Name: Easy Cherry Dump Cake (No-Mix, 3-Ingredient Dessert)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cans (21 oz each) cherry pie filling; 1 box (15.25 oz) yellow cake mix (dry, do not prepare); 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, sliced thin or melted; Optional: 1/2 tsp almond extract (stir into cherries); Optional: 1/2 cup sliced almonds (sprinkle on top)

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This easy cherry dump cake is the ultimate “pan-to-oven” dessert: you literally layer three ingredients, bake, and scoop. It comes out with jammy cherries on the bottom and a buttery, golden cake topping that’s crisp in spots and soft in others perfect with vanilla ice cream.

I can’t pull in external sources right now, so I’m sharing a reliable, classic method from kitchen fundamentals and best practices (no-fluff, just what works).

The big idea

Dump cake is not a cake you “mix” it’s a layered cobbler-style dessert where the fruit bubbles up through the dry cake mix as it bakes. The key to success is even coverage: spread the fruit, sprinkle the cake mix evenly, then distribute butter so most of the surface gets moistened. If you stir it, you lose the signature texture (crisp topping + gooey fruit).

What you need (3 ingredients)

2 cans (21 oz each) cherry pie filling
1 box (15.25 oz) yellow cake mix (dry, straight from the box)
1 cup (2 sticks / 16 tbsp) unsalted butter

That’s it. No eggs, no bowls, no mixer.

Pan + oven

Pan: 9×13-inch baking dish (glass or metal both work)
Oven: 350°F (175°C)

If you love extra-crispy edges, use a metal pan. If you want a softer, gooier scoop, glass is great.

Make it (the foolproof layering method)

Preheat & prep. Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish (optional, but it makes cleanup easier).
Fruit layer. Spread both cans of cherry pie filling evenly in the bottom of the dish, right to the corners.
Cake mix layer. Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the cherries. Take your time here try to cover the cherries without big bare patches or thick piles. (Do not mix.)
Butter layer (most important).
Choose one method:
- Sliced-butter method (best “classic” texture): Thinly slice cold butter and lay slices evenly across the entire top. Cover as much surface area as possible.Melted-butter method (best for even coverage): Melt the butter and drizzle it slowly over the cake mix, aiming to moisten as much of the top as you can.
If you see dry cake mix after buttering, that’s okay some dry spots will bake into crunchy, buttery “crumb” patches. If the dry areas are large, add a few extra thin butter slices there.
Bake. Bake 45–55 minutes, until the cherry filling is bubbling at the edges and the top is deeply golden with some crisp areas.
Cool briefly. Let it cool 10–15 minutes so the filling thickens slightly (scoops better, less lava-hot).

How to serve it

Scoop warm into bowls and top with vanilla ice cream (the melt + hot cherries is the whole point).
Or serve at room temperature with whipped cream.
For cleaner “squares,” chill it first and cut, but dump cake is at its best as a scoopable dessert.

Easy upgrades (optional, not required)

If you want to keep it “almost 3 ingredients,” these small add-ins make it taste bakery-level:

Almond vibe: Add 1/2 teaspoon almond extract to the cherry layer (stir into the pie filling in the pan). Cherry + almond tastes like a pastry shop.
Chocolate-cherry: Use chocolate cake mix instead of yellow.
Cherry-vanilla: Sprinkle 1 teaspoon cinnamon or 1–2 teaspoons vanilla sugar over the fruit layer.
Crunchy top: Add a handful of sliced almonds or chopped pecans over the butter before baking.

Troubleshooting (so it works every time)

“I have powdery dry cake mix on top.” You likely didn’t get enough butter coverage. Next time, use melted butter or slice butter thinner and cover the surface more evenly.
“My topping is soggy.” This can happen if the butter pools heavily in one area or the cake mix layer is unevenly thick. Sprinkle cake mix evenly and distribute butter across the whole top.
“The middle looks pale but edges are done.” Your dish may be insulating heat (thick glass) or your oven runs cool. Bake 5–10 more minutes, tenting loosely with foil if the edges get too dark.
“It’s too sweet.” Serve with tangy toppings (plain Greek yogurt whipped with a little honey, or lightly sweetened whipped cream) and consider mixing in a handful of tart cherries if you ever use frozen fruit.

Make-ahead and storage

Fridge: Cover and refrigerate up to 4 days.
Reheat: Warm portions in the microwave (quick) or in a 300°F oven (best for re-crisping the top).
Freezer: You can freeze baked dump cake (tightly wrapped) for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge, then rewarm.

Easy Cherry Dump Cake (No-Mix, 3-Ingredient Dessert)

Author: danyrecipes
Total Time: 55
Yield: 12 servings
Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

This 3-ingredient Cherry Dump Cake is the easiest scoop-and-serve dessert: cherry pie filling on the bottom, dry cake mix in the middle, and buttery golden topping on top. No mixing bowls, no eggs just layer and bake for a bubbling, cobbler-style treat.

Ingredients

2 cans (21 oz each) cherry pie filling

1 box (15.25 oz) yellow cake mix (dry, do not prepare)

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, sliced thin or melted

Optional: 1/2 tsp almond extract (stir into cherries)

Optional: 1/2 cup sliced almonds (sprinkle on top)

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Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick spray or butter.

2. Open the cans of cherry pie filling and spread them evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish. (If using almond extract, stir it into the cherries now).

3. Open the box of cake mix and sprinkle the dry powder evenly over the top of the cherries. Use a spoon to gently level it out, ensuring the fruit is fully covered. Do not stir.

4. Add the butter. Option A: Slice cold butter into thin pats and place them in a single layer over the dry mix, covering as much surface as possible. Option B: Melt the butter and drizzle it slowly and evenly over the cake mix.

5. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes. The cake is done when the fruit filling is bubbling vigorously around the edges and the top is deep golden brown and crisp.

6. Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes to allow the filling to thicken slightly.

7. Serve warm, ideally with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.