from going dark)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Spray a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with non-stick spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the milk and instant pudding mix until well combined.
- Add the chocolate cake mix and stir until everything is well blended. The mixture will be quite thick – this is perfect!
- Roughly chop the peanut butter cups and fold them through the batter.
- Pour the mixture into your prepared baking dish and spread evenly.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs.
- Let the cake cool slightly before serving. This is absolutely delicious served warm with vanilla ice cream!
Notes
RECIPE NOTES & TIPS
- Don’t overmix – once everything is combined, stop stirring. Overmixing can make the cake tough.
- The batter will be very thick – this is exactly what you want! It’s much thicker than regular cake batter.
- Chop the peanut butter cups – roughly chop them into different sized pieces for pockets of melted peanut butter throughout.
- Serving suggestions – serve warm with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or a drizzle of hot fudge sauce.
- Storage – store covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat individual slices in the microwave for 15-20 seconds.
- Freezing – wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
- Variations – swap the peanut butter cups for chopped chocolate bars, add chocolate chips, or try different flavoured cake mixes!
