Dump Cake

Name: Dump Cake
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 10 to 12 servings
Cuisine: american
Ingredients: 1 (21-ounce) can cherry pie filling; 2 (8-ounce) cans crushed pineapple in juice; 1 (15.25-ounce) box white or yellow cake mix; 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks); Whipped cream, for serving (optional); Vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)

By Naz Deravian

Updated April 17, 2024

Total Time: 60 minutes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Rating: 4(239)
Comments: Read comments

Dump cake is a classic American dessert that became popular with the production and marketing of store-bought boxed cake mixes. But it’s more like a cobbler than a cake — it’s filled with fruit and, as the name suggests, all the ingredients are “dumped” in a dish and baked in the oven. Canned cherry pie filling mixed with crushed pineapple is traditional, but feel free to swap out with other canned fruit, like peaches or strawberry pie filling. For a little crunch, add some nuts, such as sliced almonds or chopped pecans. Dump cake is best served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. This truly low-effort dessert is an easy way to feed a crowd any time of year.

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Ingredients

Yield:10 to 12 servings

1(21-ounce) can cherry pie filling
2(8-ounce) cans crushed pineapple in juice
1(15.25-ounce) box white or yellow cake mix
¾cup unsalted butter (1½ sticks)
Whipped cream, for serving (optional)
Vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

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Step 1
Heat oven to 350 degrees with the rack in the center position.
Step 2
Add the cherry pie filling and the crushed pineapple, including any juices, to a 9-by-13-inch (3-quart) baking dish. Using a spatula, evenly spread the mixture across the baking dish (there is no need to mix it).
Step 3
Scatter the cake mix evenly on top, without stirring, and smooth the top.
Step 4
Melt the butter and drizzle evenly on top of the cake mix. If there are any dry spots, spread the butter out wherever it pools (gently tilting the baking dish works well here).
Step 5
Bake on the center rack until the top is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling, 45 to 50 minutes. Serve warm, with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Ratings

4 out of 5

239 user ratings

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Comments

NOLA Gal1 year ago

The way my mom made this dessert back in the late 60s in New Orleans tasted lovely, and was not too sweet. The name "dump cake" hadn't yet come into being; she and her friends called it a cobbler. Into an 8- or 9-inch square pan: 2 cans of water-packed, pitted sour cherries (liquid included); sprinkle a box of butter pecan cake mix evenly over the fruit; evenly spoon .25 pound of melted salted butter over the cake mix; and bake until brown. It should be nicely crisp. Serve with ice cream.

TMF1 year ago

My mother made this all the time growing up. We loved it. She used cherry pie filling (no pineapple) plus slivered almonds (a must). I now make this, but I buy frozen cherries and make my own filling. It’s way better. It seems most cans of cherry pie filling are short on the cherries and heavy on the gloop.

JeanR1 year ago

From Girl Scout camp I know that you can bake this in a coffee can over a fire.

Amazing1 day ago

Everyone loved it

Elisabeth4 weeks ago

Anybody tried this with a gluten-free boxed cake mix?

Nizzy's mom1 month ago

The cherry pie filling is far too sweet for my taste. I use frozen cherries. I also put coconut and chopped nuts on top.

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