A super easy fruit dessert that comes together quickly (ready in under an hour) and can be made ahead. It has a layer of cherry pie filling and a cobbler-like topping made with a boxed cake mix. A simple, effortless, and delicious dessert.
Dump cakes are family favorites around here and a growing category on this blog, and with good reason: they're a delicious easy dessert recipe option that uses simple ingredients.
They're like a sweet casserole dish.
And who doesn't love them served with a scoop of ice cream on top?
As much as I love to eat fresh cherries by the hundreds, this summer recipe is always on my list when the cherry season starts.
Probably our favorite cherry dessert that we sometimes alternate with the gooey chocolate cherry dump cake I might add, another great flavor combination.
Why is it called a dump cake?
The original recipe uses cans of fruit filling, a box of cake mix, and thinly sliced cold butter pieces or melted butter.
The first two are literally opened and dumped into the baking dish, hence the name, and the butter slices are arranged on top of the cake mix in an even layer, covering it.
A simple dessert recipe that became very popular among busy moms decades ago. Any flavor or pie filling works, from cherry pineapple dump cake to caramel apple or strawberry dump cobbler.
You can choose to make homemade pie filling, as I sometimes do.
And I also found a way of mixing the cobbler-like topping that delivers the best results.
Why this recipe works
- Quick and easy. I can't emphasize enough how simple it is to make a cherry dump cake. It comes together fast and can be on the table in under an hour. It might be the easiest dessert recipe ever.
- Make-ahead. You can make it up to 2 days before and have it in the refrigerator. Or freeze it for several weeks.
- Crowd-pleaser. It's especially good for picnics, potlucks, and other outdoor gatherings where you have to feed many. In the summer, the fresh peach dump cake and blueberry dump cake are huge hits wherever we take them.
Ingredients
- Dry cake mix: the type you find in the supermarket or grocery store, whatever brand you want. I use yellow cake mix or White cake mix for this recipe. Betty Crocker and Duncan Hines are popular ones.
- Unsalted butter.
- Store-bought canned cherry pie filling. You can add some extra fresh cherries on top if you want to add some freshness.
See the recipe card at the end of this post for quantities.
Pitting cherries
If you bake often with fresh cherries you do need a cherry pitter. It's a little gadget that will make your life easier.
It's the only part of this recipe that takes a little patience and an apron. Make sure your clothes are covered as pitting cherries means drops of cherry juice will be flying around.
How to assemble a dump cake
As the name implies, this is a dump-and-bake type of recipe.
I did change the way I make the topping using melted butter because the result is crunchier and bakes better.
During recipe testing, I had issues with the topping being too floury because the cake didn't mix well with the butter during baking. Eating dry parts of cake mix is not part of the deal.
Using melted butter corrected that immediately, and I never looked back. There are more mixing bowls to wash afterward, but I think it's worth it.
Cake mix topping
Add melted butter to the cake mix in a large bowl.
Mix with a spoon until crumbly and floury.
Assembly and baking
Open the can of cherry pie filling and dump it in the baking pan. Sprinkle topping over it. It will not cover completely.
Bake as directed until golden brown and juices bubble.
Vintage Kitchen tip: Make sure the topping is fully baked. It may be golden brown and the juices bubbling, but lift some of the dough here and there to check that it's not still wet inside.
Homemade cherry filling
Making a fresh cherry dump cake is an alternative with seasonal cherries. It comes together in 5 minutes, and the flavor is outstanding.
This filling also works with frozen cherries.
Put cherries in a saucepan and add the lemon juice, sugar, and cornstarch dissolved in water.
Cook over medium heat briefly, just until it comes to a boil. Remove and let cool before dumping it into the baking dish.
Yes, it does after it's completely cooled down. You can leave it at room temperature for several hours, but fruit desserts are best kept chilled to prevent them from fermenting too quickly and going bad.
Yes, you can! And it's a great way to plan a dessert for a gathering. The baked dump cake keeps in the refrigerator for 4-5 days, well covered in plastic wrap. Simply let it come to room temperature before serving, or slightly warm it in a medium oven and serve it with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Absolutely! And it keeps for a month. Cover it well, first in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil, and label it. Thaw at room temperature and warm slightly in a medium oven before serving.
Kitchen notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time: consider that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer(like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Type of cake mix: the amount needed is about half a box of yellow cake mix (which is the most commonly used), but white cake mix also works well with cherries. If you want to use a whole box, double the filling recipe (or use two cans of cherry pie filling) and use a larger baking dish.
- Topping: after making many dump cakes, I tried several ways of mixing the cake mix with butter, and my favorite is by far the one explained here using melted butter and a separate bowl. You can also do it the old-fashioned way, as is shown in the 3-ingredient dump cake recipe.
- Filling: make it from scratch or use store-bought pie filling; it's what gives this dessert its name. Just open a can! Doesn't get much simpler than that. I do recommend adding some extra fresh cherries. It contributes freshness and flavor to the fruit filling.
- Flavorings: you can add some almond extract, vanilla extract, or ground cinnamon to the fruit mixture, as they pair very well with cherries. A ½ teaspoon at the most so you don't overpower the flavor of the fruit.
- Ratio: I find that a lower ratio of topping to filling is ideal because the former crisps up and tastes amazing without being over-buttery. But, as with most desserts, find your own ideal combination of filling, topping, and sweetness.
- Storing: treat it like you would a crumble or crisp, keeping leftovers in the refrigerator or in the freezer, always well wrapped.
- Frozen cherry dump cake: the unbaked cherry dessert can be covered in plastic and frozen in the pan. Reheat in a preheated oven as directed in the recipe card below. It will take a little longer. Or freeze it after it's baked and completely cooled down, covered tightly.
- Nutty variation: chopped pecans or walnuts in the filling. If you add them to the topping, they might brown too much in the oven.
Related recipes you might like:
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PrintCherry Cobbler with Cake Mix (dump cake)
A super easy fruit dessert that comes together quickly (ready in under an hour) and can be made ahead. It has a layer of cherry pie filling and a cobbler-like topping made with a boxed cake mix. A simple, effortless, and delicious dessert.
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings
Ingredients
For the cherry layer:
- 2 cans cherry pie filling
For the topping:
- 2 cups yellow cake mix (see Notes for alternatives)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
- Have ready an 8x11-inch ceramic or glass dish, rectangular or oval. Or a 9-inch square or round baking dish.
For the filling:
- Wash and pit the cherries. Cut them in half.
- Place in a medium saucepan and add the lemon juice and sugar. Stir to mix and start to cook over medium heat.
- Meanwhile, completely dissolve the cornstarch in a small bowl with the water.
- Add in a thin stream to the cherries, stirring constantly, and cook for 1 minute after it starts to boil. This will cook the cornstarch and remove its floury flavor.
- Remove the cherry filling from the heat and dump into the prepared baking pan or dish.
For the topping:
- Mix the dry cake mix with the melted butter in a medium bowl until you have a crumbly mixture. It should be slightly floury.
- Sprinkle over the fruit layer. It will not cover it completely and that is fine. Don't stir it or mix it with the filling.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, until golden brown and dry and the filling bubbles around the edges, checking close to the end of the baking time by lifting the topping here and there and making sure it's completely baked inside. Bake a little longer if necessary.
- Serve warm plain, with whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream. Top with the juices from the pan and extra fresh cherries if you want to.
- Store leftovers in the pan or airtight container in the fridge for several days or freeze in a safe container for a month.
Notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and make sure you have ingredients at the right temperatures, equipment needed, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier!
- Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. Use a thermometer inside the oven (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that the temperature is right. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Type of cake mix: the amount needed is about half a box of yellow cake mix (which is the most commonly used), but white cake mix also works well with cherries. If you want to use a whole box, double the filling recipe (or two cans of cherry pie filling) and use a larger baking dish.
- Topping: after making many dump cakes, I tried several ways of mixing the cake mix with butter, and my favorite is by far the one explained here using melted butter. You can also do it the old-fashioned way, or the original one, like I do with the Cherry Chocolate Dump Cake. If using vanilla cake instead of lemon, add some lemon zest to the cake mix before adding the melted butter.
- Filling: I like making them from scratch, but store-bought pie filling works like a charm if you usually use it. Just open a can! Doesn't get much simpler than that. I do recommend adding some extra fresh cherries. It adds a lot of freshness and sometimes flavor to the fruit filling.
- Flavorings: you can add some almond extract, vanilla extract, or ground cinnamon to the fruit mixture, as they pair very well with cherries. A ½ teaspoon at the most so you don't overpower the flavor of the fruit.
- Ratio: I find that a lower topping ratio to filling is ideal because the former crisps up and tastes amazing without being over-buttery. But, as with most desserts, find your own ideal combination of filling, topping, and sweetness.
- Storing: treat it as you would a crumble or crisp, keeping leftovers in the refrigerator. You can freeze it for a month, sometimes more. Let it thaw at room temperature and warm it slightly in the oven before eating.
- Homemade cherry filling:
1.5 pounds of whole cherries
4 tablespoons brown or white sugar
4 tablespoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Flavorings, optional (see bullet point above)
Wash and pit the cherries. Cut them in half.
Place in a medium saucepan and add the lemon juice and sugar. Stir to mix and start to cook over medium heat.
Meanwhile, completely dissolve the cornstarch in a small bowl with the water.
Add in a thin stream to the cherries, stirring constantly, and cook for 1 minute after it starts to boil. This will cook the cornstarch and remove its floury flavor.
Remove the cherry filling from the heat and dump into the prepared baking pan or dish.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: â…›
- Calories: 331
- Sugar: 31.9 g
- Sodium: 255.2 mg
- Fat: 14.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 49.6 g
- Fiber: 1.8 g
- Protein: 2.5 g
- Cholesterol: 30.5 mg
Verena Rousseau says
Hi Paula.
This looks super delicious with cherries being my absolute favourite fruit. But instead of the boxed cake mix,would a streusel topping work for this dump cake? For health reasons I can't use boxed cake mix.
Thank you. Regards from Australia.
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Verena! If you use a streusel you would have a cherry crumble which is amazing. You can also try a cobbler topping like the one on the peach cobbler.