Patio Party Sweet: Merely 4 ingredients. I love this one because it does all the hard work while I enjoy the beautiful weather outside.

This 4-ingredient slow cooker golden dessert is my favorite kind of patio party sweet: you toss everything into the crock, pop on the lid, and let it bubble away into a craggy, golden mound while you enjoy the weather outside. It’s a cozy mash-up of a dump cake and a self-saucing pudding, built to be hands-off for busy days when you still want something homemade and special. The slow cooker does all the hard work, transforming a simple cake mix, butter, and canned fruit into a deeply caramelized, glossy, dark amber syrup that pools around the edges. It’s the kind of dessert you can start before guests arrive and forget about until everyone’s ready for something warm and sweet.

Serve big spoonfuls of the warm golden mound right out of the slow cooker into bowls, making sure to scoop up plenty of the dark amber syrup from the sides. Top with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or a spoonful of Greek yogurt if you like a little tang with your sweetness. It pairs perfectly with coffee after dinner, or with iced tea and lemonade if you’re lingering outside on the patio. If you’re serving a crowd, set the slow cooker on “warm” and put out a little topping bar with chopped nuts, toasted coconut, and chocolate chips so everyone can customize their own bowl.

Servings: 6-8

2 cans (20 ounces each) sliced pineapple in heavy syrup, undrained

Lightly coat the inside of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray or a thin layer of butter to help prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.

Pour both cans of sliced pineapple with all of their heavy syrup into the bottom of the slow cooker. Spread the fruit out into an even layer so it fully covers the base.

Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the pineapple and syrup. Don’t stir; you want loose layers so the sugar can melt down into a dark amber syrup as everything cooks.

Evenly sprinkle the dry yellow cake mix over the pineapple and brown sugar layer, covering the fruit completely. Use your fingers or the back of a spoon to gently spread the mix into a fairly even layer, but do not press it down.

Slowly drizzle the melted butter over the entire surface of the dry cake mix, trying to cover as much of the top as possible. It’s okay if a few dry spots remain; the pineapple juices and steam will help moisten them as it cooks.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid. Cook on HIGH for 2.5 to 3.5 hours, or on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, until the top is deeply golden, craggy, and set, and you can see thick, glossy, dark amber syrup bubbling up around the edges.

Once done, turn the slow cooker to WARM and let the dessert sit, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes. This helps the syrup thicken slightly while keeping everything hot and scoopable.

To serve, scoop large spoonfuls of the craggy golden mound straight from the slow cooker, making sure to dig down to the bottom to capture plenty of the pineapple and syrup in each serving.

For a slightly tangier version, swap one can of pineapple for a can of peaches in heavy syrup or pineapple tidbits; just keep the total canned fruit at about 40 ounces with syrup so you still get that bubbling, dark amber sauce. You can also use a white cake mix or even a butter golden cake mix if that’s what you have in the pantry. For a toasted, nutty twist, sprinkle 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts over the cake mix before adding the melted butter. If you prefer a less-sweet dessert, use pineapple in juice instead of heavy syrup and reduce the brown sugar to 3/4 cup, though the sauce will be a bit lighter in color and less syrupy. For a cozy fall vibe, add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg to the brown sugar before sprinkling it over the fruit. Food safety tips: Always cook this dessert on HIGH or LOW as directed with the lid on; lifting the lid too often can significantly extend cooking time and may prevent the center from reaching a safe temperature. Leftovers should be cooled to room temperature within 2 hours, then transferred to an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave until steaming hot. Do not leave the slow cooker on WARM for more than 3 to 4 hours after cooking is complete, as extended holding at low temperatures can increase food safety risk. If your slow cooker runs hot, start checking for doneness at the earlier end of the time range to avoid scorching the edges.