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Cherry Dump Cake Recipe

July 13, 2022 by Jessica 5 Comments

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Sometimes I love spending time in the kitchen creating a delicious dessert. Other times I want (or need) to whip up a sweet treat on the fly — that’s where this Cherry Dump Cake saves the day. 

close up of cherry dump cake on a plate with text overlay for facebook

All it takes is a simple box of cake mix, a can of cherry pie filling, and some melted butter. There are a few possible add-ins, but you can choose what you want to use to make it your own.

The prep is easy, too — just top the cherry filling with the dry cake mix and butter and then bake. The end result is a fruity cake that is basically begging to be topped with whipped cream or a big scoop of ice cream to make it extra decadent.

If you love a mixed berry cobbler, cherry fritters or a cherry crisp, you’re going to love this cherry dump cake recipe. The next time you’re looking for new recipes for desserts that come together quickly, try this — you won’t be disappointed!

zoomed out shot of cherry dump cake on a plate

Why You’ll Love Cherry Dump Cake

Table of Contents

  • Why You’ll Love Cherry Dump Cake
  • Ingredients
  • How To Make Cherry Dump Cake
  • Variations
  • Storage and Freezing
  • More Cake Recipes
  • Cherry Dump Cake Recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Nutrition
  • Simple – This may be the easiest dessert recipe that you’ll ever make that has only a handful of ingredients.
  • Customizable – You can make this dessert your own by adding anything you want to it.
  • Fast – This quick dessert requires only a few minutes of prep time before it goes in the oven.
  • Versatile – This is a great dessert to serve any night of the week or to take to a special occasion.
close up of cherry dump cake on plate

Ingredients

  • Cherry pie filling – What makes this an easy recipe is that you can use simple ingredients that are store bought. However, if you’re feeling like putting in a little extra time, you can make your own homemade cherry pie filling.
  • Maraschino cherry juice – This is optional, but adding the juice of maraschino cherries gives the cake a burst of extra flavor.
  • Cherry extract – This extract is optional but it will also give you more cherry flavor. 
  • Yellow cake mix – Choose whichever box of yellow cake mix is your favorite. Or, use homemade cake mix if you keep it on hand.
  • Salted butter – To make this recipe super simple we’re using salted butter instead of unsalted. Melt it in the microwave at 30 second increments
straight on shot of cherry dump cake on a plate

How To Make Cherry Dump Cake

  1. Add cherry filling. Pour the cherry pie filling into the prepared baking dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Add juice and extract. Add the maraschino cherry juice and cherry extract (if using) to the pie filling. Stir to combine the ingredients evenly.
  3. Smooth it out. Using a spatula, smooth out the filling into an even layer. If you are omitting the cherry juice or extract, just smooth out the canned pie filling on its own into an even layer.
  4. Sprinkle cake mix. Sprinkle the cake mix over the top of the cherries. You can shake it straight from the box or use a sifter to help with evenly dispersing it. 
  5. Pour butter. Pour the melted butter over the top, saturating as much of the cake mix as possible.
  6. Bake. Bake the cherry dump cake until it’s golden brown on top. It should be bubbly. 
  7. Cool. Allow the cake to cool for a few minutes then serve with your favorite toppings. You can serve it slightly warm or at room temperature.
collage of how to make cherry dump cake

Variations

  • Fruit filling – Change the fruit filling to whatever you prefer. Try using apple pie filling in the fall or make a peach dump cake in the summer.
  • Cake mix – Choose a different flavor cake mix. Vanilla, lemon, devil’s food, milk chocolate, chocolate fudge, dark chocolate or white cake mix will all work well.
  • Toppings – Try any number of things on top of the dump cake! I like a scoop of ice cream on mine, but you can also try chocolate sauce, fresh fruit, crushed pineapple, whipped cream, caramel sauce, powdered sugar, or chocolate chips.
  • Lemon juice – Try adding a bit of lemon juice to add some citrusy flavor to the cake. It contrasts well with the sweet cherries.
  • Extracts – Switch out the cherry extract in this cherry dump cake for any flavor you prefer including almond extract for nuttiness, lemon extract for brightness, or vanilla extract for a traditional flavor.
plate of cherry dump cake

Storage and Freezing

Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. You can also just wrap the top of the cake pan with plastic wrap. Freezing is not recommended.

collage of cherry dump cake for pinterest

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  • Pina Colada Poke Cake
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With tons of cherries and pineapple flavor, this EASY classic Pineapple Upside Down Cake recipe is sure to be a winner for any event!
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plate of cherry dump cake with text overlay for pinterest
plate of cherry dump cake

Cherry Dump Cake Recipe

With only five ingredients, you can have this EASY Cherry Dump Cake recipe ready in under one hour! Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
4.80 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cherry dump cake
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 327kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 21 ounce cans cherry pie filling
  • 1/3 cup maraschino cherry juice optional
  • 1 teaspoon cherry extract optional
  • 1 box yellow cake mix
  • 3/4 cup salted butter melted

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Pour the cherry pie filling into a 9×13 baking dish.
  • Add the maraschino cherry juice and cherry extract if using. Stir to combine and smooth out the filling into an even layer. If you are not using the cherry juice or extract, just smooth out the canned pie filling in an even layer.
  • Sprinkle the cake mix over the filling evenly.
  • Pour the melted butter all over the top, and try to saturate as much of the cake mix as possible.
  • Bake for 45-50 minutes until golden brown on top and bubbly. Let sit for 15 minutes and serve.
  • If you’ve tried this recipe, make sure to come back and leave us a comment or a quick star rating!

Nutrition

Calories: 327kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 415mg | Potassium: 92mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 466IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 1mg

Filed Under: Cake Tagged With: 9x13 Pan, Fruit Desserts

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Shadi Hasanzadenemati

    July 14, 2022 at 3:17 pm

    5 stars
    I was looking for a recipe like this, thank you for sharing! I can’t wait to try it soon!

  2. Kelley

    July 14, 2022 at 3:28 pm

    5 stars
    So easy and delicious!

  3. L

    July 14, 2022 at 4:04 pm

    such an easy cake to throw together for the summer – can’t wait to try!

  4. Sara Welch

    July 14, 2022 at 4:16 pm

    5 stars
    Enjoyed this for dessert last night and it did not disappoint! Quite possibly, the best way to enjoy cherries; my whole family loved it!

  5. Gwynn

    July 14, 2022 at 4:26 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe was a lifesaver when I had last minute company! Delicious and so quick and easy to make!

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Meet Jessica

Best dessert recipes is a central place for easy dessert recipes featuring semi-homemade, one step and easy dessert making hacks guaranteed for all culinary levels. Jessica is a cookbook author and Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School certified recipe developer. See her work in Parade Magazine, Better Homes & Gardens, Mashed, AllRecipes AllStars and The Daily Meal Food + Travel and more!

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