This 3-ingredient cherry dump cake is one of the easiest desserts, made with cherry pie filling, a box of yellow cake mix, and salted butter.
Cherry dump cake is more like a cherry cobbler than a cake. The butter melts into the cake mix as it bakes, making a sweet cookie-like crumble.
Make this recipe your own by choosing your favorite pie filling and cake mix flavors. This recipe is great with apple pie filling, strawberry pie filling, peach pie filling, and blueberry pie filling as well as white cake mix, chocolate cake mix, and more.
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Recipe highlights
- Simple ingredients: Cherry pie filling, a box of yellow cake mix, and salted butter.
- Easy to make: Easy dump cake recipes take no time at all to throw together. It's a perfect dessert when you need a dish with little-to-no prep time.
- Family favorite: This easy recipe is one of my favorite desserts.
For another cake mix recipe, try these strawberry 7UP cupcakes with vanilla Cool Whip frosting. Or bookmark this easy dessert, strawberry Jello pie.
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Ingredients
- boxed yellow cake mix
- cherry pie filling
- salted butter
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350ºF degrees.
Coat the inside of a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Pour both cans of cherry pie filling into the baking pan, spreading it out evenly.
Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the cherry filling. The cake mix should completely cover the top of the cherries.
Evenly distribute the thin butter slices over the top of the cake mix.
Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the cake mix becomes golden brown. Cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Serve warm or at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Substitutions
Even though this recipe only calls for three simple ingredients, you can still customize this dessert to your liking.
- Cherry pie filling - Make this recipe your own by choosing your favorite pie filling. This recipe is great with apple pie filling, strawberry pie filling, peach pie filling, and blueberry pie filling.
- Yellow cake mix - Use any box of cake mix. Try this with chocolate cake mix (chocolate cherry dump cake? yum!), devil's food cake mix, lemon cake mix, or white cake mix. Use your favorite type of cake.
- Salted butter - A stick of salted butter is preferred, but this can be made with butter from a tub or an unsalted stick of butter as well. Alternatively, you could use melted butter.
Equipment
The only piece of equipment you need to make this 3-ingredient cherry dump cake is a 9x13 baking dish.
Storage
Cool leftovers before storing them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Wrap in plastic wrap.
FAQ
Cherry dump cake can be made ahead of time. Assemble, bake, cool, and refrigerate until you are ready to serve. Serve this delicious dessert chilled, allow the dish to come to room temperature, or reheat it in the oven.
Dump cake with fruit filling is gooey similar to a fruit cobbler.
📖 Recipe
3-Ingredient Cherry Dump Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 15.25 ounce boxed yellow cake mix
- 2 21-ounce cans cherry pie filling
- 1 stick (½ cup) salted butter cut into 24 slices
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (176°C) degrees.
- Coat the inside of a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Pour both cans of cherry pie filling into the baking dish, spreading it out evenly.
- Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the cherries.
- Evenly distribute the thin butter slices over the top of the cake mix.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the cake mix becomes golden brown. Cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Food safety
Food can sit out for up to two hours at room temperature. If the temperature is above 90°F, food should not be left out for more than 1 hour. Read more at USDA.gov.
Deby Fletcher says
Kelsey, Could I 1/2 this recipe and use an 8x8 pan?
Thank you, Deby
Kelsey Smith says
Yes, definitely!
Denise says
I have made this in past but slightly different. When I was given the original recipe it also included a can of pineapple (and only 1 can pie filling). Dump a can of crushed pineapple, juice included. Gently plop/spread the cherry pie filling on top of the pineapple (do not "mix" it ) . In a seperate bowl, mix a yellow or white cake mix with 6** to 8 TBLSP melted butter with a fork. It will be wet like sand. Sprinkle/plop on top of the pie filling. Bake at 350F til lightly browned. ** I didn't have a full stick of butter and only had 5 or 6 TBSP. It worked just fine. [Mixing the cake mix with melted butter won't leave dry spots] This also tastes great with blueberry pie filling.
Kelsey Smith says
Pineapple sounds great!
Jennie says
Can you freeze the dump cake for later use?
Kelsey Smith says
Hey Jennie, I replied earlier today and I realized this isn't the cake I thought you were asking about. Yes, you can freeze this, you can lay down a layer of plastic wrap on top and then a layer of foil for extra protection.
Veronica says
I tried this recipe. It only partially baked. What went wrong!
Kelsey Smith says
My guess would be related to butter placement, any issues there?
Lisa Smith says
Great recipe for a superbowl dessert!!!