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Cherry Dump Cake is the easiest dessert you will ever make, just dump cherry pie filling and cake mix into a dish, top with butter, and bake until golden and bubbly. I make this on busy weeknights when my girls want something sweet, and it disappears as fast as our easy peach upside down cake.
If you love a warm, fruity dessert with almost zero effort, this dump cake is about to become your go-to.
Cherry Dump Cake Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 5 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 50 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 55 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 12 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 379kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Sweet, jammy cherry with a buttery golden cake topping
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, beginner-friendly like our peach upside down cake
Quick Answer
To make a Cherry Dump Cake, pour cherry pie filling into a 9×13 baking dish and stir in a little maraschino cherry juice and cherry extract if you like. Sprinkle a box of dry yellow cake mix evenly over the top, then pour melted butter all over the cake mix to saturate it. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes until golden brown and bubbly, then let it rest before serving.
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- No mixing bowl required. You build the entire dessert right in the baking dish, so there are no bowls or mixers to wash.
- Butter makes the topping. Pouring melted butter over the dry cake mix is what creates that crispy, golden, cobbler-like crust.
- Cherry pie filling does the work. Canned cherry pie filling brings instant sweet-tart flavor and a jammy texture with zero prep.
- A flavor boost from extract. A splash of maraschino cherry juice and a little cherry extract deepen the cherry flavor so it does not taste flat.
- Foolproof every time. There is no batter to measure or overmix, so this dessert turns out perfectly even for brand-new bakers.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It comes together in 5 minutes with just a handful of pantry ingredients.
- The contrast of warm, jammy cherries and a buttery golden topping is pure comfort.
- It is the ultimate easy dessert for potlucks and weeknights, right alongside our no bake key lime eclair cake.
Key Ingredients
Here is all you need for this Cherry Dump Cake. See the recipe card below for exact measurements.
- Cherry Pie Filling: Two cans give you a thick, jammy, sweet-tart cherry layer with no chopping or cooking.
- Yellow Cake Mix: Sprinkled on dry, it bakes into a tender, buttery, cobbler-like topping.
- Salted Butter: Melted and poured over the cake mix, it creates the crisp golden crust.
- Maraschino Cherry Juice: An optional splash deepens the cherry color and flavor.
- Cherry Extract: A little goes a long way to boost that real cherry taste, much like our raspberry no bake cheesecake bites.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
This Cherry Dump Cake is endlessly easy to change up.
- Different fruit: Swap in apple, blueberry, peach, or strawberry pie filling.
- Add crunch: Sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts over the cake mix before baking.
- Chocolate cherry: Use a chocolate or devil’s food cake mix for a black forest twist.
- More easy desserts: Turn the same dump-and-bake method into our apple and blackberry crumble vibe.
How to Make Cherry Dump Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and pour the cherry pie filling into a 9×13 baking dish.
- Add the maraschino cherry juice and cherry extract if using, then stir to combine.
- Smooth the cherry filling out into an even layer across the bottom of the dish.
- Sprinkle the dry yellow cake mix evenly over the cherry filling.
- Pour the melted butter all over the top, trying to saturate as much of the cake mix as possible.
- Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until golden brown on top and bubbly, then let it sit for 15 minutes before serving.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Saturate the cake mix. Try to cover as much of the dry mix as possible with butter so you do not end up with powdery spots.
- Use the back of a spoon. Gently dab any dry patches of cake mix with extra melted butter before baking.
- Do not stir after layering. Keep the cherry, cake mix, and butter in distinct layers so the topping bakes up crisp.
- Let it rest. Cooling for 15 minutes lets the filling set so it is not soupy when you serve it.
- Watch for golden brown. The topping should be deep golden and the edges bubbling before you pull it out.
- Serve it warm. Cherry Dump Cake is best warm with a scoop of ice cream melting on top.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
This Cherry Dump Cake is meant to be served warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream melting into the cherries, much like our peach upside down cake.
It is a fantastic make-and-take dessert for potlucks, holidays, and family dinners. Set it out next to our cherry topped mini cheesecakes and key lime eclair cake for an easy dessert spread.
Leftovers are just as good the next day. Warm a serving in the microwave and add fresh ice cream, or enjoy it cold straight from the fridge for a sweet, jammy treat.
Cherry Dump Cake FAQs
Powdery spots mean some of the cake mix did not get coated in butter. Pour the melted butter slowly and evenly, and dab any dry patches with a little extra melted butter before baking.
No, both are optional. They deepen the cherry color and flavor, but the dump cake is still delicious with just the cherry pie filling and cake mix.
Yes. Yellow cake mix is classic, but white, butter, or even chocolate cake mix all work. Chocolate makes a fun black forest version.
Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days. Warm individual servings in the microwave, or enjoy it cold straight from the fridge.
It is best fresh and warm, but you can bake it a day ahead and reheat it. You can also assemble the layers and bake it just before serving.
Yes. Cool it completely, then freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat before serving.
Looking for more easy, crowd-pleasing desserts? Try our peach upside down cake or a apple and blackberry crumble next.
Need an easy dessert for a crowd? Our peanut butter cake feeds 15 and tastes amazing.
Craving warm fruit and ice cream? Our blackberry crisp is a summer must make.
Cherry Dump Cake
Ingredients
- 42 ounces 2 21 ounce cans cherry pie filling
- ⅓ cup maraschino cherry juice optional
- 1 teaspoon cherry extract optional
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- ¾ cup salted butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Pour the cherry pie filling into a 9×13 baking dish.
- Add the maraschino cherry juice and cherry extract if using. Stir to combine and smooth out the filling into an even layer. If you are not using the cherry juice or extract, just smooth out the canned pie filling in an even layer.
- Sprinkle the cake mix over the filling evenly.
- Pour the melted butter all over the top, and try to saturate as much of the cake mix as possible.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes until golden brown on top and bubbly. Let sit for 15 minutes and serve.
Notes
- I add the maraschino cherry juice and extract for an extra explosive flavor of cherry, it is so amazingly flavorful and JUST WORKS. But this is optional.
- Other extracts can be used, see my suggestions above.
- Other cake flavors can also be used, again see above for ideas.
- Top with any of your favorite toppings, we love ice cream.
- This can be frozen, see above on how to do that.
- Let this sit for about 15 minutes to fully set up.
Nutrition
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