Marry This Cherry Dump Cake is an easy and bubbly recipe, which is made with cherry pie filling and yellow cake mix. It’s a no-fuss take on the classic, ready in about an hour.
Jump to RecipeCherry Dump Cake Recipe Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 2 (21-oz.) cans cherry pie filling
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon (optional)
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 3/4 cup salted butter, divided and cubed
- 1 (15.25-oz.) box yellow cake mix
- Cherry-vanilla ice cream, for serving
How To Make Cherry Dump Cake
- Prep Oven and Filling: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Add the cherry pie filling, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and kosher salt to the dish and stir to combine.
- Layer the Cake: Sprinkle about 1/4 cup of the butter cubes over the cherry filling. Pour the dry cake mix directly from the box evenly over the cherry mixture. Use your hands or a spoon to pat it into an even layer.
- Top with Butter and Bake: Scatter the remaining cubes of butter evenly over the top of the dry cake mix. Bake on the middle rack for about 50 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the cherry filling is hot and bubbly around the edges.
- Cool and Serve: Let the cake cool for a few minutes before serving. Scoop into bowls and serve warm, topped with a scoop of cherry-vanilla or regular vanilla ice cream.
Recipe Tips
- How do you get a perfect dump cake topping? The secret is to not mix the cake batter! You pour the dry cake mix directly over the fruit, then dot the top with cold, cubed butter. As the butter melts and bakes, it combines with the dry mix to create a delicious, buttery, crumbly topping.
- Can I use a different fruit filling? Absolutely! This is the best part of a dump cake. The recipe tip notes that this works wonderfully with two cans of peach pie filling, apple pie filling, or even crushed pineapple.
- How do I avoid dry patches in the topping? Make sure you distribute the cubed butter as evenly as possible over the entire surface of the dry cake mix. This ensures that all of the mix gets moistened as the butter melts, creating a perfect golden-brown crust.
- Can I add nuts? Yes, a sprinkle of chopped pecans or sliced almonds over the top of the cake mix before adding the butter would be a fantastic and crunchy addition.
What To Serve With Cherry Dump Cake
This is the ultimate warm and gooey dessert that is practically made to be served with something cold and creamy. The best pairings are:
- A big scoop of vanilla bean or cherry-vanilla ice cream
- A generous dollop of freshly sweetened whipped cream or Cool Whip
How To Store Cherry Dump Cake
- Refrigerate: Cover the cooled cake with foil or plastic wrap. It will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, though the topping will soften over time.
- Reheat: For the best results, reheat individual servings in the microwave until warm.
Cherry Dump Cake Nutrition Facts
- Serving: 1/12th of cake
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 70g
- Protein: 3g
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Sugar: 50g
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
No, and this is the most important rule of a dump cake! You use only the dry cake mix directly from the box. Do not prepare the batter according to the package directions.
Yes. While yellow or classic white cake mix is traditional, this would also be delicious with a butter pecan, spice, or even a chocolate cake mix for a “chocolate cherry” version.
It gets its name from the incredibly easy preparation method. You simply “dump” the ingredients (the fruit filling, then the dry cake mix, then the butter) into a pan and bake it, with no mixing bowl required.
Try More Recipes:
Cherry Dump Cake Recipe
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy12
servings5
minutes50
minutes450
kcalThe ultimate easy “dump and go” dessert, this cobbler-like cake features a bubbly cherry pie filling base and a buttery, golden-brown cake mix topping.
Ingredients
2 (21-oz.) cans cherry pie filling
1 (15.25-oz.) box yellow cake mix
3/4 cup salted butter, cubed
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
Ice cream, for serving
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375°. In a 9×13-inch dish or a 12-inch skillet, combine the cherry pie filling, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.
- Dot the cherry filling with 1/4 cup of the butter cubes.
- Pour the dry cake mix evenly over the top of the cherry mixture.
- Scatter the remaining cubes of butter evenly over the top of the cake mix.
- Bake for about 50 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
- Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Notes
- The most important tip for this recipe is to not mix the cake batter; pour the dry mix directly over the fruit for the perfect cobbler-like topping.
- Spreading the cold butter cubes evenly over the top of the dry cake mix is the secret to a perfectly moist and golden-brown crust with no dry patches.
- Don’t be tempted to pull the cake from the oven too early; the filling needs to be actively bubbling around the edges to be perfectly hot.
- This recipe is incredibly versatile and works wonderfully with other canned pie fillings like peach, apple, or blueberry.
