Cherry dump cake is a legendary dessert classic, famous for requiring virtually zero baking skill while delivering a warm, gooey, cobbler-like treat that tastes like it took hours to make. True to its name, you literally “dump” the ingredients into a baking pan without any traditional mixing.
Here is how to make a foolproof, delicious cherry dump cake:
Ingredients
-
2 cans (21 oz each) cherry pie filling
-
1 box yellow cake mix (or white / devil’s food if you want to experiment)
-
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, sliced thinly or melted
-
Optional Add-ins: 1 teaspoon almond extract (stirred into the cherries) or 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts sprinkled on top for crunch.
Instructions
-
Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a standard 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
-
Layer the Cherries: Pour both cans of cherry pie filling directly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Spread them out evenly so the bottom of the pan is completely covered.
-
Add the Dry Cake Mix: Open the box of dry cake mix and sprinkle it evenly right over the top of the cherry filling. Do not mix it in. Gently smooth it out with a spatula so it forms an even layer covering the fruit.
-
Add the Butter: Place thin slices of cold butter all across the top of the dry cake mix until it is as covered as possible. (Alternatively, you can pour melted butter evenly over the top, though sliced butter tends to create a better, crumbly golden crust).
-
Bake: Place in the oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes. You are looking for the edges to be bubbling with bright red cherry juice and the top cake layer to be golden brown and cooked through.
-
Serve: Let it cool for about 10–15 minutes so the filling can set slightly. Serve warm, ideally topped with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
