My sister brought this vibrant spring dessert to our dinner party and we all demanded the secret. Just 3 ingredients for an incredibly sweet and tangy treat

This slow cooker 3-ingredient lemon blueberry dump cake is the kind of dessert that sneaks up and steals the show. My sister brought a bubbling crock of it to a spring dinner at our farmhouse, and before we’d even cleared the main dishes, everyone was hovering over that white slow cooker, spoons in hand, asking how something so simple could smell so heavenly. It tastes like a cross between a lemon snack cake and a blueberry cobbler, with a golden, buttery crust and dark purple blueberry filling peeking through. This is very much in the spirit of old Midwestern potluck recipes: a few pantry staples, tossed together with no fuss, turning into a sweet and tangy treat that feels like it took all afternoon.

Serve this lemon blueberry dump cake warm, right out of the slow cooker while it’s still bubbling around the edges. It’s lovely with a scoop of vanilla ice cream that melts down into the crevices, or a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream. For a simple weeknight treat, just spoon it into small bowls and let the lemon and blueberry shine on their own. It pairs nicely with coffee after Sunday dinner or with a cup of hot tea on a cool spring evening. If you’re serving a crowd, set the slow cooker on the buffet with a ladle and let folks help themselves, just like at a church potluck.

Servings: 8

2 cans (21 ounces each) blueberry pie filling

Lightly grease the inside of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with butter or nonstick spray to help prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.

Spread the blueberry pie filling evenly over the bottom of the slow cooker, making sure it reaches all the way to the edges so every serving has plenty of fruit.

Sprinkle the dry lemon cake mix evenly over the blueberry pie filling. Do not stir. Gently shake the slow cooker or use a spoon to lightly level the cake mix into an even layer, covering the berries completely.

Slowly drizzle the melted butter evenly over the entire surface of the dry cake mix, trying to moisten as much of the mix as you can. It’s fine if a few dry spots remain; they will bake into a pleasant, slightly crumbly topping.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid. Cook on HIGH for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or on LOW for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, until the top is mostly set, the edges are golden and crisp, and the blueberry filling is bubbling up around the sides and through small cracks in the topping.

Turn off the heat and let the dump cake sit, covered, for about 10 to 15 minutes to allow the filling to thicken slightly while still staying warm and saucy.

Serve the lemon blueberry dump cake warm, scooped straight from the slow cooker into bowls. Be careful of the hot steam when lifting the lid and serving.

For extra lemon tang, you can stir 1 to 2 teaspoons of finely grated lemon zest into the dry cake mix before sprinkling it over the blueberries, or drizzle a tablespoon or two of bottled lemon juice over the pie filling before adding the cake mix. If you prefer a slightly less sweet dessert, look for a reduced-sugar blueberry pie filling. A butter-flavor yellow cake mix can stand in for lemon cake mix if that’s what you have; add lemon zest or a small splash of lemon extract to keep the citrus note. To make the topping a touch crisper, prop the slow cooker lid open slightly with a folded kitchen towel during the last 20 to 30 minutes of cooking to let some steam escape. For serving, this dessert is especially good with vanilla ice cream, but it’s also lovely with lemon sherbet or plain Greek yogurt for a not-too-sweet brunch dish. Leftovers can be refrigerated and gently rewarmed in the slow cooker on LOW or in the microwave; the topping softens but the flavors deepen, much like next-day cobbler.