Easy Chocolate M&M Dump Cake
If there’s one thing I never say no to, it’s a dessert with M&Ms in it. Candy and cake together? Yes please. This M&M Chocolate Dump Cake is exactly what it sounds like—just dump everything in a pan and let the oven do its thing.
No fancy steps, no electric mixer, no stress. It’s ooey, gooey, chocolatey heaven with that colorful M&M crunch my kids go wild for.
Honestly, it’s the kind of dessert that works anytime: birthday party, sleepover, lazy Sunday, or when you just need to throw something quick and delicious together without even pulling out a mixing bowl.
Ingredients
Chocolate cake mix – the base of it all, rich and chocolatey
Instant chocolate pudding – makes the cake extra moist and gooey
Melted butter – because everything is better with butter
Milk – helps bring the pudding mix and cake mix together
Chocolate chips – because more chocolate is always the right answer
M&Ms – the star of the show, bringing sweetness, crunch, and color
How to Make It
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F and greasing a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray.
Sprinkle the dry cake mix and the instant pudding mix right into the bottom of the dish.
Pour in the melted butter and milk, then give it a quick, light whisk right in the pan—don’t overmix, just enough to moisten everything.
Sprinkle the chocolate chips and M&Ms all over the top like confetti (this part is weirdly satisfying).
Pop it in the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is set and the edges are nice and crisp.
Let it cool slightly before serving—it’ll be warm, gooey, and everything you could want in a quick dessert.
Serve it up with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if you’re feelin’ fancy or just dig in straight from the pan. No judgment.
What Happens to the M&Ms When You Bake Them
This is the question everyone has the first time they make this, so here’s the answer upfront: the M&Ms on top will partially melt during baking. The candy shell softens and cracks, the chocolate inside gets warm and gooey, and when the cake comes out of the oven the M&Ms look slightly deflated and crackled — not the perfect round candies they were going in.
This is exactly right. Once the cake cools for 10-15 minutes, the M&Ms firm back up into slightly irregular shapes with a thin crackling shell and a soft chocolate center. They’re chewier and more interesting than a raw M&M, and the color stays vibrant. It looks intentional. It tastes incredible.
If you want some M&Ms to hold their shape for presentation, reserve about 2 tablespoons and press them onto the top of the cake during the last 5 minutes of baking. Those late-added ones will be warmed but still mostly round.
Why I’m an M&M Dessert Girl Forever
I’ve been an M&M girl since day one. They were the first candy I’d pick at the corner store, and now? I still find ways to sprinkle them into everything—cookies, brownies, cereal bars, you name it. So when I discovered you could bake them into a rich, chocolatey dump cake without even pulling out a mixing bowl, I was sold. This cake is the definition of lazy baker approved, and it never fails to make the house smell amazing.
Plus, my kids go crazy for this cake. They love spotting the M&Ms on top, and I love how it takes five minutes to throw together. Win-win.
FAQs
Yes — any M&M variety works. Peanut butter M&Ms add a PB-chocolate layer that’s excellent. Peanut M&Ms give a crunch inside the crunch. Pretzel M&Ms add a salty hit. Mini M&Ms distribute more evenly throughout the cake. The original milk chocolate M&Ms give the cleanest chocolate-on-chocolate result but all variations work.
Either it needs more time or the oven temperature was off. The edges should be set and slightly pulling away from the pan, and the top should look dry and matte — not shiny. If the center still jiggles noticeably, give it another 5-10 minutes covered loosely with foil to prevent the top from over-browning. Dump cakes with pudding mix run more liquid than traditional cakes — some gooeyness in the center when hot is normal and firms up as it cools.
Yes, but the texture changes significantly. The pudding is what makes this dense, fudgy, and moist — without it you get a more traditional cake texture that’s drier and less gooey. If you skip it, reduce the milk to 1½ cups to compensate for the missing dry volume.
Yes — it stores well at room temperature covered for up to 2 days, or refrigerated for up to 4 days. The gooey center firms up more after refrigeration, which some people actually prefer. Reheat individual servings in the microwave for 30-45 seconds to bring back the warm, gooey texture.
Absolutely. ½ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans added on top with the M&Ms gives a great crunch contrast. Crushed pretzels work too. Keep total add-ins to about 1 cup so you don’t overwhelm the batter-to-topping ratio.
Not for the first two days if kept covered at room temperature. After that, refrigerate. Because this uses pudding mix and a significant amount of dairy (milk), refrigerating after day two is the safe call.
It’s perfect for when you’re short on time but still want to show up with something fun, colorful, and crowd-pleasing. Whether it’s for a potluck, a casual weeknight treat, or you just need a quick chocolate fix—this M&M dump cake is IT.
What are some other fun dump cake recipes to try?
If you are looking for some more amazing cake recipes be sure to check out this comprehensive list: The Most Delicious Cake Recipes For Dessert
Easy M&M Dump Cake
This M&M dump cake has super simple ingredients and makes for a great dessert!
Ingredients
- 1 box chocolate cake mix
- 5.1 ounce box instant chocolate pudding
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 ½ cups milk
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 cup M&Ms
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Sprinkle the chocolate cake mix and chocolate pudding mix in the bottom of the pan.
- Add the butter and milk to the pan and lightly mix with a whisk.
- Top the cake with the chocolate chips and M&Ms.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
Nutrition Information
Yield
12Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 216Total Fat 16gSaturated Fat 10gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 26mgSodium 77mgCarbohydrates 20gFiber 1gSugar 12gProtein 3g
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Hi! I’m Nellie. I am an entrepreneur, a busy mama of 3 and a wife to my high school sweetheart. I have been sharing content for over 12 years about how to cook easy recipes, workout tips and free printables that make life a little bit easier. I have been featured in places like Yahoo, Buzzfeed, What To Expect, Mediavine, Niche Pursuits, HuffPost, BabyCenter, Mom 2.0, Mommy Nearest, Parade, Care.com, and more!
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