Cherry dump cake is made with just 3 simple ingredients and it’s ready in 45 minutes from start to finish. This tasty dessert is packed with sweet cherry pie filling and topped with buttery golden-brown cake mix, making it taste very similar to a cherry cobbler.
If you are short on time and need a quick dessert, this easy dump cake recipe using a handful of ingredients is sure to impress for any special occasion, without the hassle. We promise the whole family will love it and it’s one of the easiest desserts you will ever make! I’ve also created a similar version, blueberry dump cake, that is just as simple and great for using up fresh berries.
Dump cakes are easy peasy, but can be made so many different ways. You could easily turn this delicious cherry dump cake recipe into an apple pie dump cake by swapping out the can of pie filling. Our cherry cheesecake dump cake is very popular also. If you have an extra can of cherry pie filling that you want to use, try cherry pie bombs or my cherry cheesecake tacos.
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🍒Ingredients:
- cherry pie filling – you need 2 cans. See the variations section for other filling ideas and dump cake recipes.
- boxed cake mix – we used one box of yellow cake mix.
- salted butter – keep it cold until you are ready to add on top of the cake mix.
For a full list of ingredients and their measurements, 📋 please view my printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Optional Garnish:
Serve this delicious dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or both!
Substitutions and Variations
- Other canned fruit fillings: This easy dessert recipe also goes great with strawberry, blueberry pie filling, peach, or apple pie filling.
- Add a cheesecake layer: use my strawberry cheesecake dump cake recipe that has a thick cream cheese layer.
- Cake mixes: white and even chocolate cake mix can be used. If you swap the fillings, lemon cake mix goes great with blueberry, while spice cake mix pairs nicely with apple.
- Almond extract: Adds a rich compliment to the sweet cherries.
- Chocolate cherry dump cake: Just swap out the yellow box of cake mix for devil’s food cake mix.
- Chocolate chips: add to the top of the fruit filling for extra sweetness.
- Cherry pineapple dump cake: combine the cherry pie filling with 1 – 20 ounce can of crushed pineapple, in a large mixing bowl. Then follow the remaining instructions. We have a lemon pineapple dump cake recipe that is similar.
- Crock Pot: To make crock-pot cherry dump cake, layer the dessert in the slow cooker and cook on low for 2.5 hours or until the filling is set.
- Nuts: sprinkle pecans or walnuts on top of the filling if desired.
🔪 Instructions:
PREP: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Step 1: Pour the cherry pie filling into the bottom of a baking dish.
Step 2: Sprinkle cake mix in an even layer over the pie filling layer.
Step 3: Thinly slice butter and spread over the entire top of the cake mix. Cover as much possible.
Step 4: Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven or until golden brown and the fruit filling is bubbling around the edges. If needed, add more butter to any areas where there is dry cake mix and bake a bit longer.
Pro Tip: The easiest way to get the most coverage using the least amount of butter is to use a box grater to grate the butter. There are step by step pictures showing the grated butter option in the cherry cream cheese dump cake recipe.
SERVE: Allow the dump cake to rest for 15 minutes before scooping and serve with ice cream or whipped cream.
Recipe Tips for Cherry Dump Cake
- Fresh or frozen cherries can be added to the top of the cake pan before baking. They add a touch of tartness to the sweet pie filling.
- For the best results, cover any dry spots of the white cake mix with melted butter close to the end of cooking time.
- Allowing the dump cake to rest at room temperature for a bit before serving will give the cherry filling time to cool just a bit so that it is not super runny when you scoop into it.
- Top this simple dessert with a scoop of ice cream.
Fun Fact
The average cherry tree grows enough cherries to make 28 pies! – Farm Flavors
Recipe FAQs
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Cover your dump cake with plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil or in an airtight container and place in the freezer for up to one month. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat to serve. Store in individual portions to make serving easier.
It is common to have some powdery or cake mix on the baked dump cake if butter didn’t fully cover the dry cake mix. If you have dry spots towards the end of baking, melt some butter in the microwave, then drizzle over top and cook a little longer.
More Amazing Cherry Dessert Recipes
If you tried this Cherry Dump Cake Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the 📝 comments below.
Cherry Dump Cake
Ingredients
- 2 15.75-ounce cans of cherry pie filling
- 1 package of white or yellow cake mix
- ½ cup salted butter cold
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Spread the cherry pie filling into the bottom of a 9”x13” baking dish.
- Sprinkle the cake mix evenly over the pie filling layer.
- Slice very thin pats of butter and spread over the entire top of the dry cake mix. Cover as much of the cake mix as possible. Hint: cold butter is much easier to work with than softer butter.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the topping is browned and the cherry filling is bubbling around the edges. If needed during the last few minutes of baking, add additional butter to any areas where there is dry cake mix and bake a bit longer.
- Allow dump cake to rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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