Dump cakes typically have a cake-like topping made from a boxed cake mix that is sprinkled on top of the fruit, while cobblers have a biscuit or pastry-like dough that is either dropped or rolled out on top of the fruit. Dump cakes involve layering the ingredients without mixing them, whereas cobblers usually involve mixing the topping first before layering it together. Finally, cobblers tend to have a thicker, more substantial topping, while dump cakes have a thinner, crumbly topping that is more cake-like in texture.