Pineapple Cherry Dump Cake (With Variations)

Written by
Peggy Trowbridge Filippone
Peggy Trowbridge Filippone is a writer who develops approachable recipes for home cooks. Her recipes range from Grandma’s favorites to the latest food trends.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Peggy Trowbridge Filippone
Updated 06/16/21
Pineapple Cherry Dump Cake (With Variations)

The Spruce / Kristina Vanni
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 60 mins
Total: 70 mins
Servings: 10 to 12 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
261 Calories
16g Fat
30g Carbs
1g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10 to 12
Amount per serving
Calories 261
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g 20%
Saturated Fat 10g 49%
Cholesterol 41mg 14%
Sodium 89mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 30g 11%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 6mg 31%
Calcium 39mg 3%
Iron 0mg 3%
Potassium 119mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

A dump cake is very similar to a fruit cobbler in that it is made up of a fruit filling topped with a cake-like batter. The recipe is named after the technique you use to make it, which is basically dumping everything into a pan before baking. A dump cake is an ideal recipe for kids since there is no mixing or difficult techniques involved. Canned fruits are dumped into a baking pan, topped with cake mix, butter, and nuts, and then baked. The result is something in between a cake and a cobbler, and amazingly delicious. It may be perfect for kids but adults will also love this recipe.

Featured Video

Ingredients

  • 1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple (undrained)

  • 1 (21-ounce) can prepared cherry pie filling

  • 1 (18 1/4-ounce) box yellow cake mix

  • 1 cup unsalted butter

  • 1/4 cup nuts (walnuts, pistachios, peanuts, chopped), optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Pineapple Cherry Dump Cake (With Variations) ingredients

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  2. Preheat oven to 350 F (or 325 F for a glass baking dish). Have a 9- x 13-inch baking pan ready.

    baking dish

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  3. Pour pineapple into baking dish and spread evenly.

    pineapple in a baking dish

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  4. Using a spoon, evenly spread cherry pie filling over pineapple.

    cherry filling on top of the pineapple filling in the baking dish

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  5. Sprinkle cake mix evenly over cherry and pineapple layers.

    Sprinkle cake mixed evenly over cherry and pineapple layers

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  6. Cut butter into slices and place evenly over cake mix.

    butter pieces of on top of the cake mix in a baking dish

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  7. Sprinkle nuts on top, if using.

    nuts on top of the butter and cake mix in the baking dish

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  8. Bake for 1 hour.

    Pineapple Cherry Dump Cake (With Variations) on a cooling rack

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

Tips

  • This cake can be served warm or cold. If you prefer to eat the dump cake cold, place in the refrigerator after it has cooled until chilled.
  • Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days or frozen up to 3 months. Thaw a frozen dump cake in the refrigerator and slowly reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds and then in 10-second intervals until warm.

Recipe Variations

  • This combination of pineapple and cherry may be a big hit with the kids, but there are plenty of other dump cake versions to try from peach, pear, apple, pumpkin, and blueberry.
  • For a twist, consider adding coconut or nuts as well.
  • Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or topped with whipped cream.

Recipe Tags: