Cherry Dump Cake

Our Cherry Dump Cake is an easy, dump-and-go dessert made with cherry pie filling, dry cake mix, and melted butter baked until golden and bubbly. Top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for or the perfect finishing touch.

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Why You’ll Love This Cherry Dump Cake Recipe

• Ready in under an hour with zero fuss
• Juicy cherries and buttery cake in every bite
• Warm, gooey, and straight from the oven
• No batter to mix or dough to make—just layer and bake
• Easy to customize with your favorite filling or toppings like nuts or coconut

Ingredients Notes

• Cherry pie filling: Cans of cherry pie filling are ready-to-use, flavorful, and make this recipe extra simple. Prefer fresh or frozen cherries? You can substitute 4 cups of either—just mix them with ½ to ¾ cup sugar and 1–2 tablespoons cornstarch to help balance the sweetness and thicken the juices.
• Vanilla: Adds warmth and depth to the filling. For extra flavor, try a mix of vanilla and almond extract—the almond brings out the natural cherry flavor beautifully.
• Yellow cake mix: Yellow cake mix works best for its rich flavor that balances the tart cherries and vanilla. White or gluten-free cake mix also works using the same method.
• Unsalted butter
• Whole milk

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to Make Cherry Dump Cake

Making this cherry dump cake couldn’t be easier—it’s a no-mixer, one-dish recipe with minimal prep and maximum flavor. Just layer, pour, and bake!

1. Preheat and Prep The Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Mix the Filling: In a medium bowl, combine the cherry pie filling and vanilla extract. Stir until evenly mixed.
3. Spread and Sprinkle: Pour the cherry mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle the dry yellow cake mix evenly over the cherries—do not stir.
4. Add Butter and Milk: In a separate bowl, stir together the melted butter and milk. Slowly pour this mixture over the top of the cake mix. Don’t stir the layers together!
5. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for about 50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and bubbling around the edges.
6. Serve: Let it cool slightly, then scoop and serve warm. Top with vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream for a truly comforting dessert.

Recipe Tips

• Don’t stir the layers: Let everything bake as layered—no stirring. The butter soaks into the dry mix to form a golden, crisp topping.
• Drizzle butter evenly: Pour slowly to cover the dry cake mix. Uncovered spots can stay powdery, so aim for full coverage. Gently press any dry areas if needed.
• Spread layers evenly: Level the cherry filling and sprinkle the cake mix evenly to help it bake consistently.
• Let it rest before serving: Cool for 10 to 15 minutes before scooping. It thickens as it sits and pairs perfectly with ice cream or whipped cream.

Storage and Reheating Tips

• In The Refrigerator: Once cooled to room temperature, cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap, aluminum foil or transfer the leftovers to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• In The Freezer: Because of the fruit and cake mix texture, cherry pie filling dump cake doesn’t freeze well—it’s best enjoyed fresh or within a few days.
• Reheat in the Oven: To preserve the buttery topping, reheat in the oven at 325°F for 10–15 minutes. This helps maintain texture better than the microwave.
• Microwave option: In a pinch, you can reheat individual servings in the microwave for 30–45 seconds. Just know the topping may soften.

More Easy Dump Cake Recipes

There are endless possibilities when it comes to dump cakes—just swap out the cake mix and fruit filling! Here are some of our other favorite flavor combinations:

• Caramel Apple Dump Cake Recipe
• Blueberry Dump Cake
• Peach Dump Cake
• Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake
• Peach Cobbler with Cake Mix

If you’ve tried this Cherry Dump Cake Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it turned out in the comments below.

5 from 17 votes

Cherry Dump Cake

Author — Jennifer Fishkind

Serves — 12

Cherry dump cake is a quick and easy dessert made with cherry pie filling, yellow cake mix, melted butter, and sliced almonds. Bakes into a golden, bubbly treat—pairs perfectly with a scoop of ice cream!

PrintRatePin Save Saved

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Video

Ingredients

 

• ▢ 42 ounce (2 21-ounce cans)cherry pie filling
• ▢ 1 teaspoon 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 15.25 ounce box yellow cake mix
• ▢ 1 cup unsalted butter melted
• ▢ ½ cup whole milk

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• In a medium bowl, mix both cans of cherry pie filling together with the vanilla and pour into the baking dish. Use a spatula to make sure the entire dish is covered in an even layer.
  42 ounce (2 21-ounce cans)cherry pie filling, 1 teaspoon 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pour the dry yellow cake mix evenly over the top of the cherries.
  15.25 ounce box yellow cake mix
• In a medium bowl, stir together the melted butter and milk.
  1 cup unsalted butter, ½ cup whole milk
• Slowly pour the butter and milk mixture over the top of the entire dry cake mix layer making sure there are no large pockets of dry cake mix showing. If there are, take a spoon and gently push the dry mix under the butter mixture. Do not stir the layers together.
• Bake for 48 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
• Serve warm with ice cream or whipped topping.

Jenn’s Notes

Storage:

• In The Refrigerator: Once cooled to room temperature, cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap, aluminum foil or transfer the leftovers to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• In The Freezer: Because of the fruit and cake mix texture, cherry pie filling dump cake doesn’t freeze well—it’s best enjoyed fresh or within a few days.
• Reheat in the Oven: To preserve the buttery topping, reheat in the oven at 325°F for 10–15 minutes. This helps maintain texture better than the microwave.
• Microwave option: In a pinch, you can reheat individual servings in the microwave for 30–45 seconds. Just know the topping may soften.

Tips:

• Let everything bake as layered—no stirring. The butter soaks into the dry mix to form a golden, crisp topping.
• Pour slowly to cover the dry cake mix. Uncovered spots can stay powdery, so aim for full coverage. Gently press any dry areas if needed.
• Level the cherry filling and sprinkle the cake mix evenly to help it bake consistently.
• Cool for 10 to 15 minutes before scooping. It thickens as it sits and pairs perfectly with ice cream or whipped cream.

Nutrition Info

Calories: 389kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 286mg | Potassium: 141mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 693IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 1mg

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I hope that you and your family like this easy cherry dump cake as much as my family and I do! With all 5 ingredients having a long shelf life- there’s no reason it shouldn’t be in your normal rotation of easy dessert recipes!