There is something mighty satisfying about turning a handful of simple grocery-store ingredients into a warm, crowd-pleasing dessert, especially on a long Labor Day weekend when nobody wants to fuss in the kitchen. This easy baked treat leans on a frozen pound cake loaf, canned pie filling, and a little pantry help to make a cobbler-like dessert with a tender, buttery base and bubbling fruit on top. It feels like the sort of practical, unfussy sweet you’d bring to a backyard supper in the Midwest, where convenience and comfort have long made good partners.
Serve this dessert warm with scoops of vanilla ice cream or big spoonfuls of whipped topping. If you are putting together a full Labor Day spread, it fits in beautifully after grilled burgers, barbecue chicken, baked beans, corn on the cob, or a simple potato salad, and a cup of coffee alongside it makes the last bite feel especially homey.
4-Ingredient Oven Baked Labor Day Dessert
Servings: 8
Ingredients
1 solid unthawed frozen pound cake loaf, about 10 to 16 ounces
1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling
1 box (about 15.25 ounces) yellow cake mix
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
Directions
1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9x13-inch oven-safe glass baking dish. Place the solid unthawed frozen pound cake loaf right in the center of the dish.
2. Spoon the cherry pie filling around and over the frozen pound cake loaf, letting the fruit settle into the corners of the dish.
3. Sprinkle the dry yellow cake mix evenly over the top, covering the fruit and cake as evenly as you can. Drizzle the melted butter all across the cake mix so most of the surface is moistened.
4. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the cherry filling is bubbling at the edges. If needed, tent loosely with foil near the end so the top does not overbrown.
5. Let the dessert rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving so the filling can settle a bit. Spoon it warm into bowls and serve as is or with vanilla ice cream.
Variations & Tips
Try a different pie filling: Cherry gives this dessert that bright holiday-weekend look, but apple, blueberry, or peach pie filling all work beautifully. Each one brings its own little personality to the pan without changing the easy method.
Watch the butter coverage: If you see dry patches of cake mix before baking, drizzle a touch more melted butter over those spots. That helps the topping bake up more evenly and keeps you from getting powdery bites.
Make it extra festive: A sprinkle of cinnamon with apple filling or a few sliced almonds over the top before baking can dress it up for a picnic table or family gathering. It is still simple, just with a little Sunday-best look.
Serve it warm, not piping hot: Letting the dessert sit briefly after it comes from the oven helps the filling thicken and makes it much easier to spoon into neat servings. That short rest is worth every minute.