Description
An effortlessly delicious, warm, and comforting dessert featuring a juicy, tropical base of sweet crushed pineapple and tart cherry pie filling, topped with a golden, buttery, crumbly cake crust. True to its name, this “dump cake” requires no mixing bowls or complicated steps—just layer the ingredients directly in the pan and let the oven do the rest!
Ingredients
1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling
1 box (15.25 oz) yellow cake mix (or vanilla/white cake mix)
1/2 cup (1 stick / 113 g) unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
Prep Equipment: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or non-stick cooking spray.
Layer Fruit: Pour the undrained crushed pineapple evenly across the bottom of the prepared pan. Spoon the cherry pie filling directly over the pineapple, spreading it into an even layer.
Add Cake Mix: Sprinkle the dry yellow cake mix evenly over the fruit layer. Do not stir.
Drizzle Butter: Drizzle the melted butter evenly over the dry cake mix layer, covering as much of the dry flour as possible.
Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 45–50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the fruit filling is bubbling around the edges.
Cool & Serve: Let cool for 10–15 minutes before serving warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Notes
Do Not Drain Pineapple: The natural juices from the canned pineapple are essential for hydrating the dry cake mix and creating the soft, cobbler-like texture.
Do Not Stir: Keeping the layers separate ensures a golden, crumbly cake topping on top of a warm fruit base.
Add-Ins: Sprinkle 1/2 cup of chopped pecans, walnuts, or sweetened shredded coconut over the dry cake mix before pouring the butter for extra crunch.
Dietary Swaps: Use a gluten-free yellow cake mix to make this dessert gluten-free, or substitute melted vegan butter / coconut oil for a dairy-free version.
Storage: Cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave or warm the pan in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10–15 minutes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dessert / Cake / Cobbler
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion (1/12th of cake)
- Calories: 260 kcal
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 240 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 44 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
Keywords: pineapple cherry dump cake, pineapple dump cake, cherry dump cake, 4 ingredient dessert, easy fruit cobbler