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With just 4 ingredients and 4 easy steps, this cherry dump cake recipe will make you look like a master baker (take it from Judy below)! No mixing or additional bowls needed, this cherry dump cake tastes just like homemade cherry cobbler but is way easier to make!
What a great, easy, delicious recipe! I hope my sister’s never find this in Pinterest lol. They think I’m a master baker 🤣
-Judy Nowawski
This Cherry Dump Cake Recipe will become a family favorite!
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.
Love cherries? Make Cherry Pie Bars!
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!
Cherry Cobbler with Cake Mix ingredients
- cherry pie filling
- yellow cake mix
- unsalted butter
- almond extract or vanilla extract
Variations on this recipe for Cherry Dump Cake
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.
How to make Cherry Cobbler with Cake Mix
- 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.
How to serve this recipe for Cherry Dump Cake
This dessert is best served warm. Once it’s done baking, allow it to cool for 15 minutes before scooping into bowls and serving. You can reheat individual portions in the microwave for a short time or warm the entire cake in the oven at a low temperature.
Enhance your cherry dump cake by serving it with ice cream, whipped cream, powdered sugar, or a fruit garnish. These additions will elevate the dessert and make it a fantastic choice for any party.
Cherry Cobbler with Cake Mix storage
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
Do I have to refrigerate cherry dump cake?
If you plan to eat the dump cake within a day of preparing it, refrigeration is not necessary. Just cover it with plastic wrap and store it at room temperature. However, if you want to keep it for longer than 24 hours, cover it and place in the refrigerate.
Can I leave cherry dump cake out overnight?
To ensure optimal freshness, I do not recommend leaving cherry dump cake out overnight. It is best to cover the cake and refrigerate it for storage. This will help maintain its quality and preserve its flavors.
How long does dump cake last?
For the best taste and texture, it is recommended to enjoy cherry dump cake within 4-5 days of making it.
How long does cherry dump cake stay fresh in the refrigerator?
When properly stored in the refrigerator and tightly covered with plastic wrap, cherry dump cake can stay fresh for approximately 4-5 days.
Cherry Pie Filling Dump Cake 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.
Cherry Dump Cake FAQs
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.
To ensure successful results, it is important to follow the directions exactly as listed. Using a smaller pan or deviating from the recommended baking temperature can negatively impact the outcome. It is crucial not to mix the dump cake; simply dump all the ingredients in as instructed and refrain from stirring.
When the fruit filling is properly set, it should have a gooey and thick consistency, but it should not be runny.
A dump cake is an American dessert that resembles a cobbler but features a cake-like topping. Its name comes from the method of preparation, as the ingredients (usually canned fruit or pie filling, followed by a boxed cake mix) are “dumped” into a cake pan without mixing.
During the baking process of a dump cake, the butter melts, and the juices from the fruit filling are released, which then moisten the dry cake mix. As a result, the cake mix forms a crumbly and slightly crisp texture on the surface, while the interior remains soft and gooey.
More Easy Desserts
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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.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
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!