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    Home » What We're Eating » Aunt Bee's 5-Minute 5-Ingredient Cherry Dump Cake

    Aunt Bee's 5-Minute 5-Ingredient Cherry Dump Cake

    Published: Dec 18, 2018 by Blair Lonergan

    Jump to Recipe
    Long collage image of Cherry Dump Cake

    This tried-and-true family recipe could not be any easier! Just combine 5 ingredients in a cake pan, bake it in the oven, and Aunt Bee's 5-Minute Cherry Dump Cake is warm, bubbly, and ready to be enjoyed. There are no mixing bowls required, and the entire dessert comes together in one dish!

    Overhead image of two bowls of cherry dump cake with vanilla ice cream on top

    Long before "dump cakes" took over the internet, my great Aunt Bee shared this easy cherry cake recipe with me. I had never heard of a dump cake, but I was intrigued -- because I'm a fan of any dessert that only requires about 5 minutes of effort! I have since learned that Aunt Bee's recipe is a twist on the old-fashioned Duncan Hines Cherry Dump Cake; however, in my mind, this "family recipe" will always belong to Aunt Bee!

    Close up image of turquoise mug filled with cherry dump cake and vanilla ice cream

    What is Cherry Dump Cake?

    It's got a funny name, so let's first explain what I mean by "dump cake." While it starts with a box of yellow cake mix, this dessert is really more like a Cherry Dump Cobbler or a Cherry Crisp with Cake Mix, because the cake batter and nuts form a buttery crumb topping over the cherry and pineapple filling.

    The name of the dessert probably gives it away, but basically you are just dumping 5 ingredients into a cake pan and baking them together in the oven. That's it! You don't have to pull out a single mixing bowl, spatula, or whisk! This is one of those recipes that is perfect for busy moms like myself who want to share comforting recipes with their families, but who don't always have the luxury of time. And believe me -- you're not sacrificing quality or taste in this easy recipe!

    How to Make Cherry Dump Cake:

    Let's start with the 5 ingredients for this Cherry Dump Cake with pineapple and pecans: a box of yellow cake mix, pecans, a can of crushed pineapple, a can of cherry pie filling, and butter.

    5 ingredients for cherry dump cake

    First, spread the pineapple (in its juice), in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.

    Canned crushed pineapple spread in glass baking dish

    Spoon the cherry pie filling on top of the pineapple,

    Spooning cherry pie filling over pineapple

    and sprinkle the dry cake mix over top.

    Dry cake mix on top of pineapple and cherry filling

    Thinly slice a stick of butter,

    Thinly sliced stick of butter on a cutting board

    and arrange the butter in a single layer on top of the cake mix. Make sure that you slice the butter into very thin pieces so that you have enough squares to cover the entire cake. You don't want any larger gaps between the butter squares because you want the butter to melt and cover all of the cake mix.

    Overhead image of squares of butter on top of dump cake

    How long do you bake Cherry Dump Cake?

    Bake the dump cake in a 350 degree F oven for 35 minutes. After 35 minutes, remove the cake from the oven, sprinkle chopped pecans on top, and return the cake to the oven for about 10 more minutes, or until the nuts are toasted and the topping is golden brown.

    I like to wait to add the pecans at the end of the baking time because I find that they burn and get too dark if you put them on top of the cake at the beginning.

    Chopped pecans on a cutting board

    The end result is a cross between a cake, a cherry cobbler and a cherry crisp! You have a delicious, buttery crumb topping and warm, juicy fruit underneath. Trust me -- this cherry dump cake recipe is heavenly!

    Baked cherry dump cake in a glass baking dish

    How to make Cherry Dump Cake in the Crock Pot:

    If you prefer to use a slow cooker to "bake" your cake, follow the same instructions but cook the cake on HIGH for 3 ½ - 4 hours. Since the lid of a Crock Pot causes condensation to drop back down onto the cake, I recommend placing a few layers of paper towels just under the lid in order to absorb that additional liquid.

    Blue bowl of cherry dump cake with scoop of ice cream on top

    Does Cherry Dump Cake have to be refrigerated?

    I prefer the dump cake when it's served warm. If you have leftovers, you can refrigerate the extra dump cake for a few days or you can leave a baked dump cake on the counter at room temperature for about 1-2 days. Refrigerating the cake extends the life of the leftovers!

    Can you freeze Cherry Dump Cake?

    Yes! To preserve the leftover cake for even longer, you can freeze the dump cake for up to 3 months. Thaw the frozen dump cake in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat the refrigerated dump cake in the microwave for about 30 seconds, or until the cake reaches your desired temperature.

    Close bowl of ice vanilla ice cream melting on top of warm cherry dump cake

    What to serve with Cherry Dump Cake:

    You've just got to serve this dump cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream on top! The cool creamy contrast with the warm cake is to-die-for!

    COOK'S TIPS AND RECIPE VARIATIONS:

    • Make sure that you slice the butter into very thin pieces so that you have enough squares to cover the entire cake. You don't want any larger gaps between the butter squares because you want the butter to melt and cover all of the cake mix.
    • I like to wait to add the pecans at the end of the baking time because I find that they burn and get too dark if you put them on top of the cake at the beginning.
    • You've just got to serve this dump cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream on top! The cool creamy contrast with the warm cake is to-die-for!
    • Make a Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake by using a chocolate cake mix instead of a yellow cake mix!
    • Substitute your favorite flavor of pie filling for the cherry flavor. Instead of a cherry dump cake, try a Blueberry Dump Cake or a Strawberry Dump Cake! Apple pie filling with a spice cake topping would also be divine!

    Turquoise bowl with warm cherry dump cake, spoon and vanilla ice cream on top

    Other easy cake recipes that you might enjoy:

    • 3-Ingredient Chocolate Strawberry Dump Cake for Two
    • 5-Ingredient Ice Cream Sandwich Cake
    • Orange Pineapple Fluff Cake
    • Claudia's Easy Triple Chocolate Cake
    • Chi-Chi's Famous White Texas Sheet Cake
    Print Pin
    4.86 from 7 votes

    Aunt Bee's 5-Ingredient 5-Minute Cherry Dump Cake

    Just combine 5 simple ingredients in a cake pan, bake it in the oven, and Aunt Bee's 5-Minute Cherry Dump Cake is warm, bubbly, and ready to be enjoyed!
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Keyword cherry dump cake, easy cherry cake recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Cook Time 45 minutes
    Total Time 50 minutes
    Servings 12 people
    Calories 342kcal
    Author Blair Lonergan

    Ingredients

    • 1 (20 ounce) can of crushed pineapple (not drained)
    • 1 (21 ounce) can of cherry pie filling
    • 1 (15.25 ounce) package of yellow cake mix
    • 1 cup of pecans finely chopped
    • 1 stick (½ cup) cold butter
    • Optional, for serving: vanilla ice cream; whipped cream

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    • Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
    • Spread pineapple in its juice evenly into the prepared pan.
    • Spoon pie filling over the pineapple.
    • Sprinkle DRY cake mix evenly over the mixture.
    • Slice the chilled butter into very thin squares and place the squares evenly over the dry cake mix.
    • Bake for 35 minutes.
    • Remove cake from oven, sprinkle chopped pecans over top, and return to the oven for 10 minutes (or until golden brown and the nuts are toasted). Serve warm.

    Notes

    COOK'S TIPS AND RECIPE VARIATIONS:
    • Make sure that you slice the butter into very thin pieces so that you have enough squares to cover the entire cake. You don't want any larger gaps between the butter squares because you want the butter to melt and cover all of the cake mix.
    • I like to wait to add the pecans at the end of the baking time because I find that they burn and get too dark if you put them on top of the cake at the beginning.
    • You've just got to serve this dump cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream on top! The cool creamy contrast with the warm cake is to-die-for!
    • Make a Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake by using a chocolate cake mix instead of a yellow cake mix! 
    • Substitute your favorite flavor of pie filling for the cherry flavor. Instead of a cherry dump cake, try a Blueberry Dump Cake or a Strawberry Dump Cake! Apple pie filling with a spice cake topping would also be divine!
    How to make Cherry Dump Cake in the Crock Pot:
    If you prefer to use a slow cooker to "bake" your cake, follow the same instructions but cook the cake on HIGH for 3 ½ - 4 hours. Since the lid of a Crock Pot causes condensation to drop back down onto the cake, I recommend placing a few layers of paper towels just under the lid in order to absorb that additional liquid.
    Does Cherry Dump Cake have to be refrigerated?
    I prefer the dump cake when it's served warm. If you have leftovers, you can refrigerate the extra dump cake for a few days or you can leave a baked dump cake on the counter at room temperature for about 1-2 days. Refrigerating the cake extends the life of the leftovers!
    Can you freeze Cherry Dump Cake?
    Yes! To preserve the leftover cake for even longer, you can freeze the dump cake for up to 3 months. Thaw the frozen dump cake in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat the refrigerated dump cake in the microwave for about 30 seconds, or until the cake reaches your desired temperature.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1/12 of the cake | Calories: 342kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 339mg | Potassium: 161mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 365IU | Vitamin C: 6.4mg | Calcium: 97mg | Iron: 1.2mg

    This post was originally published in February, 2015. It was updated in December, 2018.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Maria

      February 02, 2015 at 8:40 am

      This looks so good! I had a friend who used to make a very similar recipe, and it was a pure comfort food dessert! This looks just wonderful!

      Reply
    2. Diana Rambles

      February 04, 2015 at 8:38 pm

      Looks YUMMY!

      Reply
    3. Bess

      February 05, 2015 at 2:13 pm

      Love this!

      Reply
      • Blair

        February 05, 2015 at 5:06 pm

        Thanks, Bess!

        Reply
    4. Annemarie

      February 05, 2015 at 5:50 pm

      5 stars
      I use to make this dump cake a lot, only difference I would melt the butter, pour it over cake mix, then top with walnut pieces and coconut. Once baked, and cooled a bit, I'd top with cool whip

      Reply
      • Blair

        February 05, 2015 at 6:03 pm

        Your version sounds delicious too, Annemarie!!

        Reply
      • Serena

        October 16, 2019 at 5:00 pm

        Sounds great but whoever heard of leftover cake? Lol

        Reply
      • Rose

        November 13, 2021 at 1:09 pm

        Do you have to use the crushed pineapple ?
        I’m every variety of dump cake as well?

        Reply
        • Blair Lonergan

          November 13, 2021 at 5:31 pm

          Hi, Rose! The pineapple adds not only flavor, but also liquid and a good amount of bulk to the filling. If you choose to omit the pineapple, you'll need to replace it with something similar. An extra can of pie filling would probably work, but it won't be quite as moist.

          Reply
    5. Thao @ In Good Flavor

      February 05, 2015 at 9:08 pm

      This cake looks delicious and quite addicting. You'd never know by looking at it that it takes only 5 minutes to prepare, which makes it a perfect recipe to have in your back pocket.

      Reply
      • Blair

        February 06, 2015 at 5:51 am

        Thanks, Thao!!

        Reply
    6. Mary Jean Nielsen

      February 05, 2015 at 10:19 pm

      5 stars
      This looks wonderful!! Can't wait to try it! I'm wondering if you can use apple pie filling instead? Thanks for the wonderful ideas!

      Reply
      • Blair

        February 06, 2015 at 5:51 am

        Hi, Mary Jean! I've never used apple pie filling myself, but I'm sure it would work great. It would taste like an apple cobbler!! 🙂

        Reply
        • Kris Sanders

          June 28, 2016 at 11:55 am

          5 stars
          I made one with apple pie filling yesterday, and my bachelor buddies went nuts. I sprinkled the filling with brown sugar and cinnamon and on the top of the cake mix. Awesome! I like the idea of melting the butter. Perhaps that would solve the problem of dry cake mix spots.
          Will try this cherry one with my fresh cherry pie filling with almond extract and almonds!

          Reply
          • Blair

            June 29, 2016 at 1:27 pm

            I'm so glad to hear it was a hit, Kris! Thanks for letting me know!

            Reply
          • Pat Green

            February 25, 2020 at 1:29 pm

            I made this yest for a friend’s birthday. I nearly didn’t take it because the top was very gooy. I put it back in the oven for a bit & that helped a little bit. Then instead of calling it cake it became cherry dessert. Everybody loved it.

            Reply
    7. Diane Ugo

      February 06, 2015 at 5:27 am

      Another great recipe, I'll give this a try. Pinning, Diane @ Mrs U Makes.

      Reply
      • Blair

        February 06, 2015 at 5:49 am

        Thanks, Diane!!

        Reply
    8. Debbie

      February 06, 2015 at 3:59 pm

      Anyone try this recipe with a gluten-free yellow cake mix?? Would be interested in how it turned out and tasted.

      Reply
      • Blair

        February 06, 2015 at 4:01 pm

        I haven't tried that, Debbie, but I bet it would work well!

        Reply
    9. Danielle

      February 07, 2015 at 8:18 pm

      This looks absolutely divine!! Thank you for sharing! I love quick and easy recipes, especially for such a yummy dessert! 🙂

      Reply
      • Blair

        February 08, 2015 at 9:03 pm

        Thanks so much, Danielle!

        Reply
    10. Misty Nicole Roberts

      February 07, 2015 at 9:46 pm

      4 stars
      I love, love, love this! Thanks for linking this up this week at Merry Monday's!

      Reply
      • Blair

        February 08, 2015 at 8:59 pm

        Thanks so much, Misty! 🙂

        Reply
    11. Kim @ Cozinest

      February 08, 2015 at 12:19 pm

      I just pinned this to my Cooking For Two board because of its simplicity! I'd completely forgotten about dump cakes. We used to make these for a soup kitchen to feed the homeless. It is warm, comforting and delicious. Thanks for a sweet reminder!

      Reply
      • Blair

        February 08, 2015 at 8:58 pm

        That's so great, Kim! Thanks for the pin, and I'm glad to have sparked a good memory! There's nothing better than a classic, oldie-but-goodie recipe!

        Reply
      • connie land

        September 12, 2020 at 11:46 pm

        5 stars
        I forgot about dump cakes, too, so I haven't made one in 15 years, can hardly wait!

        Reply
        • Blair

          September 13, 2020 at 5:15 am

          I'm so glad that you'll get to enjoy one again! 🙂

          Reply
    12. Ange

      February 08, 2015 at 4:17 pm

      I must have done something wrong since the crust was still powdery when I took it out of the oven. I did swirl it all together and put back into oven for 10 minutes and then it was yummy.

      Reply
      • Blair

        February 08, 2015 at 8:56 pm

        Thanks for the tip, Ange! I'm not sure why it would have been powdery, but I'm glad that some extra time in the oven fixed the problem. 🙂

        Reply
    13. Eva Ianaro

      August 18, 2017 at 2:16 pm

      Thanks for your recipe ;). Yesterday I saw a young boy do a 3 Ingredient Peach Cobbler in the Instant Pot (https://youtu.be/SX0NqXBTvas). Just love dump cake recipes but was amazed you could do in the Instant Pot too .... may have to give the cherry one a whirl in the IP too but 1st ...... I have your recipe in the oven now 😉

      Reply
      • Blair

        August 18, 2017 at 7:47 pm

        That's a great idea! I don't have an instant pot, but I'm very tempted to get one. 🙂

        Reply
    14. Lori

      October 29, 2017 at 6:24 pm

      Blair, Can I use white cake mix or does it have to be yellow?

      Reply
      • Blair

        October 29, 2017 at 6:25 pm

        Hi, Lori! Yes, white cake mix (or any other similar flavor) will work just as well! 🙂

        Reply
    15. Lori

      October 30, 2017 at 3:42 am

      Thank you Blair, can't wait to make it! Looks delicious!

      Reply
      • Blair

        October 30, 2017 at 6:27 am

        Great! Enjoy, Lori!

        Reply
    16. Cheri Gray

      February 17, 2018 at 9:56 am

      I can’t wait to try this! Our community in FL are always having “carry in dinners” and sometimes on short notice, so this recipe will work just great!

      Reply
      • Blair

        February 17, 2018 at 5:39 pm

        Wonderful! It's perfect for that type of occasion, Cheri! Enjoy. 🙂

        Reply
    17. Ruth

      January 15, 2019 at 4:59 am

      I've had cherry dump cake before but i really want to try the apple pie filling with the spice cake. I can't wait ????

      Reply
      • Blair

        January 15, 2019 at 6:06 am

        Doesn't that sound great, Ruth? I want to make one soon, too!

        Reply
    18. James Elliott

      January 31, 2019 at 7:02 am

      Tried cherry dump cake. It was great while it was warm but the next morning the crust was very hard. What’s the answer

      Reply
    19. Donna Jones Smith

      May 27, 2019 at 8:00 am

      Sounds great. My husband while visiting our son in Stockton, MOnade one of these. He was excited when he returned home to share the recipe with me. He thought it was great. So I’m making one today for our Memorial Day dessert.

      Reply
      • Blair

        May 27, 2019 at 12:35 pm

        Perfect! I'm so glad that you'll get to enjoy it, Donna!

        Reply
    20. Kristine

      March 26, 2020 at 5:53 pm

      5 stars
      This was really good. Took to work yesterday and everyone loved it and understood why I needed to get it out of my house, couldn’t leave it alone.

      Reply
      • Blair

        March 27, 2020 at 5:49 am

        Thanks, Kristine! It's dangerously goooood! 🙂

        Reply
    21. Linda Szymoniak

      April 05, 2020 at 7:15 pm

      With us social distancing, I have been trying to make something for dessert about once a week. My husband is crazy for anything cherry and he actually liked the mixed berry cobbler I made that was similar to this, so I know he's love it. My first thought, though, is could slivered or chopped almonds work instead of pecans? I just think of almonds when I think of cherries.

      Reply
      • Blair

        April 05, 2020 at 7:42 pm

        Hi, Linda! Absolutely -- almonds would be perfect!

        Reply
    22. Yorke

      October 21, 2020 at 3:59 pm

      Can I use white cake mix?

      Reply
      • Blair

        October 21, 2020 at 6:30 pm

        Absolutely! Enjoy. 🙂

        Reply
    23. Nanette

      October 16, 2021 at 1:33 pm

      When I use apple pie filling I add Carmel sauce and oh my goodness it’s so good.

      Reply
      • Blair Lonergan

        October 16, 2021 at 4:42 pm

        That sounds amazing, Nanette! You can't beat the apple-caramel combo!

        Reply
    24. Priscilla

      February 24, 2022 at 1:11 pm

      5 stars
      Hooked on these EASY dump cakes ! Have tried most combos ! Spice cake w/apple pie was a HIT & also w/carrot cake--I've used French vanilla cake mix in so many different ones ! Just need VERY EASY & QUICK now @ 84 !!!

      Reply
      • Blair Lonergan

        February 24, 2022 at 1:17 pm

        Thank you, Priscilla! 🙂

        Reply

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