Festive Favorite: Just 3 ingredients. My sister makes this bright dessert every March and there are never any leftovers

Every March, right when the snow starts melting into little rivers along the ditches, my sister hauls out her old slow cooker and makes this green velvet dump cake. It’s a festive favorite for St. Patrick’s Day or any late-winter potluck, and it never fails to disappear spoonful by spoonful. With just three ingredients and no fussing—no bowls, no mixers—it’s the kind of practical, cozy dessert Midwestern cooks have leaned on for generations. The slow cooker keeps it moist and steamy, and by the time it’s done, you’ve got a bright green, tender cake with golden puddles of butter and swirls of rich cream cheese right in the crock.

Serve this green velvet dump cake warm right out of the slow cooker, scooped into bowls with a big spoon. It’s lovely on its own, but a small scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped topping melts into the hot cake and cream cheese, making a sweet little sauce. A cup of coffee, hot tea, or even a cold glass of milk fits the homey feel just right. If you’re serving it for a St. Patrick’s Day gathering, set the slow cooker on warm and let folks help themselves as they visit after supper.

Servings: 8-10

1 (15.25-ounce) box white cake mix

Spray the inside of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker crock lightly with nonstick cooking spray or grease it with a bit of butter so the cake releases easily.

In the slow cooker crock, whisk together the dry white cake mix and enough green gel food coloring to turn the mix a bright, vivid green, breaking up any little clumps of color with the whisk.

Add the water, egg, and vanilla extract directly into the green cake mix in the crock. Stir with a sturdy spoon or spatula until you have a smooth, thick green batter with no dry pockets; spread it evenly across the bottom of the crock.

In a small bowl, mash the softened cream cheese with the granulated sugar and salt until smooth and spreadable. It doesn’t have to be perfect; a few small lumps are fine.

Drop the sweetened cream cheese mixture by spoonfuls over the top of the green batter, then use the back of the spoon or a butter knife to gently swirl it into the surface. You want visible ribbons and pockets of white cream cheese running through the green batter, not fully mixed in.

Slowly pour the melted butter evenly over the top surface of the batter and cream cheese swirls, letting it pool and soak in here and there. Do not stir; the butter will help create that bubbly, golden top as it cooks.

Cover the slow cooker with its lid, placing a clean kitchen towel or a couple of paper towels under the lid if you like, to catch condensation and keep it from dripping back onto the cake.

Cook on HIGH for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or on LOW for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, until the edges are set, the top is mostly dry with golden, buttery bubbles, and the center springs back lightly when touched. A few moist spots from the cream cheese are normal.

Once cooked, turn the slow cooker to WARM and let the cake sit, covered, for about 10 to 15 minutes. This helps it set up a bit while still staying steamy and soft.

Serve the green velvet dump cake warm, scooping it straight from the slow cooker with a large spoon so you get plenty of bright green cake, creamy swirls, and buttery top in every bowl.

For an even brighter color, use a white cake mix labeled “extra moist” and add a little more green gel food coloring until it looks almost too bright before cooking; it will mellow slightly as it bakes. If you prefer a tangier cream cheese swirl, add a teaspoon of lemon juice in with the cream cheese and sugar. You can also sprinkle a handful of white chocolate chips over the batter before adding the cream cheese for extra sweetness and little pockets of melted chocolate. For a lighter version, reduce the butter to 6 tablespoons and use reduced-fat cream cheese; the top will be a bit less rich but still moist. Around Christmas, you can swap the green coloring for red and call it a red velvet dump cake, or divide the batter and swirl half green and half red for a holiday crockpot dessert. Leftovers, if you manage to have any, reheat nicely in the microwave for 20–30 seconds per serving, and the warm cream cheese and buttered top will taste just as cozy the next day.