Cherry cobbler is an all-time favorite dessert. Nothing compares to juicy cherries paired with a tender cake topping. But even though a cobbler is fairly simple to put together, we love to take a shortcut to make dessert even faster. Hello, cherry dump cake!
This quick dump cake with cherry pie filling resembles a cherry cobbler, with a fruity base and a golden, buttery cake topping. It’s made with just five ingredients and, even better, there’s no mixing bowl required. The cherries, cake mix and melted butter are all dumped straight into a baking dish. You’ll have fewer dishes to do and more time to enjoy dessert, which makes this recipe perfect for summer.
Ingredients for Cherry Dump Cake
- Cherry pie filling: You can buy cherry pie filling at most grocery stores in the baking aisle. If your store is out of stock, grab blueberry pie filling. Baked with the almond extract and cake mix, it’ll taste like a blueberry muffin!
- Cake mix: Grab one regular-sized package of a good white cake mix brand for this recipe for cherry dump cake. See our variations section below for notes on switching the cake mix flavor.
- Butter: Melt the butter for this recipe. There’s no need to cool the butter to room temp after melting as you would in other recipes where eggs are present.
- Almond extract: Cherries and almonds make a perfect pairing. They each have the naturally occurring organic compound of benzaldehyde, lending similar sweet, buttery and nutty flavors.
- Vanilla ice cream: If you need an excuse to grab one of the best vanilla ice cream brands at the store, let this cherry dump cake recipe be the reason! An ultra-rich vanilla ice cream makes the best topping for cherry pie filling cake.
Directions
Step 1: Spread the cherry filling
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Pour the cherry pie filling into the dish and spread the filling evenly with a spatula.
Step 2: Top with the cake mix
Sprinkle the bag of white cake mix evenly over the top of the filling. Gently press the cake mix into the pie filling, evening it out further with your hands.
Step 3: Pour in the butter and almond extract
Combine the melted butter and almond extract. Pour the butter mixture evenly over the cake mix.
Step 4: Bake the cake
Bake the cake until the top is set and the filling is bubbly, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool the dump cake at room temperature on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Scoop out individual servings into a bowl while the cake is still warm and top with vanilla ice cream.
Recipe Variations
- Add fruit: Mix in crushed pineapple along with the cherries for a super summery burst of flavor.
- Try a different cake mix: Use a yellow cake mix or chocolate cake mix instead of the white cake mix if desired.
- Spruce it up with mix-ins: Consider sprinkling brown sugar, crushed pecans or slivered almonds on top for even more texture and flavor. Or, take a page out of our chocolate cherry dump cake recipe and sprinkle in semisweet chocolate chips. The possibilities are endless!
How to Store Cherry Dump Cake
To store any leftovers, first let the dump cake with cherry pie filling cool to room temperature. Depending on how much is left, wrap the pan in storage wrap or transfer any little bit to an airtight container. Keep the dump cake in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat leftovers in the microwave to warm up the cherry filling and soften the cake topping.
Cherry Dump Cake Tips
Can you make this cherry dump cake recipe in a slow cooker?
Yes! If you tried our pineapple upside-down dump cake and loved it, you can also convert this recipe for cherry dump cake into a slow-cooker recipe. Melt the butter, and mix in the almond extract. Pour 1/2 cup butter mixture into the bottom of a 5-quart slow cooker. Top with cherry pie filling and cake mix, then drizzle the rest of the butter mixture over the cake mix. Cook, covered, on high for two hours.
What do you serve with cherry dump cake?
We highly recommend serving this cherry pie filling cake with scoops of vanilla ice cream. But if that’s too rich for you, a light and airy sweetened whipped cream is perfect. Brew a pot of coffee, pull fresh shots of espresso or make a batch of your favorite copycat coffee shop drinks to serve alongside this cake. After-dinner drinks like port or sherry make a perfect pairing as well.
