This Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake recipe is an easy 5 ingredient classic! Made with cherry pie filling, crushed pineapple and yellow cake mix, it’s a simple dessert recipe that hits all the right notes.
This cherry pineapple dump cake recipe has been in our family for years. My mom used to make it all the time growing up and I can remember fighting with my dad over the last piece. When I first made it for my son a few years back, he was skeptical. And like most things, I told him, “give it a try.” Then I smirked, because I knew he’d love it. Of course, I was right. The kid devoured this cake in 3 seconds flat, put his plate in the sink and said “mommy that was so good… I LOVE that cake.” (He was also impressed by this Pumpkin Dump Cake!)
Why This Dump Cake Is a Family Favorite
I am a huge fan of dump cake. I like to say it’s not healthy but it’s DEFINITELY joyful. And we all need a little more joy in our lives, right!? I am a strong believer in “everything is okay, in moderation.” And for those days when you want to indulge your sweet tooth, this cherry pineapple dump cake is perfect.
- Super easy. This cake is a combination of cherry pie filling, crushed pineapple and white box cake mix. Where does the “dump” come in? Well, you literally just dump all the ingredients into a baking pan, put it in the oven and complete awesomeness awaits you!
- A surprisingly delicious combination. Cherry pie filling and pineapple may not be your first idea for a fruit pairing, but trust me, it works! They both have a flavor that’s sweet, with a slight tanginess.
- Perfect for every occasion. Whether you’re hosting a summer potluck or looking for a treat you can make for your family on a weekday, this cherry pineapple dump cake will work. It’s a great last minute dessert!
What You’ll Need
The ingredient list for this cherry pineapple dump cake is short and sweet! Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Crushed pineapple – Using crushed pineapple allows it to be more evenly distributed throughout the cake than chunks or rings.
- Cherry pie filling – The kind that comes in a can is totally fine! That’s the beauty of a dump cake, we’re not making anything from scratch.
- Yellow cake mix – This forms the topping.
- Unsalted butter – The butter melts and moistens the cake mix.
- Chopped pecans – Adds crunch and nutty flavor, but you can leave them out if you’re not a fan of nuts in your desserts
How to Make Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake
This recipe is just a matter of layering! Here’s how you’ll put it together.
- Pineapple. Add the crushed pineapple with the juice to your baking dish.
- Cherry pie filling. Add the cherries next. Spread them over the pineapple but try not to mix the two together.
- Cake mix. Sprinkle the cake mix over the pie filling.
- Butter. Cut the butter into small pieces and evenly space them onto the cake mix.
- Pecans. Scatter the pecans over the top.
- Bake. Place the dish in a 350ºF oven and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the topping is lightly browned.
Tips and Variations
Here are some tips to help you make the perfect cherry pineapple dump cake.
- Spread each layer to the edges of the pan. Like I said earlier, this recipe is crazy easy because all you do is dump everything in the pan. However, even though it is just dumping, use a spatula and make sure the pineapple, cherry pie filling, and cake mix are spread evenly and go all the way to the edges. This ensures you have the “best bite” every time.
- Evenly distribute the butter. Strategically place the pats of butter over the top of the cake so they moisten every bit of the topping as they melt. This is the key to a nicely browned crust.
- Swap out the pie filling. Not a fan of cherry pie filling? Try blueberry pie filling instead.
Serving Suggestions
I love to serve this cherry pineapple dump cake warm; I scoop it into a bowl, warm it in the microwave, and top it with vanilla ice cream so it melts and gets all saucy. Yum! A dollop of whipped cream is always good too, or just serve it as-is.
How to Store Dump Cake
- Room temperature: Store leftover cherry pineapple dump cake at room temperature in a covered baking dish for up to 3 days. You can eat it chilled, let it come to room temperature, or warm it in the microwave.
- Freezer: You can also freeze dump cake by wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap or foil in the baking dish or storing smaller portions in a freezer-safe container. It will keep for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
More Dessert Recipes
Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 10–12 1x
- Category: Cake
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake recipe is made with cherry pie filling, crushed pineapple and yellow cake mix for an easy, delicious dessert!
Ingredients
- 20 oz. can of Crushed Pineapple with juice
- 21 oz. can of Cherry Pie Filling
- 1 box of Yellow Cake Mix
- 1 stick of unsalted butter
- 1/2 of chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º degrees F.
- Dump one 20 oz. can of crushed pineapple with juice in a 9×13 baking dish.
- Dump one 21 oz. can of cherry pie filling over pineapple and spread evenly.
- Take one box of yellow cake mix and evening spread cake mix over the cherry pie filling.
- Chop up on stick of butter into small squares and spread evenly across cake mix. This will create a nice crust.
- Add chopped pecans to the top and spread over the rest of the cake.
- Place baking dish in oven for 35-45 minutes or until topping is slightly browned.
- Wait till it cools and dive in.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 340
- Sugar: 26 g
- Sodium: 327 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Carbohydrates: 57 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
66 comments on “Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake (5 Ingredients!)”
So yummy, and simple to make!
Delicious and a favorite with some friends.
So awesome to hear!
Oh dear. Bought all the ingredients today to make with the grand kids. I bought salted butter. Will that work as well.
It will, I just like to use unsalted because it allows me to control the salt content.
It was terrible, the cake mix was still powder, it was a dried gory mess. I had to throw it away.
Oh no, I’m sorry to hear that. Next time tried cutting the butter up into smaller pieces so that all of the dry cake mix is covered. It should turn into a nice crunchy topping and be delcious!
If I use a can of cherries in water, should I just drain the water? Will it be horribly different if I don’t have the “pie filling”? Maybe leave a little water?
It will definitely taste different, you may have to add sugar. The difference with the pie filling is the sugar and syrupiness of it. But you can definitely give it a try, just not sure how it will turn out.
Looking forward to trying your goodies out as I love food that is simple to put together and delicious.
This is a quick dessert, but packed with goodness!
Do you think the pineapple and cherry combination would be good with chocolate cake?
Hmmm… not sure. Probably, but you’ll have to try it and then report back if it’s good or not. I’ve always done the classic route my mom use to make.
I’ve used shredded coconut before…really good if you like coconut.
So happy you enjoyed this recipe, Lynne!
Always a crowd favorite! Wonderful for holiday celebrations, like Christmas or July 4th! We have cooked this recipe for years in my family! My mother passed the recipe on to my sister & me. In fact, my sister just had the cherry-pineapple for Christmas dinner. The red cherry is very fitting for Christmas. My personal favorite is actually the blueberry-pineapple. What’s even better is if you can, to use fresh NC grown blueberries (with sugar) instead of canned or frozen berries!!
Whether you use blueberries or cherries, this dessert is super easy, no fail, economical and always delicious! The best part about it, there is no way you can possibly mess it up!
That’s the best thing about a dump cake; they are almost impossible to mess up and always taste amazing!
It’s so easy and I add coconut on top, then the nuts.
It is so easy and soooo good!!! Love the additions!
This dump cake is going to be my contribution to the desserts for Thanksgiving. One of my granddaughters is allergic to nuts. Any suggestion for an alternative of should I just leave them out. I have tried this before; with cherries it is great for the holidays.
Ohh hurray! Yes you can just leave them out. I’ve done that before and still tastes amazing!
Made the dump cake. What a success! Next time I’ll have to make two. Some people ate two and three slices!
haha my kinda people
I love this cake. I added a dollop of cool whip on top. It was amazing.
You are speaking my love language… haha.. So glad you liked it.
I absolutely adore all the different Dump Cakes but have never tried this one yet. I bought all of the ingredients but I have 2 quick questions.
1. At the very top it says to use a White cake mix but in the pictures as well as the ingredients list it says Yellow Cake Mix. Which one should I use? I want to try to make mine look like yours.
2. Should I use the Crushed Pineapple in Heavy Syrup or the one with just juice?
I love your website and am so inspired by everything you say and do. Looking forward to making this delicious cake for my family.
OH goodness that top one was a typo. I just updated it. Use yellow cake mix and the crushed pineapple in juice for sure! Thank you so much for the sweet comment, totally made my day! 🙂
Excellent dessert! A keeper!
I made this for guests. I changed it slightly as I didn’t have pecans. I added 1.5 tsp almond extract and mixed it into the pineapple. Then sprinkled almonds on top. It was really good.
YES… love that! It’s so good!
This is my go to for my birthday desert. But I like it best cold. Puts a whole new spin on it.
You aren’t alone, my friend loves it cold too!
This needs to happen at my house very soon!!
YUM!! Love that there are only 5 ingredients! So easy!
I am drooling looking at this recipe! Cherries and pineapple’s?! This looks so delicious!
Bring on the joy! I love how simple dump cakes are. Can’t wait to dig into this one!
Oh my this looks amazing I cannot wait to try it!
What a great dessert. YUM! This looks so delicious! Is good food and this looks like one of the BEST!!
Love this. Been making it since the 80s and always a winner.
I use two sticks of butter for a really crunchy and buttery crust.
And a few more pecans.
I also make a variation with peaches and pineapple instead of cherry. Then top the cake mix and butter with a cup of brown sugar and some coconut and then pecans if you liken it’s really tropical and another winner! Thanks for your post!
oh i totally need to try the peach version! YUm!
I forgot about this recipe. My mother always made it in the 60’s. I took it recently to a work pot luck and everyone wanted the recipe. I was sort of embarassed because it’s so easy to make….they were amazed!!! I’m making it tonight and adding the coconut.
I know right! My mom made this all the time and it was my favorite! It’s so easy, that’s my favorite part!
This looks and sounds awesome. I’m stopping at the store after Church today to get the ingredients.
Can’t waite.
woohoo.. you’ll love it!
Can I use chocolate cake mix?
you could try it.. i never have but sure it would be good
Trying it now in the oven
I am totally going to put coconut on the top to toast…. Had anyone tried it with salted butter??
oh the coconut sounds amazing!
Has anyone tried cream cheese.
I put coconut in first then layer the rest. I also use regular butter, not the unsalted.
I added coconut to the mix. very good
Yum! That’s genius, totally trying that next time!
SUCH an amazing recipe. It looks absolutely mouth-watering. Doncha just love it when a group of friends discover one of your recipes and request it again and again? (Especially when it’s so simple!=) Thanks so very much for sharing at Weekend Potluck. We would really love it if you would link back to the party. Enjoy a super weekend.
Thanks so much for stopping by. Did you not see a link back on my site? I have one under the Link Parties section of my blog.. it is under Sunflower Supper Club. 🙂 I hope you have a great weekend!
Scrumptious dessert. I’ve made this many many times. The only difference with mine is addition of 1 cup grated coconut on top. Woweee! It’s delicious!
oh love the coconut on top
Krista, this looks SOOO delicious! Can you believe I’ve never made a dump cake? I think I’ve definitely been missing out, so I need to try this one! Thanks for sharing, pinning and have an awesome week! 🙂
REally! That’s crazy, then you will love it. {not only for the taste but for the ease of it} Thanks for sharing and for stopping by.. always love seeing your sweet comments.
Oooooooooo that looks so good. Drooling. 🙂
haha… thanks Gina! 🙂
Trying tonight using strawberry and pineapple:))) Can’t wait 😊 Thank you for sharing 🙏
Holy Cow that looks incredible, soooo good!
Happy Blogging!
Happy Valley Chow
Thanks! 🙂
Trying this out tonight 🤗 can’t wait! I am using strawberries and pineapple so we’ll see? Thank you for sharing:)
yumm… you’ll love it!