With just 5 ingredients, this super easy cherry pineapple dump cake recipe is sure to become your go-to dessert for cookouts, potlucks, and every other occasion... Just dump, spread, sprinkle, dot, and bake!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Pillsbury™. The opinions and text are all mine.
Right now you might be wondering, "What is a dump cake"? Well, hold on to your butts (as my 10-year-old would say), because I'm about to rock your world with what is genuinely one of the simplest desserts on the planet.
Okay, so I'll admit dump cake is not the most appetizing name, and it's true (most) dumps cakes are probably not going to win any awards for beauty.
But what they're lacking in name and appearance, they totally make up for in ease of preparation and FLAVOR! How easy? Let's just say I've been making this cherry pineapple dump cake since I was about ten years old...
"This pineapple cherry dump cake is so easy!"
It’s a go-to recipe for any holiday gathering and is always a hit!
Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake Ingredients
At their most basic, dump cakes are nothing more than a box of cake mix with some fruit filling. This cherry pineapple dump cake recipe only calls for 5 ingredients:
- 🍰 Boxed yellow cake mix
- 🍒 Canned cherry pie filling
- 🍍 Canned crushed pineapple
- 🧈 Butter
- 🥜 Chopped pecans
In fact, you may even have all of these ingredients in your pantry right now!
Really, the most thought you'll have to put into this recipe is in choosing which cake mix to use. My recommendation? Pillsbury Moist Supreme Yellow Premium Cake Mix — you can find it easily in the baking aisle of just about every grocery store (picked mine up at Kroger!), and I know I can count on it for consistent results in all of my dump cake recipes.
Beyond that, you just dump the ingredients into a pan, spread, and bake. Can it get any easier than that?! I mean, the oven does all of the work for you. Still don't believe me? Just watch the cherry pineapple dump cake video and prepare to be amazed...
How To Make A Dump Cake
This pineapple dump cake with cherries just might be the very first cake I ever made on my own. My grandma brought the recipe home from her "club" and walked me through it once.
From then on, I made it pretty much weekly when we stayed at her house on Friday nights. And don't ask me what her club was all about, because I have absolutely no idea what they did there, LOL. Played cards maybe?
Anyhow, because it's SO simple, this dump cake with cherry pie filling and pineapple is perfect for making with your kids...
- Step 1: Start by buttering your cake pan or baking dish. Then dump the crushed pineapple in and spread.
- Step 2: Dump the cherry pie filling on top of the crushed pineapple layer and spread it out.
- Step 3: Dump the dry yellow boxed cake mix over top of the pineapple and cherry layers and spread it evenly to the edges.
- Step 4: Dot cold sliced squares of butter all over the top.
- Step 5: Sprinkle chopped pecans over the butter from edge to edge.
- Step 6: Bake at 350 degrees for 48-53 minutes, until bubbly and golden brown around the edges.
Are you sensing a theme here? DUMP cake!
Expect your house to smell AMAZING and that, one by one (if they didn't help), your kids will come out of hibernation in their rooms to ask what you're making. At least that's what went down here yesterday!
Cherry Dump Cake For The Win!
So what do you think? TOTAL crowd pleaser — am I right?! This pineapple cherry dump cake has everything going for it: it's easy-peasy, delicious, and it travels well, which makes it ideal for summer cookouts and potlucks. Serve it hot, warm, cold, or with a scoop of ice cream even.
The one constant? The dish will most definitely be scraped clean... So don't plan on leftovers!
Printable Recipe ↓
Easy Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake
Key Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 (15.25-ounce) package yellow cake mix
- 1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple in 100% juice
- 1 (21-ounce) can cherry pie filling
- ¾ cup salted butter cut into thin slices (1 ½ sticks)
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 350℉. Grease a 13x9-inch cake pan or baking dish with butter.
- Dump the undrained crushed pineapple into the cake pan and spread into an even layer. Pour the cherry pie filling over top and and spread evenly over the pineapple. Sprinkle the dry yellow cake mix over the pineapple and cherry layers and spread level out.
- Dot the squares of butter all over the cake mix layer. Sprinkle chopped pecans over top.
- Bake at 350℉ for 48-53 minutes, until bubbly and golden brown around the edges. Serve hot, warm, or cold, with or without a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Video
Featured Products
More Boxed Cake Mix Recipes
If you like this cherry pineapple dump cake recipe, you might also enjoy these other recipes made with boxed cake mixes:
- Box Brownie Recipe For Cookies
- Pumpkin Dump Cake Recipe
- Layered Boston Cream Cake (made w/ angel food cake mix!)
- Funfetti Birthday Cake Cookie Recipe (made w/ yellow cake mix!)
- DIY Easy Bake Oven Recipes (your choice of cake mix!)
- Ice Cream Cupcake Cones (skip Olympic torch instructions and frost!)
Did you make this recipe?
I'd love to see how your cherry dump cake turns out... Tag me @Unsophisticook on Instagram or use the hashtag #Unsophisticook so I can check it out. Enjoy!
Sue Zuniga says
Super easy and crowd loved it. I don't bake but I tried it and sucess.
Dianne M says
My daughter doesn't eat gluten or dairy. So I used a GF yellow cake mix (from Aldi but probably any brand will work) and dairy free margarine. It is a wonderful easy GF & DF dessert!
Stephanie A Courtney says
Made this for a large gathering for a charity event. There were many desserts available and I was pleased to see this one was gone quickly!
Suzie says
Family and friends loved it and ask for it at all gatherings
Mia Hendricks says
Pineapple cherry dump cake is so easy. It’s a go-to recipe for any holiday gathering and is always a hit!
Linda says
Can I use chocolate cake mix and blueberry pie filling?
Tara Kuczykowski says
Hi Linda - I've never tried this combination, but as long as you're using the same amounts, I don't see why it wouldn't work.
Elana Hall says
Easy and delicious. This recipe has become a go to.
Debra S says
It’s was delicious! Made it for Memorial Day everyone loved it!
Kim says
Can I substitute chopped pretzels for the pecans? We have a nut allergy.
Tara Kuczykowski says
Hi Kim - haven't tried this, but it sounds like it would be a tasty substitute!
KarenL1967 says
Loved this whole recipe; super easy. I didn't have crushed pineapple, I only had tidbits and used them with the juice, also used walnuts instead of pecans. It was really good!!
Karen Moss says
My cake stayed gooey even after cooking it 15 more minutes. It tasted like dough. What went wrong ?
Tara Kuczykowski says
Hmm, I've never had that happen... What kind of cake mix did you use? Also, just to verify — you didn't mix everything together, right? The cake mix just gets sprinkled over the cherry and pineapple layer, then topped with the slices of butter.
Wendy Morowitz says
I needed to make this sugar free. I didn’t have any pineapple, so I used two cans of cherry pie filling and sugar-free cake mix. I can’t wait to get eat this for Thanksgiving looks yummy. I added a little extra butter.
Mary Laird says
The butter recipe cake mix is also better.
Mary Laird says
Spoon the pie filling over the pineapples and spoon 2 sticks of melted butter over the pecans and dry cake mix. Makes the dump cake perfect.
Tammi says
Can I use white cake mix? I don’t have yellow?
Tara Kuczykowski says
Hi Tammi — sure, I don't see why not. The flavor will be very slightly different, but it should still be delicious!!
Tracy says
I'm making this for the first time for Thanksgiving. I looked through a million recipes and kept coming back to this! Easy peasy and sounds absolutely yummy!
Tara Kuczykowski says
Hope you loved it, Tracy!! It’s definitely very easy to make.
Mary says
Very easy and very, very tasty! This is definitely going in my save file! When figuring calories my count was 392 per serving (12 total servings).
Tara Kuczykowski says
Thanks, Mary — so glad you enjoyed it!!
Nannette says
My mother makes this and it is so wonderful!
Angel Wilson says
I make the cherry pineapple dump cake but use the sour tart cherries either canned or frozen due to the fact I'm allergic to the high sulfite content in the maraschino cherries. It is very good and I top mine with homemade cinnamon whipped cream. I use the sour tart cherries in anything I would have used the maraschino cherries in. Except my moms fruitcake cookies which is a beloved Christmas gift to her many friends every year. I use the dried sour cherries for these. I actually use some of the canned tart cherries in my cranberry salad along with the usual list of ingredients that mirror yours. And the sour tart cherries are very healthy for you. Especially if you have a tendency towards gout like some men in my family. They actually sell an organic tart cherry juice just for that.
Tara Kuczykowski says
Thanks so much for this info, Angel — it might help another reader down the line! The cinnamon whipped cream sounds lovely. I'll have to try that!
J21353 says
@Angel Wilson, the recipe calls for cherry pie filling, not maraschino cherries. Are you allergic to the pie filling?
Mellissa says
Do you refrigerate this after not
Tara Kuczykowski says
Hi Melissa! I never have — it has plenty of sugar in it, which is a natural preservative.
J21353 says
@Tara Kuczykowski, I made mine with sugar free cake mix, sugar free cherry pie filling, and crushed pineapple in its own juice. It is delicious. Do I need to refrigerate it?
Tara Kuczykowski says
I've never refrigerated it, but you can if you want to.
Sandi says
The bright color from the cherries make this look amazing and flavorful!
Beth says
Yummmm I absolutely can't wait to make this!
Allyson Zea says
Pineapple is my favorite during the summer! this looks fantastic!
Sandi says
The bright color from the cherries make this look amazing and flavorful!
Kim- TodaysCreativeLife says
Dump cakes are my love language!
Jaide says
This looks so easy! Yes please!
Carissa Nelson | Spoonful of Easy says
This is so my kind of recipe - easy and delicious! Plus I love that there aren't any fussy steps, just dump and go! Can't wait to try it!
Sabrina says
Doesn't get any easier than this! Love it!
Jamielyn says
This looks so easy and delicious!!
Marie says
Oh, dump cakes are my favourite, and there's so much you can do with them. I don't think I've ever seen one with nuts before, but cherry and pineapple is a perfect combination.
Jamielyn says
This looks so easy and delicious!!
Marie says
Oh, dump cakes are my favourite, and there's so much you can do with them. I don't think I've ever seen one with nuts before, but cherry and pineapple is a perfect combination.
Amanda says
I've never tried a dump cake before, but it does sound really good. I love how easy it is - great when everyone wants dessert, but I'm feeling a little lazy. hehe
Amanda says
I've never tried a dump cake before, but it does sound really good. I love how easy it is - great when everyone wants dessert, but I'm feeling a little lazy. hehe
Neli Howard says
I LOVE how easy and delicious this is! Good idea! Looks very tasty! I am going to make this! This recipe really impresses! I really like! Thank you!!!
Lisa Huff says
Love how easy dump cakes are to make! This looks heavenly and hard to believe only 5 ingredients!
Marisa says
This takes me back. Love the simple, delicious recipe!
sue | the view from great island says
These cakes have always fascinated me, but I've never had the guts to try one. I love cake mixes, they have the best texture...I think I'm finally going to take the plunge and try this, love the flavors!
rebecca says
what a great idea! love how simple this recipe is
Neli Howard says
I LOVE how easy and delicious this is! Good idea! Looks very tasty! I am going to make this! This recipe really impresses! I really like! Thank you!!!
Lisa Huff says
Love how easy dump cakes are to make! This looks heavenly and hard to believe only 5 ingredients!
Marisa says
This takes me back. Love the simple, delicious recipe!
rebecca says
what a great idea! love how simple this recipe is