The Vintage Dump Cake Recipe Making a Comeback on Reddit

Vintage recipe lovers know that the next best thing to sifting through a collection of old cookbooks is taking a dive down the rabbit hole known as the Old Recipes subreddit.

Part time capsule and part treasure trove, the home cook community is one of the internet’s best places to learn about the food trends that shaped the past. Plus, since in the culinary world, everything old eventually becomes new again, you can also use the subreddit to get a gauge on what may enchant home cooks in the near future.

No matter what era it’s from—and I’m talking from the Middle Ages to World War II ration recipes—there is always something one can glean from reading an older recipe. In this particular case, if you have an extra can of pie filling sitting around or fruit preserves you need to use up quickly, you should put it in a cake.

Reddit user Classy_Corpse originally shared her grandmother’s Omaha cake recipe in 2019. Years later, it’s still popular thanks to its ease and distinct flavor combination. Think of it like a dump cake, but with a little more artistry.

How to Make Omaha Cake

Ingredients

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix eggs, sugar, oil, flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl.
Spray or grease a 9×13-inch cake pan. Pour half of the batter into the pan, then top with your choice of canned pie filling. Spread on the remaining cake batter, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, and bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. (Some Reddit bakers noted that their cakes took 40 minutes instead of 30, so it’s always best to check!)
Next, the recipe card says to “drizzle thin powdered sugar frosting over warm cake,” but a simple powdered sugar icing or glaze—just a mixture of powdered sugar, milk or water, and vanilla extract—should do the trick.
We’re willing to bet it’d also be delicious topped with streusel. You can also skip this step entirely, though, because the cake itself is already pretty sugary. Save any extra icing for your next baking project, or freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.