This dump cake recipe is one of my all-time favorite desserts! It’s ridiculously easy to make and tastes crazy good. If you’ve never tried this Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake recipe, you need to put it on your to-do list. Immediately.
Yeah. You read that right.
This is called a dump cake.
It’s a delicious Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake recipe. You literally just dump things in a baking dish and pop it in the oven. And it is insanely good. It is one of those things that you serve or even describe to someone and they are like, “yeah, none of that sounds amazing.” But I know my desserts. And this one is SO GOOD. Full disclosure, I ate this whole batch in two days. Pretty much by myself. It’s awesome warm and, in my opinion, even better cold. And although it is technically a dessert, it also works well for breakfast, lunch and snacks…
It only takes a few ingredients to make a Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake. You could use margarine instead of the butter but it is NOT as good. Like, not even close. But it can be done if you are dealing with food allergies or you are crazy and think margarine is better than butter (but it is just not. Agree to disagree). I choose to use salted butter because I love salty and sweet together. And I don’t add salt to anything else I eat (aside from normal seasoning in the pan like real chefs) except for avocados and cherry tomatoes. So I figure my sodium levels can take it.
Are you ready for the amazing dump cake recipe? Hold on to your hats and glasses…
How to make a Pineapple Cherry Dump Cake
Pour a can of crushed pineapple in your baking dish. Spread it out so it covers most of the pan (seriously there is no wrong way to do this and you should not spend much time on it. Just dump it.) Then pour a can of cherry pie filling over the top.
Sprinkle the dry cake mix over the whole thing. Yes, the DRY cake mix. Try to cover the fruit fillings as evenly as you can.
It will look like this when you are done. And even at this stage, it will smell SO yummy.
The hardest part of this recipe is melting the butter. Why can’t I get it to melt all nice and mellow? It always pops and blows up all over my microwave. Melting butter is super aggressive. But I still love it. Once melted, all you do is pour it over the top of the dry cake mix. And that will smell even better than it did a minute ago.
You bake it for an hour and it gets all goldeny brown and bubbly. And smells EVEN BETTER! The edges get all crusty and the butter soaks in to the dry cake batter…yum.
To serve, spoon a heaping portion in to a bowl. It is mostly made up of fruit after all…While it doesn’t immediately look like something you would make when having guests over due to it’s somewhat sloppy demeanor, the taste is a total crowd pleaser. And your kids and male guests will get a good laugh when you call it a dump cake.
- 1 can Crushed Pineapple (normal sized can, not a small one - do not drain)
- 1 can Cherry Pie Filling (Comstock brand is always a good choice. I went with an alternative last time and was disappointed)
- 1 box Cake Mix (Yellow or White)
- 1 cup butter (margarine only if you have to for allergy reasons - otherwise only use butter!)
- Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with Pam or other spray oil.
- Pour in the crushed pineapple and juice and spread out on the bottom of the pan.
- Pour the cherry pie filling on top (it will not spread out evenly).
- Sprinkle cake mix over the cherries.
- Melt butter and spoon over mixture.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
If you love this dump cake, you’ll also like these dessert posts
Strawberry Jello and Angel Food Cake Dessert
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you don’t need to melt the butter just cut a whole stick into pats and lay them across the top as even as you can.. can even add nuts on top of that if you like them pecans or walnuts.
Such a great idea! Thank you for sharing. I’m always looking for ways to make things even easier!! Plus that saves dirtying a dish!
to avoid splatters from butter, wet a coffee filter and place on top of small dish you have butter in. no splatter; also when warming up dinners, use the filters the same way; no splatters at all. been doing this for years. works.
That’s a great tip, Phyllis! Thank you for sharing!
I LOVE this cake & easy to make! I have made this several times & even COMBINED two fruits & pecans on top! I tried apple & cherry & I used the slivered BUTTER placed right on top of cake mix! I takes a/b 16 pieces of butter placed all over & around sides- but who counts- right? Served with ice cream & the group LOVED it & came back for seconds!!! Oh, if you want nuts just put them on top b/f baking- enjoy!
Sounds delicious!!! I’ve never had it with ice cream but I think I will next time for sure!
I want to try this recipe but I am gluten free, did anyone try it with a gluten free cake mix??
Hi! I’ve never tried it gluten free but I think it can be done. I found this post that has a link to a gluten free vanilla cake mix recipe. Hope that helps! https://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/gluten-free-blueberry-dump-cake/
I found placing a paper towel over a 2 cup pyrex measuring cup to melt the butter keeps it from splattering the microwave.
I use the butter wrapper placed over the cubes in my 2 cup Pyrex measuring cup. No splatters at all.
GENIUS! Thank you so much for sharing!!!
I can’t believe someone else knows about this recipe!! It is amazing. Absolutely for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks! Two things: I thinly slice the butter (use a paring knife) and lay it all over the “dumped” cake mix instead of melting. And it tastes even better with a scoop of ice cream when warm. But cold is great too!!!
I’ve never tried it with ice cream but that sounds fantastic! I’ll have to try your butter technique next time too! Thanks for sharing!
I made the cherry, pineapple with some peaches Dump Cake last week for our Mah Jongg group. We served vanilla ice cream on top. They ate it up like there was no tomorrow. LOL…It was beyond delicious.
I have to thank the Pastor’s wife of Grace Church in Maryland Heights, Mo, Mrs Debbie Tucker, she gave me the recipe the week before at a Repass at church.
Yum! With vanilla ice cream on top?! I’m certainly going to have to try that!
I have been making this since the 1970’s when my moms friend shared the recipe. This is the first cake I could make on my own. Everyone use to love it and we still do. I use the sliced butter technique also. Everyone just loves it!!!
i make this almost every week for our church potluck lunch- people actually sneak back to get theirs and set aside (hide it somewhere) before lunch to be sure they get some of it!!
btw its not necessary to spray or oil the pan since your bottom layer is very juicy.
For mine, I use Butter Recipe cake mix (better than yellow), 1 1/2 sticks margarine (I prefer the flavor/texture! lol), & sprinkle chopped pecans all over the top before baking. :)
also, put a paper plate over the butter to melt it in the microwave in 30 sec increments and you won’t have a disaster. ;)
i love this! I add chopped walnuts or pecans to the top and slice the butter.
Sounds delicious, Julie!
This is so easy and you can keep everything on hand for a quick dessert. I put coconut on top of the cake mix before the melted butter. I’ve made it several different ways and it’s always good. GREAT warm with vanilla icecream.
OMG! The coconut sounds amazing! I’m going to have to give that a try!
I do it all in crockpot on high for 2hours,yummy
Such a great idea! I’ve never thought to try it in a crockpot!
We had this served at church the other night and it was AMAZING! Definitely a keeper!
And so easy!!!
You don’t have to melt the butter….. Just slice it into little slivers and place all over the top- works just fine & I use less butter… 1 1/2 sticks
Grew up eating this cake, always a favorite. We always just sliced the butter and placed it around the top. Came out great every time.
Love to hear that! That is even one step easier!
I added coconut then chopped pecans on top of the butter then baked the cake.
Sounds delicious!!!!
My step grandmother shared this recipe with me years ago. I love it. The yellow Jiffy cake mix is much better though.
Thank you for the tip! Jiffy, like the brand that makes the blueberry muffin mixes? I don’t think I’ve ever seen cake mix by them! I’ll be on the lookout!
looks super duper delish! Totally making it this weekend.
Love a good dump cake! This looks yummy.