Cherry Dump Cake

5 from 1 vote

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Cherry dump cake is a simple and satisfying dessert perfect for a crowd and comes together quickly! This delicious last-minute sweet treat takes just about no time or effort to throw together.

cherry dump cake in a cast iron pan with red filling peaking through a crumbly baked crust and two plate servings.

This was my friend’s and my favorite easy dessert to make in college, and we always seemed to make it in the fall. Something about those sweet cherries and a warm, crumbly cake went perfectly with the cooling weather. It was a family favorite of hers, and we just called it “Uncle Grant Cake” after her relative.

We made it and loved snacking on it on Friday nights in my apartment. I’d cook dinner, she’d bring over the ingredients for Uncle Grant Cake, and we’d let it bake after dinner while we watched a movie. Memories like that can make food and certain recipes all the more special, don’t you think?

Overhead shot of a cooked cherry dump cake in a blue and white speckled rectangular pan.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Cherry dump cake is the perfect tasty last-minute sweet treat that takes no time or effort to throw together.
  • You just dump a few ingredients into a baking dish, mix them up a bit, and let it bake away into a sweet, buttery, satisfying dessert that takes almost zero effort.
  • It’s a fun one for feeding a crowd or getting kids involved in the prep work. Just make sure you have some vanilla ice cream on hand to enjoy with it!

Recipe Ingredients

  • Cherry pie filling
  • Cake mix – yellow
  • Butter

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

top view of cherry dump cake in a white and blue baking dish.

How to Make Cherry Dump Cake

  1. Add pie filling to the bottom of the pan.
  2. Spread the dry cake mix evenly over the top.
  3. Drizzle the melted butter evenly over the dry cake mix.
  4. Swirl the butter into the cake mix and bake until lightly browned

Recipe FAQs

Can dump cake be frozen?

Yes! Store dump cake in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight when you want to serve it, and reheat in the oven at 350-degrees for 15 minutes, or until heated through.

Does dump cake have to be refrigerated?

You can serve cherry dump cake hot out of the oven. Keep the “dump it” theme going and scoop a big pile into a bowl with your favorite vanilla ice cream! Once the cake’s cooled, you can store it in the fridge covered tightly with plastic wrap for up to 5 days.

What’s in cherry dump cake?

Cherry dump cake could NOT be easier. It has three simple ingredients: two cans of cherry pie filling, one box of yellow cake mix, and a half-cup of melted butter. Voila! Easy as pie.

Overhead shot with a scoop of the cake removed and a silver spoon in the empty spot. In the lower right, is the piece of cake and some vanilla ice cream on a dessert plate next to silver forks.

Expert Tips

  • Cake texture is all about the right storage. Make sure you let the cake cool completely before covering and storing it, and be sure to cover it tightly with plastic wrap or an airtight lid.
  • This is not really a moist cake, but the filling is moist and the topping ends up more like a crumble or a crisp.
  • Use a butter knife to gently swirl and poke the butter into the cake mix. You can’t really mix it in—you are just working them together a bit.
In the foreground is a slice of cherry dump cake with some whipping cream and in the background in the upper left is the pan holding the rest of the cake.

More Cake Recipes to Consider

top view of cherry dump cake in a white and blue baking dish
5 from 1 vote

Cherry Dump Cake

Cherry dump cake is such a simple and satisfying dessert that’s perfect for a crowd and comes together quickly!
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Servings: 16

Ingredients 

  • 2 cans cherry pie filling
  • 1 package yellow cake mix
  • ½ cup butter, melted
  • Vanilla ice cream for serving
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Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Add both cans of pie filling to the bottom of the 9×13-inch baking pan.
  • Spread the dry cake mix evenly over the top of the pie filling.
  • Drizzle the melted butter evenly over the dry cake mix.
  • Use a shop stick or a butter knife to gently swirl and poke the butter into the cake mix. You can’t really mix it in—you are just working them together a bit.
  • Bake for 30 minutes, or until lightly browned.
  • Serve hot with vanilla ice cream.

Notes

  • You can use just about any kind of pie filling you like for this recipe—it’s very flexible!
  • Allow the cake to cool slightly before serving. Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream!
  • This dump cake recipe is a fun, sweet, and beyond simple dessert that makes enough for a crowd and comes together super easily!
  • Pour the melted butter evenly over the cake mix. Try to cover as much of the cake mix as possible.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 of 16 servings, Calories: 255kcal, Carbohydrates: 47g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 15mg, Sodium: 294mg, Potassium: 95mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 14g, Vitamin A: 329IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 78mg, Iron: 1mg
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2 Comments

  1. deb c says:

    Dump cakes rock! I like cherry the best…except….I’m always the one who finds the only cherry pit!!

    1. Melissa says:

      LOL that was always my mom, she always found the one pit!