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Easy Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake

This Pineapple Cherry Dump Cake has just 5 ingredients. Ridiculously EASY! @natashaskitchen

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This Pineapple Cherry “Dump” Cake has just 5 ingredients and is probably one of the easiest desserts you’ll ever make. I admit the name isn’t all too appealing, but you literally just “dump” the ingredients into the pan. There’s no stirring, beating, or prep involved that you’d normally expect when baking a dessert. It’s easy peasy. Pair this dump cake with vanilla ice cream and you have yourself one super tasty, crowd-pleasing cake.

I first tried this cake at a party and it was made by a gal in our church, Tanya M, who got the recipe from her sister Natalya K, who got the recipe from a friend, Tanya O. When a recipe makes its way around the block, you know it’s gonna be a good one! Thank you ladies for passing it along :).

This Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake has just 5 ingredients. Ridiculously EASY! @natashaskitchen

Ingredients for Cherry Dump Cake:

20 oz crushed pineapple, undrained (we used Dole)
21 oz cherry pie filling (we used Duncan Hines)
1 pkg moist yellow cake mix (we used Betty Crocker)
1/2 – 1 cup shaved almonds or chopped walnuts
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

This Pineapple Cherry Dump Cake has just 5 ingredients. Ridiculously EASY! @natashaskitchen

How to Make a Dump Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350˚. Butter bottom and sides of a 9×13 inch baking pan.

2. Dump pineapple with juice and spread into bottom of pan. Top with cherry pie filling.

Pineapple Cherry Dump Cake-2

Pineapple Cherry Dump Cake-3

3. Sprinkle the top evenly with dry cake mix, add nuts if using then drizzle the top with melted butter. Bake uncovered at 350˚F for 55-60 min or until bubbly and browned.

Pineapple Cherry Dump Cake-4

Pineapple Cherry Dump Cake-5

Pineapple Cherry Dump Cake-6

Pineapple Cherry Dump Cake-7

Easy Pineapple Cherry Dump Cake

4.87 from 23 votes
Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
This Pineapple Cherry Dump Cake has just 5 ingredients. Ridiculously EASY! @natashaskitchen
This Pineapple Cherry "Dump" Cake has just 5 ingredients and is probably one of the easiest desserts you'll ever make. I admit the name isn't all too appealing, but you literally just "dump" the ingredients into the pan. There's no stirring, beating, or prep involved that you'd normally expect when baking a dessert. It's easy peasy. Pair this dump cake with vanilla ice cream and you have yourself one super tasty, crowd-pleasing cake.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients 

Servings: 8 Servings
  • 20 oz crushed pineapple, undrained (we used Dole)
  • 21 oz cherry pie filling, we used Duncan Hines
  • 1 pkg moist yellow cake mix, we used Betty Crocker
  • 1/2 - 1 cup shaved almonds or chopped walnuts
  • 1/2 cup 1 stick butter, melted

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350˚. Butter bottom and sides of a 9x13 inch baking pan.
  • Dump pineapple with juice and spread into bottom of pan. Top with cherry pie filling.
  • Sprinkle the top evenly with dry cake mix, add nuts if using then drizzle the top with melted butter. Bake uncovered at 350˚F for 55-60 min or until bubbly and browned.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Pineapple Cherry Dump Cake
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $9-$12

 

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This Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake has just 5 ingredients. Ridiculously EASY! @natashaskitchen 

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Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

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Read comments/reviewsAdd comment/review

  • Molly
    May 6, 2022

    This turned out horribly. The cake mix didn’t all bake in with the butter, mostly where it was higher over cherries, so there were patches of browned baked cake mix. When we served it, where it wasn’t powdery, it was mushy. Now the next day most of the cake layer is complete slimy mush. The empty areas of the pan where we cut pieces from is filled with pineapple juice. If I were to make this again, which I highly doubt, I would drain most of the pineapple and instead of pouring melted butter I would lay thin slices of butter to cover the top.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      May 9, 2022

      Hi Molly, I’m sorry to hear it didn’t work out for you. I haven’t had that happen – did you possibly change or substitute any of the ingredients or proportions?

      Reply

  • Emme
    January 20, 2022

    Wish I’d read the comments before making this- the top definitely needs a better distribution of butter (which would change it from 100% dump cake, I guess… but maybe the liquid from the pineapple could be the middle layer?). Generally, toasted almonds are a great addition, the cake tastes great with vanilla ice cream, cake mix comes out powdery in places the butter didn’t reach.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 20, 2022

      Thank you so much for sharing your feedback with us, Emme!

      Reply

  • Liz
    March 25, 2021

    Natasha,
    Can this be put together earlier in the day and then baked later that same day?

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      March 29, 2021

      Hello Liz, I honestly haven’t tried making this recipe that way to advise but I imagine that should be fine.

      Reply

  • Jeri
    February 24, 2021

    It’s in the oven now!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      February 25, 2021

      I hope you love it! Please share with us how it goes.

      Reply

  • Stephanie
    October 4, 2020

    Oh my goodness, this dump cake is to die for, Natasha! I followed the exact directions and I must say it’s a hit at my house! The almonds are a wonderful tasty addition and they toast so nicely! What a delicious flavor this cake has. We ate it warm with coconut whipped topping sprayed on top and it was fabulous! I’ll definitely make it again! Love your recipes, Natasha!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      October 5, 2020

      I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!

      Reply

  • Tamie Wren
    May 18, 2020

    Made this today, it was amazing. Hubby loved it. I made it as written and enjoyed every bite of it.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      May 19, 2020

      Glad to hear that Tamie. Thanks for sharing that with us!

      Reply

  • BK Bates
    February 2, 2020

    Natasha, is a dump cake suppose to be cake like or gooey on the inside? You can guess I don’t do much cooking!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      February 3, 2020

      Hi, the cherry portion is supposed to be gooey while the cake portion is more baked.

      Reply

  • Mary
    September 1, 2019

    I put cake mix, butter, little brown sugar and pecans in food processor, pulse a few times then spread over fruit…..no more cake mix that didn’t get butter! I have made this cake for at least 30 years, always a favorite! Love all your recipes, Natasha!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      September 2, 2019

      Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m so glad you enjoyed that.

      Reply

  • Chris
    April 12, 2019

    Dump cakes are always a hit. I try different cake flavors. Recently did the cherries/pineapple with a coconut cake mix, very good. A while back, after have many dishes that required “drizzling or patting” butter on top, and it never turning out “just right”, I started doing this and it was a game changer. Put a stick of butter in the freezer for a while, then use a flat cheese grater to evenly distribute over the top… it’s heavenly! Everyone thought it was mozzarella cheese lol. It allows that nice browning and crispness with every single bite.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 12, 2019

      I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!

      Reply

  • theresa faling
    March 1, 2019

    does it need to be re/frigerated?.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      March 2, 2019

      Hi Theresa, the leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of days

      Reply

  • Cindy Culp
    November 21, 2018

    Nice blog!!
    I am making this for Thanksgiving, 2018. i used to make it literally decades ago. So I looked up to make sure I had details right
    . I was thinking about trying VANILLA cake mix but no pineapple (husband doesn’t like pineapple) . Hope it’s not too dry! Thanks ladies for reviews

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      November 21, 2018

      I hope you love it, Cindy!

      Reply

  • Sarah
    November 6, 2018

    HAs anyone mixed this all together and baked to see how it would come out? I’m curious

    Reply

  • Pam
    October 7, 2018

    Amazingly easy,I changed the layering I found starting with cherry filling on bottom then using a sifter to add cake mix followed by pineapple tidbits and drizzling butter on top eliminated dry cake mix . I didn’t use coconut or nuts because family didn’t like those ingredients. Really good with ice cream

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      October 7, 2018

      Thank you for sharing this with us, Pam!

      Reply

  • Contrary Mary
    July 7, 2018

    This is a classic recipe for pot luck meals. This time i used a cherry chip cake mix on top of pineapple and cherry pie filling. I topped it with chopped pecans and shredded coconut. I drizzled the top with 1 stick of melted butter to which i added half cup of coconut oil. I can’t wait until it’s time to eat!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 7, 2018

      That sounds amazing, Contrary! Thank you for sharing that with us!

      Reply

  • Amber
    July 6, 2018

    This cake is soo simple to make! And super delicious too!
    I omitted the nuts, as some people I planned on serving it to have allergies.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 6, 2018

      That’s so great Amber! I love that you planned ahead for your guests, so thoughtful! I’m happy you enjoyed this cake!

      Reply

  • Zoe
    August 1, 2017

    I can’t have nuts so I was wondering what would be a good topping to replace the nuts. Any suggestions?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      August 2, 2017

      You might just omit them or maybe try some kind of seed like pumpkin seeds?

      Reply

    • Erika
      February 19, 2018

      I tried this recipe with shaved sweetened coconut flakes (instead of the nuts), and it was amazing.

      Reply

  • Vivian Rhines
    June 7, 2017

    Tried this recipe. Disappointed ther was not enough moisture and the cake mix was only dry floured caiei mix. I put butter on top and followed directions.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      June 7, 2017

      Hi Vivian, I’ve never had that experience before so I’m not sure what could have gone wrong. Was the size of the baking dish different or maybe the proportions were altered? I hope that helps! It’s difficult to say without being there.

      Reply

      • Jenny Krepps
        September 21, 2018

        I have had that happen to me (and I have made it many times). I decided to completely cover the top of the cake mix with pats of butter (overlapped the pieces). That worked well.

        Reply

        • Natashas Kitchen
          September 21, 2018

          Thanks for sharing that Jenny!

          Reply

    • amy
      March 4, 2018

      I had that problem too. I believe my pan was a little big. I added pats of butter to the dry spots while cooking and it worked.

      Reply

  • Gail Payne
    May 27, 2017

    Do you have to use butter? How about applesauce? Trying to cut calories. I already use lite cherries and sugar free cake mix

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      May 27, 2017

      Hi Gail, I really haven’t tested that substitute so it is difficult to guess. If you try it, let me know how it goes 🙂 Sorry I can’t be more helpful!

      Reply

      • Gail Payne
        May 28, 2017

        I did substitute dollops of chunky applesauce, for the butter. Added pecans on top. FABULOUS! Great , Thank you!

        Reply

        • Natasha's Kitchen
          May 28, 2017

          My pleasure Gail! I’m glad the substitution worked out, thanks for sharing!

          Reply

  • Maddy
    May 13, 2017

    How many calories in a serving

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      May 14, 2017

      Maddy, I don’t typically include calorie counts because of the time constraint that I have. I really need to hire some help to do that for me! When I need a quick answer though; I have used Caloriecount.com (their recipe analyzer is free).”

      Reply

  • CakenGifts
    April 22, 2017

    Best Pineapple Cake ever!!!…and so simple!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      April 22, 2017

      Thank you!

      Reply

  • patricia
    January 23, 2017

    This cake is from back in the 1980’s !!!!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      January 23, 2017

      LOL! It is so good!! 🙂

      Reply

    • Ciny
      February 28, 2018

      try before that….we were eating this in the 70’s…it can be made with any pie filling and we added crushed pecans to the top….always with the pineapple and yellow cake mix and two sticks of real butter!!! It was a go to favorite at pot lucks… 🙂

      Reply

      • Natasha
        natashaskitchen
        February 28, 2018

        Thank you for sharing!! 🙂

        Reply

  • Leigh
    October 2, 2016

    Has anyone tried this recipe with chunk pineapple? I have company coming and have the cherry filling and cake mix but no crushed pineapple…..
    Ok…. I will be brave and go for it…. No time to get to the store…. Wish me luck….!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 3, 2016

      I think chunk pineapple would work. Let me know how you like it!

      Reply

    • Mary
      July 20, 2017

      I just used that crushing tool on a 20 oz. can of pineapple pieces.

      Reply

  • Maria Mammano
    June 28, 2016

    i want to make this the night before our gathering. is that recommended?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      June 28, 2016

      Hi Maria, I think it’s best eaten the same day it’s made. It presents best on the day it’s made.

      Reply

  • Vee
    June 11, 2016

    OMG! So good. Used triple chocolate cake mix. Told hubby to hide it before I eat it all. So easy.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      June 11, 2016

      Oh wow I had never thought to use chocolate cake. Yum!!

      Reply

      • Priscilla
        July 17, 2016

        Did you use the pineapple or 2 cans of cherries?

        Reply

        • Natasha
          natashaskitchen
          July 17, 2016

          Hi Priscilla, I use both:
          20 oz crushed pineapple, undrained (we used Dole)
          21 oz cherry pie filling (we used Duncan Hines)

          Reply

  • Jackie
    February 23, 2016

    My cherries in the pie filling were very tart so with the pineapple it seemed just right to me ! I had several Duncan Hines cake mixes on hand none of which were yellow so I used a Pineapple Supreme … That mix is a little sweet but to me it was absolutely delicious !!! Must be enjoyed with ice cream !

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      February 23, 2016

      Yes it’s definitely nice to have tart cherries to cut through the sweetness of the cake. Thank you for sharing your great review! 🙂

      Reply

  • Rita
    February 3, 2016

    Making it right now, the smell is incredible! Can’t wait to taste it!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      February 3, 2016

      I hope you love it!! I can imagine how nice your kitchen smells right now 🙂

      Reply

  • Karissa
    January 11, 2016

    My Aunt made this for our Christmas gathering and oh my it was tasty!! I told her she had to send me the recipe! It reminded me of Pineapple upside down cake (a fav) I can’t wait to make this myself!!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      January 11, 2016

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂

      Reply

  • Tanya Clark
    January 9, 2016

    I have made this alot. I add coconut before almonds. Really good, and all the flavors really go together. Love it!! Oh and I use butter cake mix. I like it better for some reason.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      January 9, 2016

      Tanya, thank you for the nice review and I really like the idea of adding coconut 😀

      Reply

  • Viktoriya
    June 5, 2015

    I have made this cake over 5 times, everyone loves it!!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      June 5, 2015

      That’s awesome!! I’m so happy you love it 🙂

      Reply

  • Tanya
    May 17, 2015

    Do you have to add pineapple to the cake or are there other substitutes I can use?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      May 17, 2015

      I haven’t tried it without pineapple and haven’t seen it made with anything else. The cake needs the liquid from the pineapple in order to bake properly. You could probably replace it with another canned fruit; I just haven’t tested anything else.

      Reply

  • Olya shem
    April 8, 2015

    I read the comments before making it, and was a little nervous because Tanya said it was too sweet. I still made it, and was pleasantly surprised. Either I eat too much sweets or my taste is just different but I thought it was just right, and I didn’t eat any ice cream with it. The pineapple gave it a little tang which paired well with the sweetness of the cherries.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      April 8, 2015

      Olya, thank you for such a great review, I’m glad you liked it :).

      Reply

  • Tanya
    March 31, 2015

    I’m eating this as I write my review and I gotta say I’m kinda disappointed:/ this dessert is way too sweet and I usually like sweet but this is over powering.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      April 1, 2015

      Unfortunately there isn’t a way to cut back on the sugar unless you buy canned fruit that is reduced sugar. It doesn’t seem as sweet when served with vanilla ice cream. Have you tried it that way?

      Reply

      • Tanya
        April 1, 2015

        Yes I ate it with ice cream, that was the only way I was able to eat some of it. But on a happy note my husband liked it and I was surprised by that lol

        Reply

  • Rookie With A Cookie
    March 31, 2015

    This looks so easy and fun to do!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      April 1, 2015

      It really is. You could probably make it with your eyes closed; lol. 😉

      Reply

  • Sowmya
    March 30, 2015

    The layers look amazing

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      March 30, 2015

      Thank you Sowmya :).

      Reply

  • Luby
    March 30, 2015

    Great recipe, also substitution the butter for vegan butter and using a cake mix without dairy products makes a great vegan dessert:)

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      March 30, 2015

      Thank you Luby for sharing how to make it a vegan dessert :).

      Reply

  • ElizabethS
    March 30, 2015

    This sounds really easy and yummy. I love that you have a mix of Slavic and American recipes on here! I think I’m going to experiment with making homemade cake mix so I can have it on hand for recipes like this!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      March 30, 2015

      That’s a great idea! If you come up with something awesome, let me know! 🙂

      Reply

  • Катя
    March 28, 2015

    Привіт 🙂 сьогодні готувала цей пиріг з морозивом. Вийшов смачний, дітям дуже сподобався, але я поставила 4 зірки, тому що для мене засолодкий. Але неймовірно легко і швидко було готувати, прекрасне рішення коли потрібно щось швидко. Дякую, Наташа, за прекрасні і смачні рецепти!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      March 28, 2015

      Hi Katya 🙂 I’m so glad to hear your children loved it! Thank you for sharing your review.

      Reply

  • Oksana
    March 28, 2015

    Wow!! Awesome!! Now this is my kinda cake! Already have everything needed in the pantry! ☺️☺️Thanks!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      March 28, 2015

      I love it when that happens! 🙂

      Reply

  • Mary B Hennessey
    March 28, 2015

    Do you think you can make this with a packaged gluten free cake mix?

    I HOPE so.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      March 28, 2015

      I haven’t tried it, but I don’t see why not. If you try it, please let me know how it goes! My sister is also gluten free and I’m sure she’d be very happy to know also 🙂

      Reply

  • malisha
    March 28, 2015

    Hey Natasha,
    Congratulations on your beautiful new addition to the family! I must say this looks sooo yummy! I really would love to eat this,but I can’t.However I can make this for my family.My second oldest daughter loves cherries.Their her favorite! As for me I’m on a diet away from processed foods and dairy as well as sugary foods. I have TMAU it’s a rare disorder. I would like to know if I can still cook some of your yummy dishes that maybe low in choline? Thanks a lot!!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      March 28, 2015

      I’m so sorry to hear that you have that disorder :(. I’m not super familiar with a low choline diet. It seems like meats and eggs are very high in choline. What foods are on the low choline list?

      Reply

  • Gloria
    March 28, 2015

    Any suggestions if you can’t use nuts.

    Also, congratulatiobs on the birth of your beautiful baby girl.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      March 28, 2015

      Thank you so much Gloria! You can leave the nuts out and it will still taste great. I’ve seen it done with and without nuts. It’s just a topping so it won’t alter the recipe much to leave them out.

      Reply

  • Katy @ Her Cup of Joy
    March 28, 2015

    I love dump cakes! I recently tried a peach cobbler dump cake, it was delicious!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      March 28, 2015

      Ooo that sounds really really yummy! I hadn’t thought about using peaches!

      Reply

  • Shelby @ Go Eat and Repeat
    March 28, 2015

    This dumb cake sounds delicious! I love the addition of cherries!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      March 28, 2015

      Thanks Shelby! They make it so tasty and prettier too :). I love that cherry filling. I could eat it straight up and be very content :).

      Reply

  • Marina | Let the Baking Begin!
    March 28, 2015

    Wow, this looks incredibly easy and delicious!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      March 28, 2015

      It really is so so easy. The first time I got the instructions, I was like, really? That’s it? 😉

      Reply

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