I had one of those days. You know the kind. Friends were coming over in an hour, the house was a mess, and I promised I’d make dessert. My pantry looked sad. But then I remembered the dump cake.
This isn’t some fancy, complicated recipe. This is the emergency dessert you pull out when you need something amazing, fast. I’m going to show you how to make the best cherry dump cake with stuff you probably already have. It’s so easy, you’re going to wonder where it’s been all your life.
What You’ll Need For This Crazy Easy Cake
The name says it all. You just dump a few things in a pan and bake. There’s no mixing bowl, no fancy techniques, nothing. It’s pretty much magic.
The secret is letting the layers do their own thing in the oven. The fruit gets bubbly, the cake mix turns into a buttery, crumbly topping, and the whole thing just… works. It’s wild.
Core Ingredients Table
Here’s a quick look at what you’ll be grabbing from the cupboard. Don’t worry, it’s a short list.
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Cherry Pie Filling | 21 ounces (1 can) |
| Crushed Pineapple | 20 ounces (1 can) |
| Yellow Cake Mix | 15.25 ounces (1 box) |
| Unsalted Butter | 1 cup (2 sticks) |
| Chopped Pecans | ½ cup (optional) |
A little note on the ingredients. For the cherry pie filling, any brand works. For the pineapple, get the kind in 100% juice, not heavy syrup. It gives the cake a better flavor that isn’t too sweet. And for the cake mix, I usually grab a box of Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker classic yellow.
Let’s Talk Tools
You don’t need anything special for this, which is another reason I love it. No stand mixer, no whisk, no pile of dishes to clean up afterward.
You’re just a few simple tools away from dessert heaven. It’s basically the perfect recipe for a lazy baker, or a really busy one.
Your Kitchen Toolkit
This is everything you’ll need to pull this off. See? I told you it was simple.
| Tool | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Baking Dish | One (9×13 inch) |
| Spatula | One |
| Can Opener | One |
| Knife | One (for the butter) |
How to Make The Easiest Dessert on Earth
Okay, this is where the fun begins. Get ready for the simplest instructions you’ve ever seen. If you can open a can and sprinkle some stuff, you can make this cake.
Step 1: Get The Oven Ready
First things first, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). While it’s heating up, go ahead and grab your 9×13 inch baking dish. You don’t even need to grease it. The butter and fruit juices will take care of that.
Step 2: Dump The Cherries
Open that can of cherry pie filling and spread it evenly across the bottom of your baking dish. Use a spatula to get every last bit out. Just try to make a nice, even layer.
Step 3: Add The Pineapple
Now, open the can of crushed pineapple. Here’s a key tip: do not drain it. Dump the whole thing, juice and all, right on top of the cherries. Spread it out gently so you have a nice, even fruit base. That juice is what makes the cake extra moist.
Step 4: Sprinkle The Cake Mix
Grab your box of yellow cake mix and sprinkle it evenly over the fruit. Make sure you cover everything from corner to corner. You want a nice, thick, dry layer. Don’t press it down, just let it sit on top.
Step 5: Add The Butter
Here’s the most important part. Take your two sticks of cold butter and slice them into thin pats, about a tablespoon each. Arrange these butter slices all over the top of the dry cake mix. Cover as much surface area as you can. (More on this in the pro tips section!)
Step 6: Go Nuts (If You Want)
If you’re using nuts, now’s the time to sprinkle them over the top. The pecans will get all toasty and delicious in the oven, adding a great crunch. If you don’t like nuts, just skip this step.
Step 7: Bake It!
Carefully place the dish in the preheated oven. Bake for about 45 to 55 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when the top is a beautiful golden brown and the fruit filling is bubbling up around the edges. Your kitchen will smell incredible.
Step 8: Let It Rest
This might be the hardest step because you’ll want to dig in right away. But you have to let the cake rest on a wire rack for at least 15-20 minutes. This lets the filling set up a bit so it’s not a runny mess when you serve it.
Pro Tips From My Kitchen to Yours
After making this cake a million times, I’ve learned a few things. These little tricks make a big difference and will help you get it perfect on your first try.
Pro Tip 1: The Butter Debate
Some recipes say to melt the butter and pour it over the top. Don’t do it. When you pour melted butter, it creates wet pools in the cake mix, leaving other spots dry and powdery. By slicing cold butter and placing the pats evenly, you guarantee that as it melts, it soaks into the cake mix all over, creating a perfect, crispy, cobbler-like topping.
Pro Tip 2: Don’t You Dare Stir
It’s going to feel wrong. You’re going to want to stir the fruit and the cake mix together. Resist the urge! The magic of a dump cake is in the layers. The fruit cooks down, the cake mix absorbs the juices from the bottom and the butter from the top, and it creates this amazing texture. Stirring just turns it into a weird, gooey mess.
Pro Tip 3: Toast Your Nuts First
If you decide to use pecans or walnuts, take an extra five minutes to toast them. Just toss them in a dry skillet over medium heat for a few minutes until they smell fragrant. This little step makes their flavor so much richer and adds a deeper, nuttier taste to the cake.
Pro Tip 4: Give It a Rest, Seriously
I mentioned this in the instructions, but it’s worth repeating. If you cut into the cake right out of the oven, the hot fruit filling will be liquid and will run everywhere. Letting it cool for 20 minutes allows it to thicken and set, so you can serve up beautiful, scoopable portions that hold their shape.
Fun Twists and Easy Swaps
Once you master the basic recipe, you can start playing around. This cake is like a blank canvas for all kinds of delicious experiments.
Changing Up The Fruit
You don’t have to stick with cherry and pineapple. This recipe works with almost any canned pie filling or fruit.
- Peach Dump Cake: Use two cans of peach pie filling and a spice cake mix. A little sprinkle of cinnamon on top is amazing.
- Apple Dump Cake: Two cans of apple pie filling, yellow cake mix, and a sprinkle of caramel bits on top before baking.
- Blueberry-Lemon Dump Cake: Use blueberry pie filling and a lemon cake mix for a fresh, tangy flavor.
- Fruit Cocktail Dump Cake: For a classic potluck vibe, use a big can of fruit cocktail (undrained) instead of the pineapple and cherry.
Cake Mix Magic
The cake mix is another easy thing to change. Each one gives the cake a totally different personality.
- Chocolate Cherry: Use a chocolate fudge or devil’s food cake mix with the cherry pie filling for a Black Forest feel.
- Spice Cake: This is amazing with apple, peach, or pumpkin pie filling in the fall.
- White Cake Mix: A great neutral option that works with any fruit.
- Butter Pecan Cake Mix: This one already has a rich, nutty flavor that’s incredible with almost any fruit filling.
Serving and Storing Your Masterpiece
This cake is best served warm, right after it’s had a chance to rest and set up a bit. It’s a messy, rustic kind of dessert, so don’t worry about perfect slices. Just scoop it into a bowl.
How to Serve It
The absolute best way to serve a cherry dump cake is with a big scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. The cold, creamy ice cream melting into the warm, gooey cake is just heavenly. A dollop of whipped cream is another great option.
Storing Leftovers
If you somehow have leftovers, just cover the baking dish with plastic wrap or foil and pop it in the fridge. It will stay good for up to 4 days. You can eat it cold straight from the fridge (it’s surprisingly good!), or you can scoop some into a bowl and microwave it for 30 seconds to warm it up.
Frequently Asked Questions (The Stuff Everyone Wonders)
Q1. Do I have to use pineapple?
Ans: Nope. If you’re not a fan, you can just use two cans of cherry pie filling instead, or swap the pineapple for another fruit you like.
Q2. My cake topping has dry, powdery spots. What went wrong?
Ans: This usually happens when the butter doesn’t cover enough of the cake mix. Make sure your butter slices are spread out evenly to cover as much of the surface as possible.
Q3. Can I use a different sized pan?
Ans: You can, but you’ll have to adjust the baking time. An 8×8 or 9×9 pan will make a much thicker cake that will need longer to bake, so start checking it around the 50-minute mark.
Q4. Can I make this with fresh cherries?
Ans: It’s a lot more work, but you can. You’d need to pit about 4-5 cups of fresh cherries and cook them on the stove with some sugar, a little water, and a cornstarch slurry to thicken them into a pie-filling consistency first.
Q5. Can I assemble this ahead of time?
Ans: I wouldn’t recommend it. If you assemble it and let it sit for too long before baking, the dry cake mix will start to absorb moisture from the fruit and get gummy. It’s best to assemble it right before it goes in the oven.
Wrapping Up
See? It doesn’t get much easier than that. This cherry dump cake is the perfect dessert for potlucks, family dinners, or those nights when you just need something sweet and comforting without any fuss. It’s warm, gooey, and feels like a big hug in a bowl.
Now it’s your turn. Give this recipe a try and let me know how it goes. Did you stick with the classic cherry pineapple, or did you create a new flavor combination? Drop a comment below and tell me all about it
