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 07/26/19
Pineapple cherry dump cake

The Spruce
  • Total: 70 mins
  • Prep: 10 mins
  • Cook: 60 mins
  • Yield: 10 to 12 Servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
524 Calories
32g Fat
58g Carbs
4g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10 to 12 Servings
Amount per serving
Calories 524
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 32g 41%
Saturated Fat 19g 96%
Cholesterol 81mg 27%
Sodium 368mg 16%
Total Carbohydrate 58g 21%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Protein 4g
Calcium 89mg 7%
*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.

Ingredients

  • 1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple (undrained)
  • 1 (21-ounce) can prepared fruit  cherry pie filling
  • 1 (18 1/4-ounce) box yellow cake mix
  • 1 cup unsalted butter (or margarine)
  • Optional: 1/4 cup nuts (walnuts, pistachios, peanuts, chopped)

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for pineapple cherry dump cake
    The Spruce 

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

    Grease pan
    The Spruce

  3. Dump undrained pineapple into the baking dish and spread it out evenly.

    Dump undrained pineapple
    The Spruce 

  4. Using a spoon, dump globs of cherry pie filling evenly on top of the pineapple.

    Dump globs of cherry pie filling
    The Spruce

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

    Sprinkle the cake mix evenly
    The Spruce

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

    Cut butter into slices
    The Spruce

  7. Sprinkle nuts on top, if you're using them.

    Sprinkle nuts on top
    The Spruce 

  8. Bake for 1 hour.

    Bake for 1 hour
    The Spruce

  9. Remove from the oven. 

    Dump cake recipe
    The Spruce

  10. To serve, scoop out cake out with a large spoon onto a plate. 

  11. Enjoy!

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:

Related Articles