Skip to Content

Cherry Dump Cake Recipe

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Hello Sweet Tooth, Austin Carter welcomes you all to Beyond The Bayou Blog to satisfy your cravings with a delicious recipe today. The recipe for this cake is as unique as its name: Cherry Dump Cake.

Cherry Dump Cake gets its name from the method of preparing the dessert. In this recipe, the ingredients are “dumped” or layered into a baking dish without much mixing or elaborate preparation.

Cake mix is a key ingredient in this unique Cherry Dump Cake recipe. I got my eyes on this recipe on a random day scrolling my feed. Guess what? The recipe made me explore it even more.

I finally tried it one day as I was planning to serve it as an evening snack. Umm.. it was not that difficult. You will be amazed to know that it took me an hour or so to serve this to my family with a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream over it. It was quite a good experience even if the first one with this recipe.

So just grab your equipment, tie your apron, and be ready for a hearty evening snacking with your family.

What Is Cherry Dump Cake?

A dump cake is a recipe where you just dump all the ingredients into a baking dish and then bake it. No mixing batter, no cleaning or chopping up anything. Just dump the ingredients, bake, and enjoy! It’s that simple.

Making dump cakes is super easy – it’s one of the simplest desserts! Usually, you only need a few basic ingredients, like fruit filling and cake mix. Cake mix versatility allows for endless combinations and flavors.

The name “dump cake” comes from how it’s made. You just “dump” the ingredients into a baking dish, layering them without any need for mixing or complicated steps. Isn’t it easy?

As the cake bakes, everything blends together, creating a wonderfully gooey and moist dessert. People love dump cakes for being simple, versatile, and letting you whip up a homemade treat with minimal effort.

cherry dump cake recipe

Quick and Easy Cherry Dump Cake Recipe

Create a luscious Cherry Dump Cake by layering cherry pie filling, maraschino cherry juice, cake mix and almond extract in a baking dish. Top with yellow cake mix and melted butter, then bake until golden and bubbly.
3.67 from 108 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Assembly Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Calories: 400kcal
Author: Anne Carter
Servings: 12

Equipment

  • 9×13 Baking Dish
  • Mixing Spoon or Spatula
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Nonstick Spray
  • Oven
  • Sifter

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cups Maraschino Cherry Juice
  • 2 cans Cherry Pie Filling
  • 1 tsp Almond Extract
  • 3/4 cup Salted Butter
  • 1 box Yellow Cake Mix
  • Vanilla Ice Cream

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F.
  • Use nonstick spray to coat a 9×13 baking dish.
  • Pour the cherry pie filling into the baking dish.
  • Add the maraschino cherry juice and almond extract. Mix it well to make a smooth layer
  • Evenly sprinkle the cake mix over the filling.
  • Pour the melted butter all over, covering as much of the cake mix as you can.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes until it's golden brown and bubbly.
  • Allow it to sit for 15 minutes.
  • Serve it as is or with some vanilla ice cream if you like!

Notes

  • Drizzle melted butter over any areas of dry cake mix that remain after baking, and return to the oven for a further minute or two if necessary.
  • The components should not be stirred. Throw everything into the pan at once.
  • The crock pot is another viable option for this. Cook for four hours on low heat or two hours on high heat.
  • Many people find that adding pineapple makes it even tangier. Do what makes you happy; for me, it adds too much acidity.
  • Black forest dump cakes can be made with a box of chocolate cake mix.
  • Use a high-quality yellow cake mix for the best results in your Cherry Dump Cake.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 400kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 400mg | Potassium: 100mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 40g | Vitamin A: 300IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 1mg
Keyword cherry dump cake recipe, easy cherry dump cake, fresh cherry dump cake, original cherry dump cake recipe, recipe for cherry dump cake

How to Check the Cake Is Done Baking or Not?

When it comes to a recipe for cherry dump cake, The Toothpick Approach to check baking is not going to work like it does with ordinary cakes.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.
save-icon

Want to save this recipe?

Enter your email below and we'll send it to your inbox.

Plus you'll get new recipes regularly!

We tried this toothpick approach with our Fresh Apple Cake but sadly cannot try it with this one.

The surface of the dump cake should have a golden hue and have the appearance and texture of a crust; yet, once you break the crust, the cake will be moist because of the fruit.

What Are the Possible Variations?

This image shows the possible variations with cherry dump cake recipe

  • Toppings: Alternate the toppings on the cake mix. I recommend white, lemon, devil’s food, milk chocolate, chocolate fudge, or dark chocolate cake mixes, but you can use any cake mix instead of yellow.
  • Fruit variation: Discover a new fruit taste to try. Use whatever pie filling you choose instead of this one! Consider this a starting point for your recipe.
  • Tropical twist: Give it a tropical twist. To take the filling to the next level, try adding diced pineapple.
  • Refrain from: using maraschino cherry juice. To make the cherry taste explode even more, I add almond extract and maraschino cherry juice. Even without the maraschino cherry juice, the filling will be exactly right; it thickens the flavor and gives it a more cherry dimension.
  • Swap Almond extract: Feel free to use almond extract instead. Swap out the almond extract for vanilla, lemon, cherry, or strawberry if you don’t have any on hand or would rather not buy it. Another option is to omit it altogether.
3.67 from 108 votes (108 ratings without comment)
Recipe Rating




Joe

Wednesday 14th of February 2024

1g serving would be equal to the weight of a paper clip. I might splurge and have two lol!

Anne Carter

Wednesday 31st of July 2024

Hi Joe, that’s a fun way to think about it! Enjoy your splurge—two servings sound like a great treat! 😊

ChezAndy

Sunday 11th of February 2024

There are several sizes of yellow cake mix. I guess we just guess?

Anne Carter

Friday 2nd of August 2024

Hi ChezAndy, great question! For this recipe, you should use a standard 15.25-ounce box of yellow cake mix. Thanks for pointing that out—I’ll update the recipe to specify the size. Enjoy your baking!