Peanut Butter Cup Dump Cake

Peanut Butter Cup Dump Cake is gooey, indulgent, and SO easy to make! With layers of creamy peanut butter, chocolate chips, mini peanut butter cups, and a golden cake topping, this no fuss dessert is pure heaven for chocolate and peanut butter lovers.

Love More Recipes? Try My Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars or this Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Rich, gooey, and packed with chocolatey peanut butter goodness in every bite. Melty peanut butter cups and chocolate chips are baked into a soft, fudgy cake with a buttery, slightly crisp topping. The flavors come together for a decadent, dessert-lover’s dream that tastes like a Reese’s explosion. Easy to make and impossible to resist, it’s perfect for parties, potlucks, or whenever a chocolate craving hits.

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Ingredient List

For the Dump Cake:

• 1 (16 oz) jar creamy peanut butter
• 1 box yellow cake mix (about 15–18 oz)
• 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup peanut butter-filled chocolate candies (like mini peanut butter cups), roughly chopped
• 1 cup chopped peanuts (optional, for extra crunch)
• ½ cup unsalted butter, sliced into pats

Friendly Notes:

• I always use full-fat sweetened condensed milk—it makes the cake extra rich and creamy!
• Any brand of yellow cake mix works great. Betty Crocker and Duncan Hines are my favorites.
• For the peanut butter candies, I love using Reese’s Miniatures, roughly chopped.

Why These Ingredients Work

The creamy peanut butter creates a luscious, gooey base that seeps into every bite. The yellow cake mix gives you that classic cake texture without any of the work—it bakes up golden and slightly crispy on top while staying tender underneath.

Sweetened condensed milk is the secret weapon here—it adds incredible sweetness and moisture, binding everything together into pure magic.

The chocolate chips and peanut butter cups melt into pockets of chocolatey goodness, while the chopped peanuts add that satisfying crunch (totally optional, but highly recommended!). And those butter pats? They help the cake mix crisp up beautifully and add richness throughout.

Essential Tools and Equipment

• 9×13-inch baking dish
• Measuring cups
• Knife for slicing butter
• Oven mitts
• Spatula or large spoon for serving

How To Make Peanut Butter Cup Dump Cake

Step 1: Preheat and Prep

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease your 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or non-stick spray.

Step 2: Spread the Peanut Butter Base

Spread the entire jar of peanut butter evenly across the bottom of the baking dish. Don’t worry if it’s not perfectly smooth—close enough is good enough! This creates that amazing gooey layer.

Step 3: Add the Cake Mix

Sprinkle the yellow cake mix evenly over the peanut butter layer. Make sure it covers the entire surface. DO NOT STIR—that’s the beauty of a dump cake!

Step 4: Drizzle the Sweetened Condensed Milk

Pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the dry cake mix. Try to get it distributed across the whole pan. Again, resist the urge to stir! It’ll look a little messy, but trust the process.

Step 5: Add Your Mix-Ins

Scatter the chocolate chips, chopped peanut butter candies, and chopped peanuts (if using) all over the top. This is where the magic happens!

Step 6: Top with Butter

Distribute the butter slices evenly over the entire surface. These will melt down and help everything bake into golden perfection.

Step 7: Bake Until Golden

Bake for 35–40 minutes, until the edges are bubbling like crazy and the top is beautifully golden brown.

Step 8: Cool and Serve

Remove from the oven and let it rest for about 10 minutes before serving. This helps it firm up slightly so it’s easier to scoop.

You Must Know

• DO NOT STIR! I know it’s tempting, but the whole point of a dump cake is that the layers bake together on their own. Stirring will mess up the texture.
• Let it rest after baking. Those 10 minutes make a huge difference in getting cleaner servings.
• Use room temperature peanut butter if possible—it spreads much easier.

Personal Secret: I always swirl a little extra peanut butter on top right after it comes out of the oven. It creates these gorgeous, gooey ribbons that make every bite even more decadent!

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

• For a richer chocolate flavor, swap the semi-sweet chocolate chips for dark chocolate chips.
• If you want extra peanut butter flavor, add a handful of peanut butter chips along with the chocolate chips.
• Don’t have mini peanut butter cups? Regular-sized Reese’s cups work great—just chop them up!
• Common mistake to avoid: Using light or fat-free sweetened condensed milk. Trust me, the full-fat version is what gives this dessert its incredible richness.
• Smart shortcut: Buy pre-chopped peanuts to save time!

Flavor Variations / Suggestions

• Triple Chocolate Version: Use chocolate cake mix instead of yellow and add white chocolate chips.
• Nutella Twist: Swirl some Nutella in with the peanut butter base.
• Salted Caramel Dream: Drizzle caramel sauce over each serving and sprinkle with sea salt.
• Banana Peanut Butter: Add sliced bananas as a layer between the peanut butter and cake mix.
• S’mores Style: Add mini marshmallows and graham cracker crumbs in the last 5 minutes of baking.

Make-Ahead Options

This dump cake is actually great for advance prep! You can assemble the entire cake up to 24 hours ahead—just layer everything in the baking dish, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. When you’re ready to bake, let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, then bake as directed.

Freezing: You can freeze individual servings wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave for 30–45 seconds.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

• The texture is supposed to be gooey and rich—it’s not a traditional cake! Think of it more like a magical peanut butter chocolate lava situation.
• If your peanut butter is really thick and hard to spread, microwave it for 15–20 seconds to soften it up.
• The edges will get crispier and more caramelized than the center—some people fight over those crispy edge pieces!
• This dessert is RICH, so a little goes a long way. Don’t be shy about cutting smaller portions.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this warm (it’s absolute perfection that way!) with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream melting on top. You can also add a dollop of whipped cream or drizzle with chocolate sauce for extra indulgence.

This is perfect for potlucks, birthday parties, game day gatherings, or any time you need a crowd-pleasing dessert that requires minimal effort. Serve it straight from the baking dish with a big spoon—no fancy plating required!

How to Store Your Peanut Butter Cup Dump Cake

Store leftovers (if there are any!) covered with plastic wrap or foil in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also keep it at room temperature for up to 2 days if you prefer it less firm.

Reheating: Warm individual servings in the microwave for 20–30 seconds, or reheat the whole dish in a 300°F oven for about 10–15 minutes. It’s even better the next day when all the flavors have melded together!

Freezing: Wrap portions tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat before serving.

Allergy Information

Contains: Peanuts, dairy, eggs (in cake mix), soy (in chocolate)

Substitutions:

• Peanut allergy: Use sunflower seed butter or almond butter and swap peanut butter cups for regular chocolate chunks.
• Dairy-free: Use dairy-free chocolate chips, coconut condensed milk, and vegan butter.
• Gluten-free: Use a gluten-free yellow cake mix (Bob’s Red Mill makes a great one).

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

Can I use crunchy peanut butter instead of creamy?

You absolutely can! Crunchy peanut butter adds even more texture, though the base layer won’t be quite as smooth. I’ve done it both ways and they’re both delicious—it just depends on whether you want extra crunch!

My dump cake looks dry on top—is that normal?

If some of the cake mix looks dry before baking, that’s totally fine! The butter and condensed milk will spread as they bake. Just make sure you’re distributing the butter pats evenly across the top. If you’re still worried, add an extra tablespoon or two of melted butter over any super-dry spots.

Can I make this in a smaller pan?

Yes! An 8×8 or 9×9-inch pan works great for a thicker version—just reduce the recipe by about one-third and check for doneness around 30–35 minutes. The center should still be gooey, but the edges should be set and golden.

How do I know when it’s done?

Look for bubbling edges and a golden-brown top. The center might still look a little jiggly—that’s perfect! It will firm up as it cools. If you overbake it, the texture gets dry instead of gooey.

💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! I’d love to hear how your Peanut Butter Cup Dump Cake turned out! Did you add any fun variations? Tag me on social media so I can see your creations!