A simple and easy-to-make recipe that combines the sweetness of the pineapple with the buttery, cakey texture of the cake mix. They combine to create a dessert that is indulgent, juicy, and delicious, making it a popular choice for potlucks, family gatherings, and other casual events.

Three white bowls with spoons and pineapple dump cake servings on a wooden table with a striped cloth.

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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.

Also called cobbler with cake mix, they're like a sweet casserole dish.

And who doesn't love them served with a scoop of ice cream on top, right?

This is the sibling of the very popular cherry pineapple dump cake recipe and it's one of our favorites to make year-round, together with the apple dump cake.

Most use store-bought pie fillings, and this one uses canned pineapple, making it a snap to prepare.

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Why is it called a dump cake?

The original recipe uses cans of fruit pie filling, a box of cake mix, and thinly sliced cold butter pieces.

The first two are literally opened and dumped into the baking dish, hence the name.

Then 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.

I also found a way of mixing the cobbler-like topping that delivers the best results. At least in my opinion.

Spoon inside a blue ceramic dish with pineapple dump cake. Striped cloth and wooden surface.

Why make this recipe

Quick and easy. I can't emphasize enough how simple it is to make a dump cake with canned pineapple. It comes together fast and can be on the table in under an hour. A fast and convenient dessert with minimal effort.
Make-ahead. You can make it up to 2 days before and have it in the refrigerator. Or freeze it for several weeks.
Crowd-pleasing flavors: the caramelization of the butter and pineapple add a rich, indulgent taste to this dessert, with a burst of tropical flavor and a tangy sweetness that balances the overall flavor. 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 cherry dump cake are huge hits wherever I take them.

Light blue bowl on a wooden surface with serving of pineapple dump cake with cream.

Ingredient list

Dry cake mix: the type you find in the supermarket or grocery store, whatever brand you want. I like yellow cake mix, but white cake works well too.
Unsalted butter.
Canned pineapple.
Brown sugar: light or dark.
Lemon juice: to add some acidity and balance the sweetness.
Pecans.

See the recipe card at the end of this post for quantities.

White marble surface with bowls containing ingredients for pineapple dump cake including pecans, butter, lemon juice, cake mix, brown sugar.

How to assemble a pineapple dump cake

As the name implies, this is a dump-and-bake recipe.

The original topping calls for sprinkling the cake mix evenly over the fruit and then covering it with thin slices of cold butter (as shown in the chocolate cherry dump cake post).

I had some issues with the topping being too floury because the cake didn't mix well with the butter in the oven. Eating dry parts of cake mix is not part of the deal.

So I slightly changed how I make the topping and now use melted butter because the result is crunchier and bakes better.

Using melted butter corrected that immediately and I never looked back.

The filling

Pineapple pieces in a light blue rectangular ceramic dish on a white surface.

The pineapple needs to be cut into pieces small enough to eat. You can also use crushed pineapple, but it can disintegrate during baking and become mushy. I like biting into pineapple chunks but choose your favorite.

The filling ingredients are simply mixed together in a bowl and dumped into the baking dish.

Baking

To make the topping: pour the melted butter into the cake mix in a large bowl and stir until crumbly and floury. That's it!

The topping will not cover the fruit completely and that is fine, as the juices need space to bubble as the dessert bakes.

A rectangular ceramic light blue baking dish with pineapple dump cake before baking. White marble surface.

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.

Baked pineapple dump cake in a rectangular blue baking dish. Wooden surface and striped cloth.

Does pineapple dump cake need to be refrigerated?

You can leave it at room temperature for a day. After that, it's best to refrigerate it. Fruit desserts are best kept chilled to prevent them from fermenting too quickly and going bad.

Can you make a dump cake ahead of time?

Yes, you can! And it's a great way to plan a dessert for a gathering. The baked dump cake will keep for 4-5 days in the refrigerator, 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. I don't recommend serving it straight from the fridge; reheating it first is the best way.

Close up of partial view of blue dish edge with pineapple dump cake. Wood surface, striped cloth.

Can you freeze a pineapple dump cake?

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.

Is dump cake supposed to be gooey?

The filling can be gooey as it forms a syrup when it bakes. A dump cake has a soft, syrupy, and juicy fruit layer topped by a buttery and somewhat floury topping.

Is it better to melt butter for dump cake?

It's not the traditional way and depends if you like the topping crunchier or more floury. I favor melting it and that's how I use it in my dump cake recipes. The topping integrates better as it bakes. Sometimes, the cake doesn't mix well with the butter in the oven. Eating dry parts of cake mix is not what I aim for. But if you do like a floury topping, don't melt it and use the old-fashioned way of topping the cake mix with thin slices of cold butter.

Serving of pineapple dump cake in a white bowl with a bronze spoon on a wooden table.

Kitchen 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.
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, as I do with the chocolate cherry dump cake.
Filling: I like making the cherry filling from scratch, but store-bought works like a charm if you usually use it. Just open a can! Doesn't get much simpler than that.
Ratio: I find that a lower topping ratio to filling is ideal because it's crisper 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.

Let me know in the comments below if you made this recipe and loved it and if you had issues so we can troubleshoot together. I love to hear what you think, always. Thanks for being here. It's much appreciated.
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