My neighbor makes this every spring when the weather warms up and it melts in your mouth. Only 3 ingredients to make the best vintage dessert ever.

This slow cooker 3-ingredient strawberry spoon cake is the kind of vintage dessert my neighbors talk about on the porch every spring when the weather finally warms up. It’s inspired by those old church cookbook ‘dump cakes’ that melt in your mouth with almost no effort at all. You just layer sweet strawberries, a boxed cake mix, and butter right in the slow cooker, and a golden, buttery crust forms on top while the berries bubble underneath. It’s cozy, a little nostalgic, and perfect for busy days when you still want something special to scoop out warm and share with the family.

Serve this spoon cake warm, straight from the slow cooker, with big spoonfuls ladled into bowls so everyone gets some of the soft cake and the bright red strawberry juices. A scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream on top makes it feel like a diner-style treat. It’s lovely with coffee after dinner, or with iced tea or lemonade on the deck when the evenings are finally mild again. If you’re feeding a crowd, set out small bowls, spoons, and toppings like extra sliced strawberries so everyone can build their own little dessert bowl.

Servings: 8

2 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced (or quartered if large)

Lightly grease the inside of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker with a little butter or nonstick spray so the cake doesn’t stick too much around the edges.

Spread the sliced strawberries evenly over the bottom of the slow cooker. As they cook, they’ll release lots of bright red juices that bubble up through the cake.

Sprinkle the dry yellow cake mix evenly over the strawberries. Do not stir. Try to cover the berries as evenly as you can, gently breaking up any big clumps with your fingers.

Slowly drizzle the melted butter evenly over the dry cake mix, trying to moisten as much of the surface as possible. It’s fine if a few dry spots remain; the strawberry juices will help hydrate them during cooking.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid. Cook on HIGH for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or on LOW for about 4 hours, until the top is mostly set, the edges are golden, and strawberry juices are bubbling up around the sides and through a few cracks in the crust.

Once done, turn off the slow cooker and let the spoon cake sit, covered, for about 10 to 15 minutes to set slightly. The texture should be soft, gooey, and scoopable rather than firm like a traditional cake.

Serve the strawberry spoon cake warm, scooping it out with a large spoon so each serving has some soft golden crust and some of the bubbling strawberries and juices underneath.

For a sweeter, more jammy base, you can toss the strawberries with 1/4 cup of sugar before adding them to the slow cooker (this technically adds a fourth ingredient, but it’s optional if your berries are already very sweet). If you only have frozen strawberries, thaw them first and drain off just a little of the excess liquid so the dessert doesn’t become too soupy; keep some juice, as that’s what creates the bubbling red pockets under the crust. For picky eaters who prefer fewer fruit chunks, you can roughly mash the strawberries in the slow cooker before adding the cake mix so the texture is smoother. A white cake mix works nicely in place of yellow if that’s what you have on hand, and you can swap in a strawberry cake mix if you want even more berry flavor. To make individual servings feel special, set out small bowls of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or a sprinkle of crushed vanilla wafers for topping. Food safety tips: Keep the strawberries refrigerated until you’re ready to use them, and wash and hull them just before slicing. Do not leave the finished spoon cake sitting on the warm setting for more than 2 hours; after serving, cool leftovers and store them in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or on LOW in the slow cooker until warmed through.