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    Home » Recipes » Dessert » Best Ever Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake Recipe

    Published: Jul 1, 2022 · Updated: Aug 24, 2022 by Sharon Garofalow | This post may contain affiliate links. See the privacy policy linked in my footer.

    Best Ever Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake Recipe

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
    A glass dessert dish with cherry pineapple dump cake with text over it.
    Overhead shot of a baking dish holding Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake.

    This classic dump cake is one of my all-time favorite easy desserts! It’s ridiculously simple 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.

    A serving of the best every Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake in a footed glass dessert bowl.
    This Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake is seriously my favorite dessert!

    Cherry pie filling and crushed pineapple create the perfect environment to support a buttery, yellow cake mix crust. These 4 ingredients make a scrumptious dessert for a crowd.

    Delicious Dump Cake recipes are the best thing to serve no matter what the occasion. And these flavors together are like a party in your mouth.

    Jump to:
    • What is a Dump Cake
    • Is This Really the Best Recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Tips
    • How to Make a Pineapple Cherry Dump Cake
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • How to Serve Pineapple Cherry Dump Cake
    • How to Store Dump Cake
    • Top Tips
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • More Easy Desserts to Try
    • Printable Dump Cake Recipe with Cherry and Pineapple
    • Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake

    What is a Dump Cake

    Yeah. You read that right. This is called a dump cake. Dump cakes are my favorite because they require hardly any work on your part but taste like pure magic.

    It’s a classic open and pour situation. So quick. So simple. 

    You literally just dump and layer things in a baking dish and pop it in the oven. You don’t even need to mix. It’s perfect for when you have company over and such a popular potluck idea.

    This Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake is insanely good. It’s one of those things that when you try to explain it to someone they are like, “yeah, none of that sounds amazing.”

    Still have questions? Check out my post for Everything You Need to Know About Dump Cakes! And for sure make a Peach Dump Cake, Blueberry Dump Cake, and a Strawberry Short Cake Dump Cake.

    Do you love dump cakes? Sign up for my newsletter and get an exclusive dump cake recipe not posted on my site!

    Is This Really the Best Recipe

    I know my desserts. And this one is SO sweet and wonderful. I think this is the best ever recipe for Cherry Dump Cake with Pineapple specifically. The balance of flavors is spot on.

    The tart cherry pie filling mixes perfectly with the sweet, crushed pineapple. Topped with a cake-batter-tasting crust, this buttery treat is everything a dessert should be.

    It’s so good, in fact, I also made it into Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake Cupcakes and made a Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake in the Microwave.

    You can also make a Cherry Dump Cake in the Crockpot.

    Full disclosure, I ate this whole cake in two days. Pretty much by myself. It’s awesome warm out of the oven and, in my opinion, even better served cold.

    And although it is technically a dessert, it also works well for breakfast. And lunch. And snack time…Don’t judge me.

    Ingredients

    4 Ingredients to make an easy Pineapple Cherry Dump Cake recipe on a table.

    It only takes a few ingredients and a few minutes to make a Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake. It’s the best last-minute dessert to make when you’re having people over.

    Just dump everything into your cake pan or baking dish and finish getting yourself ready while it bakes. It is super unfussy which is great for having company over.

    You can find a printable recipe card for this yummy dessert further down in the post.

    • Crushed Pineapple (not the tiny can and do not drain it)
    • Cherry Pie Filling (Comstock is a great brand to use)
    • Yellow Cake Mix
    • butter (or margarine if you have to use it for food restrictions)

    Tips

    My son had a whole bunch of food allergies when he was younger so in order to make this pineapple cherry dump cake so he could have it, we had to swap out the butter and use margarine.

    But it is NOT as good. Like, not even close. But it can be done.

    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. But unsalted is fine too.

    So I figure my sodium levels can take it. Are you ready for the amazing dump cake recipe steps? Hold on to your hats and glasses…

    Some dump cake recipes call for just one stick of butter. But I prefer two. I like my cake mix crust to be buttery and delicious. And I think 2 sticks is able to give the dry mix a little more moisture.

    How to Make a Pineapple Cherry Dump Cake

    A glass dish with crushed pineapple and a girl pouring a can of cherry pie filling over it to make our favorite easy homemade Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake recipe.

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grab a 9 x 13 pan. Use a cooking spray to lighting grease it. This cake doesn’t stick all that much but using a prepared baking pan will help to make clean up a little easier.

    Pour a can of crushed pineapple in your baking dish. Make sure that you didn’t drain it. You need that pineapple juice liquid to mix with the melting butter to create crust magic.

    Spread the pineapple 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.)

    A glass baking dish layered with crushed pineapple and cherry pie filling with a girl's hand pouring dry yellow cake mix over the fruit.

    Then pour a can of cherry filling over the top. Seriously, this fruit filling adds SO much flavor.

    A glass baking dish with dry yellow cake mix.

    Sprinkle the dry yellow cake mix over the fruit. Yes, the DRY cake mix. Do not add any of the other ingredients listed on the back of the cake mix box.

    A glass baking dish with dry cake mix topped with melted butter.

    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.

    Once melted, all you do is pour it over the top of the cake mix. And that will smell even better than it did a minute ago.

    A glass baking dish with homemade Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake.

    Bake the Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake for an hour and it gets evenly golden brown and bubbly. And smells EVEN BETTER than you thought it could.

    The edges get all crusty and the butter soaks into the dry cake batter…yum.

    A serving of our favorite Pineapple Cherry Dump Cake in a footed glass dessert bowl.

    This is the perfect dump cake to start with as it’s a classic flavor combo and always gets rave reviews. But then get creative and try out some other easy cake recipes.

    Newsletter opt in offer for a free dump cake recipe with an image of an ipad showing the recipe.

    How to Serve Pineapple Cherry Dump Cake

    To serve the dump cake, spoon a heaping portion into a bowl. It is mostly made up of fruit after all…

    While I prefer to eat my dump cakes plain, many people like to serve them with a topping whipped cream and maraschino cherries. Or a scoop of ice cream.

    While it doesn’t immediately look like a dessert you would make when having guests over due to its somewhat sloppy demeanor, the taste of this delicious dessert is a total crowd-pleaser.

    And your kids and male guests will get a good laugh when you call it a dump cake. So there’s that.

    How to Store Dump Cake

    Dump Cakes will keep for several days in the refrigerator. I like to store them in their baking dish, covered in plastic wrap if I’m not ready to serve it.

    If it’s already been served, I’ll transfer the fruity cake to an airtight container, like a Tupperware, for storage.

    It’s a pretty hearty dessert so if you aren’t planning to serve this cherry and pineapple dump cake for a few hours, you can leave it out on the counter until it’s time.

    Top Tips

    • A reader shared that she grates the butter over the top and that helps it spread a little evenly as it melts once it’s in the oven! 
    • Or, you can lay out slices of butter evenly, over the top of the dry yellow cake mix layer.
    • As the butter melts in the oven, it will evenly cover the cake mix so it can create its pretty golden crust.
    • Add some chopped pecans or macadamia nuts on top next time for an added crunch.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How do you know when dump cake is done?

    Nothing really needs to cook on this cake, mostly you care heating the dump cake ingredients through. The melted butter mixes with the dry cake mix to create a crust. When there are no pools of butter and the crust looks golden brown, the dump cake is ready.

    What does dump cake taste like?

    Dump cakes can come in all kinds of flavor combination. But I love this classic Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake so much! The pineapple adds texture and sweetness but I wouldn’t say that the pineapple flavor is very strong. The cherry pie filling is a dominate flavor and when paired with that buttery, cake mix crust, it’s like the most amazing fruit cobbler you’re ever tasted.

    When did dump cakes come out?

    Per this article, dump cakes were first mentioned in 1980. Obviously the name comes from dumping the ingredients into a dish, no stirring required!

    More Easy Desserts to Try

    I’m kind of a dump cake connoisseur. You can check out all my dump cake recipes all in one place.

    While the Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake is my all-time favorite, I am pretty into the Chocolate Caramel Dump Cake as well.

    But these are more easy recipes to try if dump cakes aren’t your thing.

    • Best Ever Caramel Corn Recipe
    • Strawberry Jello and Angel Food Cake Dessert
    • Easy Peanut Butter Pie Recipe
    • Pumpkin Dump Cake by Live Love Texas. (I have a more traditional Pumpkin Dump Cake you should check out too!)

    Printable Dump Cake Recipe with Cherry and Pineapple

    A close up of a serving of cherry dump cake.

    Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake

    This quick, 4 ingredient dessert is a classic recipe and what I always make when I need to treat a crowd. Easy Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake uses cherry pie filling, crushed pineapple, butter and yellow cake mix to bake a golden, fruity masterpiece. Topped with whipped cream or eaten plain, this simple cake is the best way to end a meal.
    4.83 from 17 votes
    Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour
    Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
    Servings: 12 servings
    Calories: 354kcal
    Author: Sharon Garofalow

    Ingredients

    • 20 ounce can Crushed Pineapple Do not drain
    • 21 ounce can Cherry Pie Filling
    • 15.25 ounce box Cake Mix Yellow
    • 1 cup butter

    Instructions

    • 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 but you can use a spatula to spread it out).
    • Sprinkle dry yellow cake mix over the cherries.
    • Melt butter and spoon over mixture, as evenly as possible.
    • Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until golden brown.

    Video

    Notes

    Comstock brand is always a good choice for cherry pie filling. I went with an alternative brand last time and was disappointed. I like there to be nice chunks of cherry mixed in with the crushed pineapple.
    In my opinion, the yellow cake mix gives this simple dump cake the best buttery flavor. But white will work too.
    You can swap out the butter for margarine in case you have certain dietary restrictions. The flavor won’t be quite as buttery but will still taste amazing.
    A reader shared that she grates room temperature butter over the top and that helps it spread a little evenly as it melts once it’s in the oven! Or, you can lay out slices of butter evenly, over the top of the dry yellow cake mix layer. As the butter melts in the oven, it will evenly cover the cake mix so it can create its pretty golden crust.
    Add some chopped pecans or macadamia nuts on top next time for an added crunch.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 0.75cup | Calories: 354kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 407mg | Potassium: 132mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 598IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 94mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @CupcakesCutlery or tag #cupcakescutlery!

    Are you a fan of dump cakes? I love how easy this is to make and eat at home or take with you to a party you’ve been invited to.

    A Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake is a perfect dessert idea for just about any occasion! Do you make dump cake? Leave a comment and let me know how you make yours! 

    Originally posted March 20, 2013. I’ve updated the post to include more tips since dump cakes are my favorite recipes and I’ve made them more than any other simple dessert recipe over the years.

    More Easy Dessert Recipes

    • Easy Blueberry Peach Dump Cake
    • Easy Chocolate Pretzel Donuts Recipe
    • Easy Flavored Whipped Cream Recipe with Cherry Fun Dip
    • Easy Rosé Cupcakes Recipe Perfect for Any Party {with wine}

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    About Sharon Garofalow

    Sharon lives in Southern California with her adorable family. She loves to share ideas to make mom life easier and encourage busy gals to make time for themselves too! Sharon's "me" time often includes watching Hallmark Channel movies, sipping sauvignon blanc, trying not to eat Salt and Pepper potato chips, and planning girlfriend getaways.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Rhonda Gould says

      December 31, 2022 at 6:30 pm

      I had a friend to tell me to add a sprite over the top of the cake mix after adding the cherries and pineapple but I don’t see a recipe that has all the ingredients plus the sprite…will that work?

      Reply
    2. Jean says

      April 04, 2022 at 9:47 am

      Could you use 2 cans of pineapple instead of cherry pie mix

      Reply
    3. Carol C says

      October 23, 2021 at 10:00 am

      I always top with chopped pecans and a heaping handful of shredded coconut. Save just a little of the butter to drizzle over coconut. A delicious crunchy topping and it looks nice.

      Reply
    4. Heather Settle says

      June 20, 2021 at 11:46 am

      5 stars
      I just read your recipe of a dump cake with sweetened condensed milk. Do you think we could do the dump cake w the cherry filling and the sweetened condensed milk also?

      Reply
      • Sharon Garofalow says

        June 28, 2021 at 11:12 am

        Hi Heather! Sorry for the late response! YES! You can add sweetened condensed milk to any of the dump cake recipes!

        Reply
        • Rhonda Gould says

          January 03, 2023 at 3:22 am

          Thanks Sharon for getting back to me so quickly…I did not try the sprite after all. I follow your recipe and decided the end results may become too soupy and…it was a pan FULL! But best of all, it was a pan FULL OF DELICIOUS INDULGENCE!!!
          Which, btw, family and friends devoured! Made me feel awesomely happy ❣️

          Best wishes to you and yours in 2023!

          Reply
    5. David says

      January 28, 2020 at 5:37 pm

      I am from the south and we have always served this dish with Cool Whip on top. Try it…It`s a perfect combination!

      Reply
    6. Lisa Gillihan says

      March 16, 2019 at 4:27 pm

      I made this many times, had so many people to think it’s rhubarb pie always a hit never many complaints always an empty’s dish to go home

      Reply
      • Sharon Garofalow says

        March 20, 2019 at 11:08 am

        YES! It’s SO good! I always try to bring a little bit home for breakfast. :)

        Reply
    7. Katie Byrd says

      May 29, 2018 at 1:47 pm

      Hi there! I love this idea and will be trying it soon!
      Suggestion for your butter, if you put it in a oven safe dish while your oven is pre-heating, it melts perfectly! Just keep an eye on it!

      Reply
      • Sharon Garofalow says

        June 01, 2018 at 7:38 am

        That is such a great idea!!! Thank you for sharing!

        Reply
        • Helen says

          June 18, 2018 at 11:51 am

          I shred my butter over to top of the cake mix. Makes it a little more even.

          Reply
    8. Lynn says

      May 09, 2018 at 5:51 pm

      5 stars
      I love this dump cake, but I do one thing differently. I mix the melted butter into the dry cake mix with a fork and fingers! It makes buttered crumbles. Then just sprinkle over fruit and bake. It makes a delicious crust and looks a bit nicer.

      Reply
      • Sharon Garofalow says

        May 10, 2018 at 7:34 am

        Oh!! I love that idea! Buttered crumbles sound absolutely delish!

        Reply
        • Charlene says

          May 31, 2018 at 9:29 am

          I’ve made this recipe many times with many variations, but a whole cup of butter! I use 1 stick, cook halfway, and sprinkle sliced almonds on top to finish cooking. Gotta have that crunch!

          Reply
          • Sharon Garofalow says

            June 01, 2018 at 7:38 am

            Oh! The almonds sound delicious!! Thanks for sharing!

            Reply
    9. Christine says

      March 17, 2018 at 6:26 pm

      OMG! First time making this. Why have I not made this before, it’s so good and do easy. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
      • Sharon Garofalow says

        March 28, 2018 at 12:48 pm

        SO good! I literally can’t make it because I end up eating the whole thing! It makes a great breakfast. :)

        Reply
    10. missy says

      December 29, 2017 at 9:05 am

      My dad taught me to put a separate cup or dish of water in the microwave with butter, melts perfectly every time.

      Reply
      • Sharon Garofalow says

        January 02, 2018 at 8:30 am

        That’s such a great tip! I’ll have to give that a try!! Thank you for sharing!

        Reply
      • Joyce says

        May 10, 2018 at 6:54 am

        5 stars
        All you have to do is melt the real butter on defrost and you will have not splatters or explosions.

        Reply
        • Sharon Garofalow says

          May 10, 2018 at 7:31 am

          Thank you! I will try that next time!!!

          Reply
    11. Juanita says

      November 26, 2017 at 6:10 pm

      5 stars
      I have made this with pineapple cake mix. I have made that way and everyone loved it.

      Reply
    12. Lori says

      October 30, 2017 at 8:24 am

      Hi! I only have pineapple in syrup on hand, do you think that could be used?

      Reply
      • Sharon Garofalow says

        October 31, 2017 at 12:27 pm

        Hi Lori,

        I don’t think pineapple syrup would work. You want the little bits of pineapple to mix with the cherry filling since it’s the only crunch in this dessert!

        Reply
        • Helen Ledgerwood says

          March 30, 2018 at 3:50 pm

          I think you misread Lori’s comment. She did not say she has ” pineapple syrup”. I believe she has a can of pineapple that is packed in sugary syrup rather than its own pineapple juice, and yes, the cake should be just fine with pineapple packed in syrup.

          Reply
        • Kathy says

          July 29, 2018 at 2:17 pm

          I made this alot and I also use blueberry pie filling. Yummy

          Reply
    13. Dawn Moothedan says

      October 10, 2017 at 3:59 pm

      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.

      Reply
      • Sharon Garofalow says

        October 11, 2017 at 7:22 am

        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!

        Reply
    14. phyllis says

      August 17, 2017 at 5:08 pm

      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.

      Reply
      • Sharon Garofalow says

        August 24, 2017 at 6:55 am

        That’s a great tip, Phyllis! Thank you for sharing!

        Reply
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    Based in Southern California, I am the mom to two amazing boys and married to the raddest man in all the land. Cupcakes and Cutlery is your resource for simple solutions to help you be an awesome wife and mother and not lose yourself in the process. Email me at [email protected]

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