Cake Mix and Canned Pear Cobbler

By
Carroll Pellegrinelli
Carroll Pellegrinelli
Expert baker and published author, Carroll Pellegrinelli shares her knowledge of bread baking and desserts.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 10/19/22
Tested by
Tracy Wilk
Photo of Tracy Wilk
Tested by Tracy Wilk
Tracy Wilk is a professional pastry chef, recipe developer and chef instructor, and, most importantly, a firm believer in sprinkles.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Canned Pear Cobbler Made With Cake Mix

The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 35 mins
Total: 45 mins
Servings: 12 to 16 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
184 Calories
7g Fat
30g Carbs
1g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12 to 16
Amount per serving
Calories 184
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7g 9%
Saturated Fat 4g 21%
Cholesterol 15mg 5%
Sodium 240mg 10%
Total Carbohydrate 30g 11%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 16g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 0mg 2%
Calcium 72mg 6%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 36mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Fruit cobblers are a delectable and easy dessert to have around. Great with a cup of coffee for an afternoon break, cobblers are also a delicious addition to brunches and the perfect finish to family dinners. What's not to love? A delicious fruit base is covered in a sweet and silky batter before being baked, which results in a fluffy and moist cake-like concoction that is not overly sweet. You just need yellow cake mix, butter, and a pinch of spice. Assemble and bake.

Our delicious pear cobbler recipe takes things one step closer to a "dump cake," as it uses store-bought cake mix and canned fruit to make a luscious, moist, and fruity cake. Ready in 40 minutes; this is ideal if you need a last-minute dessert.

For our recipe, we are using canned pears, a budget-friendly way of using processed fruit. For this recipe, you need pears in syrup, but many canned fruit types are packed with water and have no added sugar. This easy recipe should give you the inspiration to try other fruits and spices to make your own fruity cake-mix cobbler.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

“If you are looking for a quick cobbler, this recipe will become your new go-to. You can definitely swap out the fruit to make this a seasonal favorite, and using the cake mix makes this incredibly easy and tasty!” —Tracy Wilk 

pear cobbler/tester image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 20 ounces canned pears in heavy syrup

  • 1 (18-ounce) box yellow cake mix

  • 1/2 cup (4-ounces) unsalted butter, melted

  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger, or ground nutmeg

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Canned Pear Cobbler Made With Cake Mix ingredients

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  2. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350 F. Slice the pears into 1/2-inch wedges and transfer (with the syrup from the can) to an oval-shaped 2-quart baking dish.

    Pears with syrup in an oblong baking pan

    The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni

  3. Sprinkle the cake mix evenly over the pears.

    Cake mix on top of the pears and syrup in a baking dish

    The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni

  4. Drizzle the melted butter over the cake mix. Lightly sprinkle with ginger or nutmeg.

    Melted butter on top of the cake mix in the baking dish

    The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni

  5. Bake for 35 minutes or until bubbly. Let cool slightly, then serve.

    Canned Pear Cobbler Made With Cake Mix in a baking dish on a cooling rack

    The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni

Tips

Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

Recipe Variations

To make other similar cobblers, simply keep the amounts of fruit and butter consistent and always use canned fruit in syrup or make your own simple syrup to moisten fresh or frozen fruit:

  • Experiment with the ground spices and come up with your own variation. Use canned peaches, pineapple, apricots, or fruit cocktails in syrup. Thawed frozen berries, fresh apple slices, and cubed mangoes, cherries, or cooked rhubarb are all delicious alternatives.
  • For a more decadent alternative, use chocolate cake mix, cherry pie filling (20 ounces), and melted butter. Add 3/4 cup unsweetened chocolate chips on top and bake as directed.

How to Store Cake Mix and Canned Pear Cobbler

This is a moist cake that will keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for three to four days. You can also wrap it well in foil and freeze it for up to three months. Then, defrost in the refrigerator or at room temperature and reheat briefly in the oven or a toaster oven.