Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake (4 Ingredient Recipe)

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Golden brown, bubbly, and syrupy, Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake is what homemade desserts are all about! No complicated technique, no special ingredients, and no fuss — it’s about flavor, texture, and a classically delicious treat to enjoy with friends and family. Anyone can make my cherry dump cake with pineapple. So, don’t wait to give it a try!

Titled image: Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake


 

This is such a delicious dessert – and it all starts with a box of yellow cake mix.

Then you just need a few other simple ingredients, and you’ll be well on your way to enjoying this simple recipe, bite after bite. 

There is a good reason why people make dump cakes and it’s because they’re delicious and one of the easiest desserts to make.

You can literally follow the steps on the recipe card below to make this simple dessert recipe, and your taste buds will jump for joy. All you need are a handful of ingredients to get started! 

ingredients for cherry pineapple dump cake

Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake

Cherries are sweet, sour, and almost woodsy in their dark flavor. Pineapples are bright, tropical, and vibrantly acidic. 

Mixed together? That’s a dessert match made in heaven!

I just think dump cakes are so fun, easy, and quick! I’ve played around with a lot of flavors over the years: lemonOreo cookie, and banana are just some of my favorites!

cherry and pineapple in a baking dish

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

  • Cherry Pie Filling – There’s nothing more convenient than a pre-made cherry filling! 

    Fresh cherries don’t really give the same moisture, but you could cook down some fresh ones to use… just don’t forget to remove those seeds!
  • Canned Crushed Pineapple – Small bits are better than large ones! Want to use frozen? That’s fine, but be sure to let them thaw. 

    And since you can usually only get them in bigger chunks, chop ‘em up a bit more!
  • Yellow Cake Mix – We all love to use it! Your favorite brand is perfect to make this recipe. And if you want to use white cake mix instead, then go for it!
  • Frozen Butter – This is a super trick for moist, buttery pineapple cherry dump cake! You can easily, evenly distribute the butter throughout. 

    It slowly melts to drench and enrich the crumble topping, and it really tenderizes that crumb texture! Make sure that you use real butter! 

You can also use any other fruit filling for this easy cake recipe as well. I also love adding a scoop of ice cream to this crowd-pleasing cake.

Homemade whipped cream is another great topping for easy desserts like this. Whatever you want to do to keep it easy peasy sounds great! It will be a big hit no matter what! 

mixing cherries and pineapple

Tips for Making Cherry Dump Cake With Pineapple

  • Try different flavors of cake mix!

Chocolate, white, yellow, strawberry, so on and so forth… I can’t think of any flavors that wouldn’t be good to use!

Mix it up and let us know in the comments which boxed mix you use!

  • What about butter substitutes?

I’ve been asked if you can use margarine to make cherry pineapple dump cake.

And here’s the thing: you can, but it’s not ideal.

I’ve already gone over the benefits of using frozen butter (even distribution, buttery topping, and crumb texture).

And margarine won’t give the same rich taste or the same moist texture. 

If you still want to make that substitute, I’d recommend going with ½ margarine and ½ butter to still get a similar taste and texture.

  • Try different flavors of fruit! 

There are all kinds of pie filling out there! Pumpkin, blueberry, mixed berry, and so on… and any of them will work in our cherry pineapple dump cake recipe! 

Mix a few together, just go with one — whatever you’d like to do!

  • What’ll be the perfect finishing touch? 

How do you want to top off your homemade pineapple cherry dump cake?

You can make it creamy with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

You can make it crunchy with toasted pecans or walnuts. Or, if you like a nutty flavor but not the texture, you can flurry shredded coconut on top!

… Or just enjoy it as it is! Sometimes, sweet and simple is all you want. 

adding cake mix

Storing and Freezing Pineapple Cherry Dump Cake

Keep leftover dump cake with pineapple in an airtight container so that the crumble doesn’t get stale — and keep it refrigerated to keep the fruit fresh! 

Stored properly, you can enjoy it for up to 5 days. Eat the leftovers cold, right out of the fridge, or reheat pineapple cherry dump cake in the microwave. 

Kitchen Tools You Will Need

Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake Recipe FAQ

What is the biggest mistake to avoid when making a dump cake? 

One big mistake you can make is mixing up the ingredients… Don’t do it!!

The melting butter and bubbling filling will work their magic in the oven, merging the layers and forming an unbelievable crumbly, tender texture. Trust the process!

Is dump cake supposed to be gooey?

There is definitely a yummy, ooey gooey aspect to fruity dump cake. 

However, it’s more melty and syrupy than necessarily gooey, and the buttery crumb makes up a lot of the texture!

Should cherry pineapple dump cake be refrigerated? 

Yes, absolutely! That fruit will turn sour fast if left at room temperature. 

Just take the time to let it cool down before wrapping up and storing.

closeup of cherry pineapple dump cake

Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours. 

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cherry pineapple dump cake in a bowl

closeup of cherry pineapple dump cake

Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake (4 Ingredient Recipe)

Donna Elick
Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake is syrupy, fruity, warm, and sweet. Make my tender cherry dump cake with pineapple for a heartwarming treat!
5 stars from 4 reviews
Tried this recipe?Please comment and review!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Method Oven
Servings 8

Ingredients
 

  • 21 ounce can cherry pie filling
  • 14 ounce can crushed pineapple
  • 15.25 ounces box yellow cake mix
  • 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, (1 1/2 sticks) frozen and chopped

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray 8” round cake pan with cooking spray
  • Dump cherry pie filling and crushed pineapple into cake pan and spread evenly
  • Dump the entire bag of cake mix on top of fruit and spread evenly. Smooth out any large clumps
  • Top with chopped, frozen butter. Be sure to get butter all the way to the edge.
  • Bake for 45-60 minutes until the top is golden brown and bubbly.
  • Remove from oven and let cool slightly
  • Serve warm or cold with ice cream and or whipped topping.

Donna’s Notes

1 1/2 sticks of butter is equal to 12 tablespoons.
It’s totally fine to grease the baking pan with butter instead of baking spray.
Use an 8” round cake pan, or mix it up and use a square or rectangle pan. Dump cakes are versatile, so experiment and have fun!
Use your favorite canned fruit or mix it up and try using fresh fruit. Dump cakes are very easy going!
When adding the cake mix, I recommend using a fork to break up any large clumps.
Use frozen butter for best results, and be sure to chop it up and distribute it evenly on top of the cake mix.
After baking you might notice some bits of cake mix that didn’t get incorporated. That is totally fine, just be sure to spread the butter more evenly next time.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 465cal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 410mg | Sugar: 30g | Fiber: 2g | Calcium: 135mg | Iron: 1mg

All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Cherry pineapple dump cake - pin

Originally published September 2023, updated and republished August 2024

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5 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I never knew Cherry and pineapple would taste so good together. I am very picky when it comes to desserts and I loved this one! This recipe is a keep for sure!

  2. 5 stars
    Made this Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake from The Slow Roasted Italian, and it was an absolute delight! Donna and Chad’s recipes never disappoint. So easy to whip up, and the flavors were outstanding. A 5-star treat!

  3. 5 stars
    Donna’s Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake is a true winner! I added a handful of chopped pecans for some crunch, and it turned out amazing.

  4. 5 stars
    I’m not a master chef by any means, but Donna and Chad’s Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake recipe made me feel like one! It’s incredibly simple and tastes like a gourmet dessert. 5 stars!

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