Our 4 ingredient triple berry cobbler with cake mix and frozen berries recipe is a delicious dessert! Similar to our peach cobbler with cake mix, but this time we used a mix of blueberries, cherries and strawberries and it is now a family favorite treat.
Let me start by saying we love cake mix hacks and this one may be one of our favorites! There isn’t a lot of mixing required. I would say this is a sort of dump cake of sorts where you sweeten the frozen fruit, make the batter with butter and bake.
Back in the day when I was picking up my girls at 3 different schools, working and trying to get dinner and dessert done every day I fell in love with treats like this. If I was able to prep and bake within about an hour it was a win so I made them all the time.
What I love most about this one in particular is you can use all different kinds of fruit, right out of the freezer, and there is no thawing required. I will say that a few mixed is our favorite because the flavors are out of this world (and it saves great too). 😉
Ingredient Notes
I used a white cake mix to make this but you could certainly use any flavor. Starting from scratch we even have a homemade yellow cake mix recipe you can make and use. Anything goes….
You will use some melted butter to create a batter. Do NOT follow the instructions on the back of the box to prepare this. You want it to be a lot thicker to create more of a cobbler texture to it.
As for the star of the show I picked up a large bag of mixed frozen berries with 3 different kinds in it; blueberries, cherries and strawberries. I have experimented with a few varieties and we all think that this mix is the best of the best! We mix with some sugar to sweeten (a sugar substitute for a sugar-free option would work too).
Can you use fresh fruit?
Technically yes you could however the texture would be different and not ideal if you ask me with berries. The reason why frozen is best is because it takes longer for them to get tender, long enough for the cake itself to bake nicely. The only time this has been successful is with our apple cobbler with Bisquick recipe.
Can you use pie filling?
Not in this case but yes we have done a version of this before. You would want to follow our blueberry cobbler with cake mix instructions instead for that option.
How Long to Cook Berry Cobbler with Cake Mix
You want enough time for the berries to get nice and tender, to release some juices and create an ooey gooey bottom layer. This typically takes 1 hour and 10 minutes or so to achieve that + get the cake to a golden brown on top. I like to leave in the pan to sit about 10 minutes before serving in order to stiffen up a bit. You won’t be able to slice this to serve, it is a scoop and serve type of dish. 😉
Mistakes to Avoid
Do NOT thaw the fruit, you want to coat with sugar and dump into your dish rock hard to achieve the ideal texture. As I stated above, you aren’t going to pay attention to the needed ingredients on the back of your cake mix, instead follow the directions below only using melted butter to make the batter.
You don’t want to bake this too long either. The best texture for any sort of cobbler is soft with just a hint of crispness on the very top. More if you choose to add some crumb topping. As soon as it is browned, pull it out of the oven!
FAQ
If you really want to taste the fruit you should use white or yellow cake mix. These don’t have a strong flavor to them other than being sweet so the other ingredients can really shine thru. Technically any flavor will work though.
I mean this is up to you but we always do! When it is warm it is nice to serve a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on top so it melts just a bit and creates a creaminess to the dish. It is the best way to enjoy each bite if you ask us.
You need it to cool completely. Then you should transfer to an airtight dish with a lid and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Note: the texture will change as it sits and gets cold. The top crust will get softer and with more time it will become a bit mushy but it is still great reheated.
The best way to reheat this so it doesn’t dry out is to add either a tbsp. of ice cream of whipped cream to the top before heating. I would use the microwave for 45 seconds to allow it to melt a bit and “liven it up” again to enjoy.
Berry Cobbler with Cake Mix Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 pounds frozen berries, mixed, blueberries, cherries and strawberries used – keep frozen
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 cup butter, melted, 2 sticks
- 1 box white cake mix, 15.25 oz.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F. Spray a 9×13" pan with non stick spray and set aside.
- Pour frozen berries into a bowl with sugar, toss to coat. Pour into your baking dish and spread out evenly.
- In another bowl combine cake mix with melted butter and stir together to create a batter. Pour this evenly on top of the frozen fruit, spread out evenly.
- Bake uncovered for 70-80 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Scoop out with a spoon and serve with a scoop of ice cream on top!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
