Easy Cherry Dump Cake Recipe (3-Ingredient) + Video

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Cherry Dump Cake is the easiest dessert ever! An easy dump and bake cake that’s made with cake mix, make this recipe for a sweet treat! Dump cake recipes make a simple tasty dessert! 

cherry dump cake


 

Using a boxed cake mix seriously makes for a simple dessert. Once you add everything to the bottom of a baking dish, you’re well on your way to being almost done with this easy recipe! 

What I love about this easy dessert recipe is that you only need a handful of ingredients and a little bit of time.

Everyone can find that in a day, right? You can make this for a special occasion or save this delicious recipe for yourself. 

It’s literally one of the easiest desserts – ever! 

making dump cake step by step

Cherry Dump Cake Recipe

Did you know you can bake with soda? Believe it or not, you can! 

Cola is the start of fantastic desserts like Dr. Pepper cake, or use 7-Up to make your dessert taste like cherry limeade.

For something a little more elegant, try my Chocolate Cherry Tiramisu. It’s perfect for holidays or dinner parties and only takes 15 minutes to put together.

Nobody really knows the exact origin of the cherry pie filling dump cake, but it probably gets its name from the fact that everything is basically dumped into a pan before baking.

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How To Make Cherry Dump Cake

  1. Combine Ingredients. Grease a baking dish liberally with butter, then spread the cherry pie filling along the bottom with a spatula. 

    Sprinkle the box of cake mix over the top before drizzling with melted butter.
     
  2. Bake. Shake the pan a bit to evenly distribute the ingredients, then bake until set and golden brown on top.
  3. Serve. Add a scoop of the dump cake with cherry pie filling to a bowl with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or any other flavor of ice cream that sounds delicious!
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Tips for Making Dump Cake With Cherry Pie Filling

  • Adjust the amount of filling. I like my cherry dump cake bursting with cherries, so I use two full cans. You could easily use a smaller amount if you’d prefer.
  • Use fresh fruit. Swap out the canned filling for pitted whole cherries. Blueberries, blackberries, or strawberries would also taste delicious. 

    Since raspberries are more delicate, I recommend using preserves for that flavor.
  • Want a different flavor? Try swapping out the yellow mix for chocolate or replace one of the cans of cherries with crushed pineapple instead. 

    Since it’s just cake mix and pie filling, another variety of fruit like apple or peach would work just as well.
     
  • Add a topping for extra texture. Combine brown sugar and chopped almonds in a bowl, then sprinkle the mixture on before baking. 

    Shredded coconut with pecans is another tasty combination.
  • Tip for a hands-off approach: You can make this dump cake with cherry pie filling in a slow cooker as well! 

    Just follow the same process and cook it on High for 2 hours or on Low for 4 hours.
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Dump Cake Cherry Recipe FAQ

Does cherry dump cake need to be refrigerated?

Dump cake with cherry pie filling will be fine at room temperature for 3 to 4 days. 

But go ahead and pop it in the fridge if you’ll be keeping it longer than that. Cover with foil or plastic so it doesn’t dry out, and use within 1 week.

Should I stir the ingredients before baking?

Not at all! Just layer them as directed, or you may end up with raw bits of dough along the bottom of the pan. 

Then, bake the cherry pie filling dump cake and devour!

How do you know when dump cake is done? 

This dump cake cherry dessert is done when all of the ingredients are hot and the cake is golden brown. 

The cherry dump cake recipe doesn’t have any raw ingredients, so you don’t have to worry about eating raw eggs or anything. Once it reaches the desired texture, it’s ready. 

What other flavors of this delicious dessert can I make? 

That’s the thing about this quick dessert. You can use a box of white cake mix, chocolate cake mix, spice cake mix, devils’s food cake mix, or any other flavor of dry cake mix that you want. A box of yellow cake mix works well, too! 

Then you can add the fruit filling of your cravings. A cherry pineapple dump cake sounds so good – and follows the same easy steps. Apple pie filling is also an easy peasy recipe for your first dump cake, and a great flavor for busy moms to feed the family. 

One of the best things about making this homemade dessert is that you can change the flavor each time that you make it! 

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Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours. 

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cherry dump cake, close up

Cherry Dump Cake + Video

Donna Elick
Cherry dump cake is the easiest dessert recipe you’ll ever make. Just combine cake mix and pie filling with butter right in the pan and bake!
5 stars from 3 reviews
Tried this recipe?Please comment and review!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Method Oven
Servings 12

Ingredients
 

  • 42 ounce cherry pie filling, 2 21 ounce cans
  • 1 box yellow cake mix, or white cake mix
  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and 2 more tablespoons for greasing the baking dish

Toppings (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with butter or spray it with nonstick baking spray.
  • Add the cherry pie filling to the bottom of the baking dish, and using a rubber spatula, spread it evenly over the surface of the dish.
  • Sprinkle the cake mix on top of the cherry filling, distribute evenly. Shake the pan, to make sure the cake mix is spread evenly.
  • Drizzle the melted butter over the cake mix, try to distribute it evenly. Shake the pan again.
  • Bake the Cherry Dump Cake in the preheated oven for about 50 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Start checking on the cake after 40 minutes.
  • Remove cake from oven and let it just slightly cool on a cooling rack.
  • Scoop cake into bowls, top with vanilla ice cream and maraschino cherries. Serve warm.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 356cal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 333mg | Sugar: 19g | Fiber: 1g | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 1mg

All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Cherry Dump Cake collage

Originally published February 2019, updated and republished February 2024

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22 Comments

    1. The melted butter is your liquid on top comes out great but be sure to cover the cake mix so as not to have dry spots

    2. I mix the melted butter into the cake mix and make a "crumble" out of it. Eliminates any dry spots.

    3. If you take the time to read the directions, some have to read and re read like 20 X’s but if that’s what tricks your trigger then please, by all means do it!

  1. I really like to eat Cherry Dump Cake.it's look so yummy & delicious.today i learn about how to make perfect cherry dump cake.
    thanks for sharing

  2. I am a diabetic so I used two 20 oz cans of cherry filling, no sugar added, and a box of KETO yellow cake mix (almond flour). It turned out very good and I didn’t have to feel guilty afterwards!

    1. I also have frozen pitted cherries don’t k now what to do with them how would I make thi see dump cake with these cherries!

  3. 5 stars
    In the oven right now! 😋 too late reading about dry spots. I tried really hard to cover. If it doesn’t come outright…will eat it and try again. LOL

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