How to Make a Cherry Dump Cake with Only 5 Ingredients
Updated: Jul. 28, 2022
No mixing bowl? No problem! With this cherry dump cake recipe, you'll still have dessert on the table in no time!
Cherry cobbler is an all-time favorite dessert. Nothing compares to juicy cherries paired with a tender cake topping. But even though it’s fairly simple to put together a cobbler, we love to take a shortcut to make dessert even faster. Hello, cherry dump cake!
This quick cake resembles a cherry cobbler, with a fruity base and a golden, buttery cake topping. It’s made with just five ingredients, but 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.
The Best Cherry Dump Cake Recipe
This easy cherry dump cake recipe uses cherry pie filling and one box of white cake mix as the base. Salted butter is added to create the topping, while enhancing the flavor. The almond extract and brown sugar are optional, but both additions take the flavor of this simple cake to the next level.
Ingredients
- 1 (30-ounce) can cherry pie filling
- 1 box white cake mix
- 1-1/2 sticks salted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
Directions
Step 1: Add the cherry filling
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Pour all of the cherry pie filling into the dish and spread evenly with a spatula.
Step 2: Top with cake mix
Dump the bag of white cake mix on top of the filling and gently press down evenly with your hands.
Step 3: Pour the butter and bake the cake
Mix together the melted butter and almond extract. Pour the butter evenly over the cake mix. Sprinkle the top with brown sugar. Put the baking dish in the oven and bake for 55 minutes. Once baked, remove the cake from the oven to cool slightly. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
How to Make Cherry Dump Cake Your Own
The best thing about making a dump cake is that there’s no mixing bowl required. It’s as easy as dumping ingredients straight into the baking dish and putting it in the oven! What makes dump cake recipe ideas even better is the option to customize the flavor.
While this cake was made with cherry pie filling and a white cake mix, it is possible to mix and match with other fillings and toppings. You could add crushed pineapple to the cherries, or use a yellow cake mix or chocolate cake mix instead. Consider sprinkling mini chocolate chips or crushed nuts on top for even more added texture and flavor. The possibilities are endless!
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Whip up a pan of these festive bars in just 20 minutes with staple ingredients and cherry pie filling. Between the easy preparation and pretty color, they're destined to become a holiday classic. —Jane Kamp, Grand Rapids, Michigan
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One of the reasons that we love this impressive-looking recipe is that it's easy to make. We prepare the crepes and filling in advance, and assemble them and add the topping just before serving. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen Cherry Cheese Cupcakes
Our church Christmas party always includes these pretty cupcakes as my home-baked contribution. The holidays were the sweet inspiration for their cheery garnish of cherries. —Leanne Beagley, Rochester, New York Homemade Cherry Crisp
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Here’s an ooey-gooey treat that’s just right for campfires and cookouts. —Josh Carter, Birmingham, Alabama
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When I was a nurse, my coworkers and I regularly swapped recipes during lunch breaks. This creamy cheesecake was one of the best I received. —Georgiann Franklin, Canfield, Ohio 
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You can make this fruity dessert on your stovetop, but to really impress your guests, simmer it in an electric skillet right at the dinner table. There’s no more convenient way to enjoy the fruits of the season. —Patricia Frerk, Syracuse, New York 
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If you're thinking about pulling out all the stops for a dessert that says wow, look no further. This cherry-crowned beauty—stacked layers of chocolate cake and cream filling—will have everyone talking. —Doris Grotz, York, Nebraska 
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An extra-rich chocolate chip cookie dough and crescent roll topping provide a tasty twist on a classic cherry cobbler. Serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. —Jeanne Holt, St. Paul, Minnesota 
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This kolache recipe was given to me by my mother-in-law, who received it from her mother! It was a standard treat in their family, made nearly every week. Now I make these kolaches for my own family for special occasions. —Maxine Hron, Quincy, Illinois 
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With their dark chocolate flavor and cherry and cream topping, these waffles add a fancy touch to brunch with very little effort. —Edith Johnson, Fruita, Colorado 
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My mother-in-law loves chocolate-covered cherries, and I used to make this chocolate cherry dump cake every year for her birthday. Now we've moved away, but I make this for my kids on her birthday and they still feel near her. —Angela Lively, Conroe, Texas 
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I serve this cherry cake for holidays because it's so festive and easy. No one will know your secret is adding a package of cherry gelatin to a boxed cake mix! —Margaret McNeil, Germantown, Tennessee Cherry Cream Cheese Dessert
Pretty layers of graham cracker crumbs, tasty filling and fruit topping make these cream cheese desserts a standout! For a nice change, you can substitute blueberry pie filling or another fruit flavor for the filling called for in the recipe. —Melody Mellinger, Myerstown, Pennsylvania
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A friend gave me this recipe several years ago. She said a local minister's wife fixed it every Sunday, so she named it accordingly —Mary Ann Potter, Blue Springs, Missouri 
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This pretty pink mixture, rich with yummy fruit and nuts, is sure to disappear in a hurry. It’s a sweet and speedy treat that can be served as a dessert or salad. —Anne Powers, Munford, Alabama 
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When I was growing up, this yummy, easy dessert was always on the menu at holiday get-togethers. Years ago, my aunt gave me the recipe, and now when I make it for my family, I think of her. —Janice Rathgeb, Brighton, Illinois 
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This tangy sweet spread is "jam-packed" with lots of cherry flavor, plus a hint of rhubarb. My mother gives jars of it to friends during rhubarb season—it's so delicious on toast and muffins. —Faye Sampson, Radcliffe, Iowa 
Overnight Cherry Danish
These rolls with their cherry-filled centers melt in your mouth and store well, unfrosted, in the freezer. —Leann Sauder, Tremont, Illinois 
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This is a good dish to carry to potlucks and parties. It's a hit at home, too - my husband rates it as one of his favorite desserts. —Debbi Smith, Crossett, Arkansas 
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This delightful, stress-free pie combines cranberries with convenient cherry pie filling for a fresh, fun flavor. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen 
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Speed up prep time for these sandwich cookies by using chocolate wafers from the cookie aisle. You can even make them ahead of time if you need a few extra minutes to decorate for a party. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen Cherry Rhubarb Crunch
My husband's grandmother gave me this recipe, along with a bundle of rhubarb, when we were first married. I had never cared for rhubarb, but after trying this dessert, I changed my mind. Now my children dig in, too! —Sharon Wasikowski, Middleville, Michigan
