Preheat your oven to 350°F. While the oven heats, prepare a 9x13 inch baking dish (or similar size) by lightly greasing it or leaving it dry—the butter will provide enough fat to prevent sticking. This gives you time to work on the next steps while the oven reaches temperature.

Pour the entire can of peaches with their heavy syrup into the prepared baking dish, spreading them evenly across the bottom. The syrup is crucial—it will create moisture and help the cake mix cook through, so don't drain it. I like to break up any large peach chunks slightly with a spoon so they distribute more evenly, which helps with even cooking.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry yellow cake mix, ground cinnamon, and vanilla extract until well combined—the spices and vanilla will be distributed throughout the dry mix, creating more even flavor. Sprinkle this dry mixture evenly over the peaches and syrup in the baking dish, but do not stir or mix it in. The cake mix will absorb moisture from the peaches as it bakes and create a cake-like texture.

Drizzle the melted butter evenly over the dry cake mix layer. I find it helpful to pour the butter in a thin stream back and forth across the dish, then use a spatula to gently spread it so it covers the surface evenly. This butter will absorb into the cake mix and create a golden, moist topping as it bakes.

Place the baking dish in the preheated 350°F oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the cake topping comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. The cake will rise slightly and pull away from the edges of the dish as it finishes baking. Let the cake rest in the pan for 5 minutes after removing from the oven—this helps it set slightly and makes serving easier.

Scoop the peach dump cake into bowls or plates while still warm. The warm, juicy peaches combined with the tender cake topping are best enjoyed fresh from the oven, and the warmth brings out the cinnamon and vanilla flavors beautifully.