Cherry Dump Cake
Use cherry pie filling and a box of yellow cake mix to make cherry dump cake! It tastes just like homemade cherry cobbler but is way easier!
No mixing or additional bowls needed for this dump cake with cherries.
This cherry pie filling dump cake is a quick dessert that’s made with a boxed cake mix and a can of cherry pie filling.
Our easy dump cake recipe will become a family favorite. Serve it with a scoop of ice cream or even add crushed pineapple for a cherry pineapple dump cake.
It’s the perfect dessert to make because it only requires a handful of ingredients.
What is Dump Cake?
A dump cake is known for ease because you dump ingredients into the cake pan. Most dump cakes are made in a 9×13 inch baking dish.
Most dump cakes use either canned, frozen, or fresh fruit, fruit filling or canned pumpkin.
Dump cakes are known for sprinkling a box of dry cake mix over the ingredients in the pan and then adding melted butter on top of the cake mix.
It’s magical what happens inside the oven. Even I was like “Is this going to work?”
The result is a cobbler like dessert with fruit pieces and golden brown cake mixed together! It’s not the type of cake you cut into neat squares, just scoop it onto your plate and eat! You can eat it warm, at room temperature, or even cold… when it comes to this tasty dessert I’m not picky about the temperature!
What You’ll Need
- cherry pie filling
- yellow cake mix
- unsalted butter
- almond extract or vanilla extract
How to Make Cherry Dump Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350º F. Spray a 9×13 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray. Add the cherry pie filling to the bottom of the pan.
- Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the cherries.
- Mix the almond extract with the melted butter. Drizzle the melted butter evenly over the dry cake.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes or until golden yellow.
How Do You Know When a Dump Cake is Done Baking?
Unlike traditional cakes, the toothpick method won’t work for a cherry dump cake recipe.
The top of the dump cake should look golden in color and look and feel like a “crust”, but once you break the the crust, the cake will be moist because of the fruit.
Rule of thumb: look for the top of the cake to be golden in color.
Can Dump Cake Be Made Ahead of Time?
Most people prefer a warm dump cake, since it does resemble a cobbler. So with that in mind, yes, you can make a dump cake with cherry pie filling ahead of time, but I would recommend not making it more than 1 day in advance. You can re-heat the entire pan in the oven.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
To store leftovers, cover the pan with a lid, plastic wrap or scoop the leftovers into an airtight container.
To reheat the whole pan of dump cake, cover the dish with tin foil and warm at 350º F for 15 minutes or until warmed through.
To freeze, bake the cake in a freezer safe container. Allow it to cool completely then wrap the pan well in plastic then again in foil. Label and place in the freezer. To thaw place in the fridge overnight
Pro Tips
It’s okay if the melted butter doesn’t cover all of the cake mix!
This recipe turned out great using a box of gluten free yellow cake mix.
Use a box of chocolate cake mix for a black forest dump cake.
If you bake this in a smaller pan, the baking time will need to be increased.
Recipe Variations
Switch up the box of cake mix. In place of the yellow cake mix, use a box of white cake mix, vanilla, butter pecan, lemon or french vanilla. For chocolate lovers, try chocolate fudge, devil’s food cake, or milk chocolate cake mix for a chocolate cherry dump cake!
Add pineapple. People love cherry pineapple dump cake! Use one 21 oz cherry pie filling can and 20 oz crushed pineapple, undrained. Follow the rest of the instructions as written.
Add some nuts. For an added crunch, sprinkle 1 cup of chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts) over the cake before putting it in the oven.
More Easy Desserts
Cherry Dump Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cans cherry pie filling, 21 oz each
- 1 box yellow cake mix, 15.25 oz
- 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, melted (3/4 cup)
- ½ tsp almond extract, or vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- Spray a 9×13 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray. Add the cherry pie filling to the bottom of the pan.
- Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the cherries.
- Mix the almond extract with the melted butter. Drizzle the melted butter evenly over the dry cake.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes or until golden yellow.
- Allow the cake to sit for 20 minutes before serving. This allows the juices to rest. Serve warm or cold with ice cream if desired.
I top my dump cake with coconut and pecans. Even more delicious. Plus I add a can of crushed pineapples on top of the cherry pie filling. You can’t beat this easy dish.
Good idea .Did you drain the pineapple
Do you place your coconut and pecans on top before or after baking?
Can this be made with frozen peaches?
Hi Eileen! I haven’t tried it with frozen peaches yet, sorry!
Yes you can use frozen peaches. I have made it several times.
did it in a bundt pan and alternated ingredients; cherry, almond extract cake and dotted with butter. Guess we will see when it comes out of the oven!
How did your cake turn out using the Bundt pan.I think it’s a good idea
I used a Bundt pan too, it came out great!
Can this dump cake be frozen?
Hi Karrn! I haven’t tried it myself, I’m thinking the cake part might become very soft freezing with the liquid from the cherries.
Can I use a can of crushed pineapple in this recipe…and does it need to be drained
Definitely drain the pineapple!
Can I substitute vanilla extract for the almond extract?
Definitely!
Wow Beth! This recipe is not only perfectly easy but looks super delicious as well. A great alternative to a traditional cherry pie. I really appreciate all your helpful tips as well including the storage advice.
What a great , easy, delicious recipe! I hope my sister’s never find this in Pinterest lol. They think I’m a master baker 🤣
Can you use apple or blueberry?
Yes! Feel free to use a different canned fruit.
I live this with drained pineapple and cherry pie filling.
The fruit layer can be a mix of pie filling and fruit. If no pie filling available, try cooked cornstarch pudding, cooled, and canned fruit, drained. This is a great “learning to bake” choice.
Wow this looks good
I made this and it couldn’t be easier.
Two tips…
You can buy healthier pie filling if you look for limited ingredients or an organic brand. Some brands have none of the unhealthy ingredients of most brands on the shelf.
Also, I don’t use store bought cake mixes (they have bad ingredients). It’s so easy to put together the dry ingredients from a homemade yellow cake recipe. Just flour, sugar, and baking powder, things most have in our cupboards. And it gives this more of a homemade dessert flavor.
This recipe came out great. I’ll definitely be making this again.
I love your idea of using ingredients you have, rather than a cake mix, with all its artificial, chemical ingredients. I was so happy to see that I could contact you personally. Could you let me know the amounts of the different ingredients you substituted for the cake mix? Thanks so much! And happy baking!
Made recipe according to your directions without almond extract since I didn’t have any. This cobbler was delicious. The best cobbler I have ever had. Everyone loved it. Thanks for this recipe.
Used a cake mix, came out super salty and sweet! Would not make again. Worth it to make a crumble or cobbler from scratch!
Can’t wait to try this in the summer with a huge scoop of ice cream on top 🌼
I made this last night. It is super delicious 😋. I love it. Will definitely make it again.
Been making this since the late 60’s everyone liked it.
I sprinkled walnut halves or large pieces on top before baking. Really good. Gave it a nice crunch. Try it. Yummy
Hello? Could I assemble this, refrigerate, then bake the following day?
Hi Rachel! Because I haven’t tried it myself, I don’t want to recommend that method. I’m afraid the cake mix would become really wet.
I have freshly picked pie cherries. Is it possible to use them in this recipe? If so, how do I need to tweak it?
Hi there! I haven’t tried this recipe with actual cherries so I can’t offer an accurate recipe without testing it myself first!
I make this with a can of Cherry Pie Filling and a can of Crushed Pineapple, that I do not drain. My family loves it!
Can I use salted butter, instead of unsalted butter?
Yes, that’s perfectly okay!
I haven’t tasted this yet. It came out of the oven looking okay. But when I poured the melted butter over the top it didn’t absorb at all. Just sort of laid there.
Do you think it will be alright?
Was it supposed to be like that?
Hi Phyllis! Yep the melted butter will absorb and melt once in the oven. I will say it’s not the prettiest looking dump cake, but it tastes delicious!
Do you mean you poured the butter over it after it cooked? It was supposed to be added before going into the oven.
I’ve been making this for years, as a treat–(we usually eat more heallthy desserts, but….there’s always that special occasion!) I put the pineapple, undrained, on top of the cherry layer–I feel the liquid helps amalgamate the cake mix, which get layered on next, then coconut oil, for health and vegan reasons, and a cup of shredded coconut and another of nuts–today, I mixed 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, and 1/2 cup almond slivers, or stix–however you choose to call them. I love the idea Vcook gave of using homemade ingredients–would so appreciate hearing the amounts you used!
I don’t ever drain the crushed pineapple. Just literally dump the pineapple in, then the fruit, then the cake mix, then tbe butter on top. 45 minutes later I have a dream!!!
I’ve made this delicious dump cake before, but added cherry pie filling and a can of crushed pineapple, did not drain, and with white cake mix rather than yellow, and it was phenomenal! I just put my 2nd one in the oven and I followed the recipe perfectly, no additions or tweaks this time, and 20 mins to go and I must say, my house smells AQESOME! 😛 I can’t wait to see how it comes out, my mouth is watering! Thanks for sharing this great, super easy treat! It’s seriously SO GOOD!
I had two cups of frozen shredded zucchini hanging around in the freezer. I thawed it, squeezed out as much moisture as possible, and mixed it into the cherry filling before putting it in the pan. No one noticed that vegetable addition! Good way to use up zucchini and get a little nutrition into this super rich dish.
Can you use a white cake mix?
Yes you can substitute any flavor cake mix.
This is our go to dessert recipe for when company comes over or last minute guests. I keep all ingredients at all times. Any pie filling works wonderful, and your home will smell amazing while this is baking. This comes out delicious every single time.
What brand of gluten free cake mix do you recommend?
I love King Arthur’s!
I made this for my friends and myself it was delicious
Thank you
We had a desert day in our church I made this an added pineapple nuts to it everybody just loved it it is so easy to make
So would I use 2 cans of cherry pie filling AND a 3rd can of crushed pineapple?? Or just one of each?
I would use one of each!
I have been making this for years. I like all the variations suggested in the comments. Thanks sooooo much!
Don’t really like store bought cake mix but tried this cuz it looked easy. Sifted the cake mix rather than just dumping it in and it was really good! My husband ate the whole thing (minus the heaping tablespoon I ate when it was still warm)!
Next time I’ll try blueberry pie filling! Thank you for sharing.
What pie filling would you recommend for this if your family doesn’t like cherry?
We have a peach dump cake recipe https://thefirstyearblog.com/peach-dump-cake/ or you could use apple or blueberry filling!