Cherry Dump Cake
If you love warm, fruity desserts but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen, this cherry dump cake is about to become your new go-to treat! Made with a handful of store cupboard ingredients (including canned cherry pie filling and boxed cake mix – because we’re all about making things as easy as possible for this recipe!), you’ll love just how simple it is to put together, and how impressive it looks and tastes.
No mixing, no complicated steps—just dump, bake, and enjoy! The result? A golden, buttery topping with a bubbling, sweet cherry filling underneath. Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the ultimate cozy dessert.
Whether you need a last-minute treat for a party, a quick weeknight dessert, or something fun to make with kids, this easy cherry dump cake delivers big flavor with minimal effort.
Ingredients
- Cherry pie filling: I use canned to keep things super simple, but you can use homemade if you prefer!
- Boxed yellow or white cake mix: I use Betty Crocker, but your favorite brand will work just fine too
- Unsalted butter
- Brown sugar
- Carob fruit syrup or agave syrup
- Vanilla extract (optional)
- Optional toppings: whipped cream or vanilla ice cream
Step-by-Step Instructions for Making This Cherry Dump Cake
I’ve included a recipe card for you at the bottom of this post – it’s printable, so can refer to it in your kitchen as you make it, if you prefer to do things that way! Here, I’m going to share some handy process shots to help guide you through…
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Prepare the Baking Dish: Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Add Cherry Filling: Spread the cherry pie filling evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish. If your filling is a little too tart (taste test to find out!), then stir through the brown sugar.
- Add Cake Mix: Evenly sprinkle the dry cake mix over the cherry filling. Do not stir; let it sit on top!
- Drizzle Butter: Pour the melted butter evenly and carob syrup over the top of the cake mix. Make sure to cover as much of the cake mix as possible for even baking.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 45-55 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and bubbly. The edges may be slightly crisp, which is perfect!
- Cool and Serve: Let the dump cake cool for a few minutes. Serve warm, topped with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired.
Variations on Cherry Dump Cake
I love this recipe just as it is, served with vanilla ice cream. If you want to get a bit more creative though and really make this cake your own, here are some ideas you might want to try:
- Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake – Swap the vanilla cake mix for chocolate cake mix for a rich, Black Forest-inspired twist.
- Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake – Add a can of crushed pineapple (drained) along with the cherry pie filling for extra sweetness and a tropical vibe.
- Almond Cherry Dump Cake – Stir a teaspoon of almond extract into the cherry pie filling and sprinkle sliced almonds on top for a nutty crunch. If you love the flavors of bakewell, you’ll love this one!
- Cinnamon Sugar Twist – Sprinkle cinnamon and brown sugar over the cake mix before baking for a warm, spiced flavor.
- Mixed Berry Dump Cake – Add frozen or fresh blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries to the cherry filling for a mixed berry variation.
- Cherry Cheesecake Dump Cake – Drop spoonfuls of softened cream cheese over the cherry filling before adding the cake mix for a creamy cheesecake-style dessert.
Cherry Dump Cake
Ingredients
- 1 can cherry pie filling or 4 cups of homemade cherry pie filling
- 1 box yellow or white cake mix
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp carob fruit syrup or agave syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract optional
- Optional toppings: whipped cream or vanilla ice cream
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Spread the cherry pie filling evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish. If your filling is a little too tart (taste test to find out!), then stir through the brown sugar
- Evenly sprinkle the dry cake mix over the cherry filling. Do not stir; let it sit on top!
- Pour the melted butter and carob syrup over the top of the cake mix. Make sure to cover as much of the cake mix as possible for even baking.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 45-55 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and bubbly. The edges may be slightly crisp, which is perfect!
- Let the dump cake cool for a few minutes. Serve warm, topped with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired.
If you’ve tried this recipe, I’d appreciate it so much if you could take a minute to leave a quick review in the comment section below – it helps me to understand more about what you love and the desserts you want to make, so I can create more recipes for you to enjoy!
